Regal Tang Eats Corals!

[VP]

I have a Tang (Regal) that I've had in my tank for 9 years. In the last couple of months he/she has decided that Tang's eat corals. It eats my Xenia, Duncan., Torch Coral (completely ate the Torch). Has anybody else experienced this. It's driving me wild, but as we all know, anything can happen in our tanks. LOL

The Tang gets plenty of food: Nori, spirulina flake, other flake, red macro algae when I can get it, clam, squid, mysis, brine, etc.

VP

 

[chrissreef]

I've heard Regals can... how large is he?

 

[VP]

He's about 9-10" long and very fat and full of attitude. I really can't feed him much more and keep the water clean enough.

 

[cl2ysta1]

this is pretty common. what size tank is she in?

 

[Hormigaquatica]

I had one that ate Trachyphyllia and Faviids. Every once in a while you get one that 'just decides' to start picking at things.

 

[VP]

It's a 125 gallon with plenty of swim room. I had no idea, like I said, I've had him for 9 years (in August) and just in the past couple of months he has started eating the corals. Ya just never know.

 

[cl2ysta1]

if he is 10 inches that tank is getttin kinda small for him. he might be feeling cramped

 

[VP]

He was in a 75 for 8 years and last year I upgraded to the 125. He'll have to wait a little while for a bigger home and I don't want to get rid of him, he's part of the family. Luckily I have a boat load of Xenia. That's the only part of his behavior that has changed.

Edit: I just gave him some Nori so I could measure him. He's about 8.5" from tip of mouth to end of tail.

 

[cl2ysta1]

haha. your fish outgrowing your tank is definetly a good excuse to go bigger!!!!!!

 

[VP]

I'll have to tell my husband that ... I had already told him about 2 months after I got the 125 that it wasn't big enough ...

 

[cl2ysta1]

for sure. I would say a minimum 180 gallon tank for that fish.

 

[VP]

I don't think I can get the minister of finance to sign off on the expense. LOL.

I guess, for the near future, the tang and I will just have to bite the bullet (or coral).

Thanks all.

V

 

[heartbreak7]

I had a regal start eating zoanthids relentlessly. Didn't matter how much food was put in the tank.

 

[VP]

I hope he didn't eat any of those beautiful blue zoas!!!

 

[chrissreef]

I have an 8" one and 2" one in my QT tank now and will go in my 300 reef... now I'm scared about the big one! he's so pretty!

 

[VP]

Chrisreef,

They are gorgeous, hopefully your's will be a good boy ... I'd heard of them nipping at things before but never actually eating them. But now I know. It took over 8 years for mine to start eating stuff. Plan to get rid of your before then.

 

[idareefer]

my yellow tang loved LPS, especially open brains, had to get rid of him

 

[abereefur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12589214#post12589214 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by VP
I don't think I can get the minister of finance to sign off on the expense. LOL.

I guess, for the near future, the tang and I will just have to bite the bullet (or coral).

Thanks all.

V

you's the wifey. make the man listen. i remember a quote from my big fat greek wedding: "the man may be the head of the house, but the neck can turn the head in whatever direction it wants." :bum: (im a guy saying this for the sake of the tang )

 

[VP]

abereefur, LOL. We'll see what happens in about a year.

I just bought the tang a nice big rock of green macro algae. The kind of mossy looking stuff he likes. That'll keep him occupied for awhile. I let him eat off of it and then when the algae gets low, I'll put it in the back of the tank so it can grow. Hopefully, that will keep things mellow for awhile.

Thanks to everyone for your responses, so Yellow Tangs eat corals too!!!

 

[idareefer]

hippo's will to sometime! mine also ate open brains