Tailspot carving a new home?

[WVH]

Tailspot Blenny question here. My first posting here, I was at another site years ago but this looks to be the place to be these days. To start I have been away from the hobby for years due to a stroke and tank crashing . Well I am back. I have restarted a 72 bow about recently and other that that newer tank algae crisis all seems well.

Here is the crazy thing, my Tailspot was run off by a newly added Lawnmower from his favorite hole in the LR. So this morning I saw him head first into a hole on the other side of the tank. Upon watching a bit he was coming out and spitting out tiny bits of the LR. There are lots of little holes so it is hard to understand this action. I did not realize his tiny teeth where strong enough to cut the LR!! There is well over a hundred pounds of LR in there so why this process of cutting a hole eludes me?? Shots attached, first showing him spitting out the tiny bits of LR and the second is this new hole he has cut out . It is so clean cut it almost looks like a drilled hole! Is this a normal behavior in a Tailspot??? I have not had one before nor read of this behavior in them. Thanks from the newbie here WVH

 

[eastlake]

Were I a gambling man I'd say that the hole was already there and the tail spot is doing some house keeping in its new home. Mine showed very similar behavior whenever it was testing out a new home. If you've never had a tail spot before be prepared for an extremely entertaining and personable fish.

 

[WVH]

Yes , pretty sure there had to be a hole there to start with , just with all the LR holes in the tank I wonder why he would spend so much time house cleaning and trimming out this one? . By the end of the day he had chewed in so far that now only the very tip of his nose sticks out . The hole is so round now it looks like somebody did it with a drill. For as shy as he was at first, he has became a very interesting little guy to watch. Must be some pretty sharp little teeth there too.

 

[Anemone]

[welcome]

Kevin

 

[billdogg]

Mine lives in several different holes in the rocks during the day. Shortly before lights out it can be found in a well encrusted group of large barnacles at the front of the tank.

 

[davocean]

While they do have some ability to manipulate corals or burrow into areas, I'd suspect what you are seeing is removing sand or tiny loose rubble, but they do have something going for teeth or something, as mine has kept a chalice from growing over it's tunnel, and formed a perfect circle of an opening.