Tale eating fish!!!

[travis32]

Hmm... Well, it was either my chevron tang or Bellas angel that ate the tale off my sleeper goby. (I've had the goby for close to 2 years). The angel and tang I've only had for around 6 months.

The angel and tang both will swim up to each other and size each other up... Then swim off when they both realize, yep, we're both still the same size.


For the most part they're peaceful fish, but, for some reason they decided it would be prudent to eat the tale fin off my goby? Is it a sign of agression or lack of food? Or dominance in some way? My goby has disappeared. I'm not sure if he jumped out, went into hiding, or died of "no tale fin".

I love the chevron, but, if it is him, will this behavior get worse as it gets older? Or is this some type of juvenile teenage rage thing and in a year or so when it's an adult it will become docile, lazy, and dormant?

 

[Recty]

Just an FYI, most tangs do not get docile and lazy with age. That's when their true territorial nature kicks in. So if it's a problem now, dont expect it to go away with "maturity".

With that said, how long have you had the live rock in the tank? Have you added any new live rock lately? Could be a hitchhiker crab doing it.

I really wouldnt suspect the Bellus angel, I suppose it is possible that the tang is doing it at night though.

 

[travis32]

I've seent he tang and angel both chasing the goby during daylight. They've kinda turned into "bully's" I may need a cattle prod. LOL. They're both my show fish. I don't really have much else other than a pair of oscelleris clowns and a bicolor foxface. I have a tiny tiny rainsford goby which no one touches. So, I'm not sure why the goby other than just because they can...