Are all sailfin tangs like this?

kesh · Nov 4, 2017

Hi. I've sailfin tang that constantly flares his fins. He is the only tang with couple of small nemos. It always looks scared / skittish and swims arounds with his fin flared. The only time i see it with its fin closed and swimming around its when its hungry. They looked so much better that way. But soon after feeding, it goes back to its flared behaviour for 5/6 hours. I had a sailfin in the past that behaved similarly. Fed up with its boring behaviour, i return it 6 months later. I thought i just had a skittish sailfin and now i bought another one, its the same behaviour. They look so nice in the shops swimming around pacing the glass but i guess thats because they dont feed them. Water parameters are fine.
Im definitely not getting a sailfin again if this is their behavior. In fact the only reason i got it was bcs fish are very expensive in my country. Yellow tangs are sold at $220 and purples are $400 a pop. I should have just saved more in hindsight. Sailfin cost $55 each.

LobsterOfJustice · Nov 4, 2017

What size is the fish, and what size tank is it in?

kesh · Nov 4, 2017

LobsterOfJustice said:
What size is the fish, and what size tank is it in?

Tiny in 50 gallon. I had a yellow tang previously and it was happy always. Just notice this will sailfin's. Never had skittish behaviour from other fish i have kept - foxface, butterflies, angel etc

Reefing Madness · Nov 4, 2017

Ive had one for 15 years in a 240g tank, he does just fine. Swims normally, only flares when he's spooked or playing around with the other fish.

jsker · Nov 4, 2017

I have one in my 75 and she is pretty passive, I feed the fish nori and she seems to be happy and playful with the other fish.

kesh · Nov 4, 2017

jsker said:
I have one in my 75 and she is pretty passive, I feed the fish nori and she seems to be happy and playful with the other fish.

i'll probably add another fish, maybe a foxface.. those guys are good swimmers..maybe then it will be less shy

kesh · Nov 4, 2017

Reefing Madness said:
Ive had one for 15 years in a 240g tank, he does just fine. Swims normally, only flares when he's spooked or playing around with the other fish.

thats why i thought it will be great alternative to YT. i see them in lfs in much smaller holding tanks playing around even when i get upclose.

jsker · Nov 4, 2017

kesh said:
i'll probably add another fish, maybe a foxface.. those guys are good swimmers..maybe then it will be less shy

Just understand like myself, I am going to have to rehome the sailfin someday. Try the nori the sailfin might be looking for algae to eat.

kesh · Nov 4, 2017

jsker said:
Just understand like myself, I am going to have to rehome the sailfin someday. Try the nori the sailfin might be looking for algae to eat.

Yup..i will have to rehome it too in a year perhaps. I do feed it nori, but then it gets worse. Because it is constantly fed. When there is decent interval from the last meal, it gets less skittish and more relaxed, swimming around. I do notice its a common behaviour among fish to slow down, rest after feeding but they usually do that for an hour max and back to swimming around. This doesnt repeat with both sailfins i've kept.

jsker · Nov 4, 2017

kesh said:
Yup..i will have to rehome it too in a year perhaps. I do feed it nori, but then it gets worse. Because it is constantly fed. When there is decent interval from the last meal, it gets less skittish and more relaxed, swimming around. I do notice its a common behaviour among fish to slow down, rest after feeding but they usually do that for an hour max and back to swimming around. This doesnt repeat with both sailfins i've kept.

Try a little vitamin c to relieve the stress

There are a couple of liquid product out there that one can add to the frozen.