Strange behavior between angel and wasp

[Ardeus]

I have a couple of red bandtail wasps and a couple of heraldi angels.

Whenever the wasps are out, the male heraldi does this (see at 0:28). It really annoys the wasps and it's been going on forever.


Initially I thought the angel was trying to stab the wasps with the spikes in its gills, but I don't think so anymore, sometimes the spikes are not even close to the wasps.

Sometimes he doesn't even notice the wasp has left and just stays very still for a long time until he realizes he's alone.

Any suggestions about why the male angel does this?

 

[Sosuke]

Maybe the fish wants to block them from getting the food, also nice video

 

[Ardeus]

Maybe the fish wants to block them from getting the food, also nice video

I don't think so, it happens also when there's no food around.

 

[Crustaceon]

“Hey, I don’t remember seeing you an hour ago”

Intimidate intimidate intimidate intimidate

 

[Ardeus]

Maybe your onto something. Is it possible the male angel knows they're poisonous? But if that's so, he's risking his life. I think I saw him get stung once.

 

[Angelwolf21203]

It looks to me like the angel wants to be cleaned. Maybe he's seeing the red/white coloration and thinks it's a cleaner shrimp. Doesn't look like either one os getting stressed out, though.

 

[Ardeus]

It looks to me like the angel wants to be cleaned. Maybe he's seeing the red/white coloration and thinks it's a cleaner shrimp. Doesn't look like either one os getting stressed out, though.

It would too funny if that is the reason

The way he behaves doesn't seem aggressive, so it's definitely a possibility, however weird it seems at first.

 

[TriggerFinger]

First off, great video. I watched it 4 times. The angel might have a crush on the whiter wasp fish?? Do you know which wasp is male and female?

 

[Angelwolf21203]

It would too funny if that is the reason

The way he behaves doesn't seem aggressive, so it's definitely a possibility, however weird it seems at first.

So funny story, my angel was doing the same thing under the rock overhangs and so I got a cleaner shrimp, and it was in the tank for about 10 seconds and my angel was hounding it to clean him. After a while, and throughout the rest of the night my angel got cleaned and was drastically different the next day! The following day after that, he was completely back to normal! It's definitely worth a try, and certainly won't harm anything!

 

[Ardeus]

First off, great video. I watched it 4 times. The angel might have a crush on the whiter wasp fish?? Do you know which wasp is male and female?

I have seen strange attractions before. When I had Malawi cichlids (mostly protomelas), in an emergency I had to put a silver dollar in the tank.

They went nuts. That big silver fish was the sexiest thing they had ever seen, they couldn't care less for the females of their own species anymore,

 

[TriggerFinger]

Hey, I like shiny things too! You can’t blame them!

 

[Ardeus]

So funny story, my angel was doing the same thing under the rock overhangs and so I got a cleaner shrimp, and it was in the tank for about 10 seconds and my angel was hounding it to clean him. After a while, and throughout the rest of the night my angel got cleaned and was drastically different the next day! The following day after that, he was completely back to normal! It's definitely worth a try, and certainly won't harm anything!

I have 2 marine bettas and 2 really aggressive flame hawks, I would have to choose a large shrimp, like the stenopus, but on the other hand, the shrimp could easily capture the wasps.

 

[Angelwolf21203]

The shrimp isn't likely to harm anyone. The flame hawks, however, could eat it. But typically they will find a hidey hole and stay there so they can retreat when threatened. He may even pair up with your wasps and share that hidey hole. Just my 2¢!

 

[Ardeus]

I wouldn't trust a large stenopus with any small fish. But maybe a cleaner wrasse?

 

[Angelwolf21203]

The cleaner wrasse could become expensive hawkfish food, too. Being that they don't get very big. Do you have a QT tank? Maybe you could just keep the cleaner shrimp or wrasse in there and catch the angel and allow him a few days to get cleaned thoroughly.

 

[Ardeus]

The hawks are mostly aggressive towards red fish and gobies, I think a cleaner wrasse would be safe with them.

At this point I am so reluctant to introduce fish in the tank because of diseases, that I don't think that even if the angel learned to speak and ask me in several languages to get something to clean him, I would still wouldn't do it.

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

I hate to be that guy but these fish are venomous, not poisonous. Venom is injected, poison is ingested. Great video though!

 

[Ardeus]

It's the first time I heard that distinction, english is not my 1st language.

In Portuguese we use the same word for venom and poison: "veneno".

When referring to animals, there is a distinction (like in English) though, between "venenoso" and "tóxico".

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

No worries! English is really a dumb language- most of it makes no sense. Your english is great though, I really had no idea it was your 2nd language! Thats also very interesting about Portuguese, I never knew that!

 

[Angelwolf21203]

I'm 1/4 Portugese. Never learned the language, but it's part of my heritage!