Tang question

[Anihiel1]

My BabyTang is getting quite large now and has taken to 'cleaning out' various caves for himself. Fine when he was smaller, but now he's taking whole swathes down to the bare bottom. He'll even pick up rubble in his nouth and move it. I re-did the rockwork to give him more hiding places, but he seems to enjoy going horizontal and/or destroying my sandbed under every rock he can. He's scraped up his nose with his antics.
Any recommendations??
Pvc caves under the rocks maybe???
Ps- 6-ft 125 gallon, other fish are his bff foxface, 4 clowns, 2 cardinals, 7 blue reef and 2 purple chromis. Various other non fish family.

 

[Uncle99]

What tang is doing this?

 

[ReeferBean]

BabyTang?

 

[Timfish]

My vote would be get it a bigger tank with deeper sand bed.

If what you're seeing though is steriotypy behavior it needs a bigger tank now.

 

[Anihiel1]

Omg sorry LOL. BabyTang is what we named him, sorry. He is a Doctorfish (we got him as a baby several months ago)
Pics attached, sorry for the dirty glass. Pic of tang, the abrasion, example of the holes he keeps digging.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah, this is a very strong surgeon that will get twice as large. Min tank size is 210-300 gallons

 

[Anihiel1]

My vote would be get it a bigger tank with deeper sand bed.

If what you're seeing though is steriotypy behavior it needs a bigger tank now.

He's in a 6 foot 125 with maybe 2" sandbed

 

[Anihiel1]

Yeah, this is a very strong surgeon that will get twice as large. Min tank size is 210-300 gallons

Oof. My wallet.

 

[haitian_reefer]

Sounds like your best option is to find him a better home.

 

[Timfish]

He's in a 6 foot 125 with maybe 2" sandbed

If you're not seeing steriotypy behavior (here's an introductory description for animals) you should be fine for awhile. It sounds like you have a very personable fish. You might try interacting with it more, teach it some tricks.

 

[Anihiel1]

If you're not seeing steriotypy behavior (here's an introductory description for animals) you should be fine for awhile. It sounds like you have a very personable fish. You might try interacting with it more, teach it some tricks.

Indeed very personable! I do interact with them quite a bit and he will eat nori from my hand occasionally.
How odd that you mentioned tricks- this is going to sound crazy but the tang has been using the urchins 3D-printed top hat like a toy. He picks it up in his mouth and tosses it. I thought he was just cleaning up his cave. But he has done it elsewhere in the tank. Had to give the urchin a viking hat instead.
Can't really blame him, I hate formalwear also.
Are there toys for fish....?? How did I never see this

 

[Timfish]

@Anihiel1 Thought you'd enjoy this video of one of my tangs in one of the systems I maintain. The sailfin in it gets fed at one end of the tank and is trying to get someone to feed it while a neighbor's daughter watches.

 

[Anihiel1]

That is one gorgeous fish!!

 

[Anihiel1]

He seems to have calmed down quite a bit now, after several days of construction work he has excavated a large cave under the rock and built a sand barrier wall around it. I'm guessing I disturbed his previous sleeping arrangements when I moved some of the rock...

 

[Timfish]

. . . I'm guessing I disturbed his previous sleeping arrangements when I moved some of the rock...

Don't you feel like a jerk now for messing up his bedroom! ;Smuggrin

 

[Barks]

Hehe, ive got a vamp that does the exact same thing.
if i annoy him by cleaning the sand and disturbing his walls he will eye ball me and pick up small rocks and swim off with them only to throw them somewhere then come back and see what i think about that!
;Happy