Yellow eye kole tang acting strange

[ScubaSteeve]

So 2 days ago I received my yellow eye kole, beautiful fish and appears very healthy. At first he stayed in the back behind the rocks with the 2 cardinal fish that arrived with him. Then later in the night when the lights dimmed down he came out to the front but was swimming very fast and in a pattern around the rock over and over. Yesterday was the same, stayed in the back until the lights went down, then this time just swam at the glass in one corner of the tank. Seems like very nervous swimming to me. Is this normal until they get used to their new environment?

 

[Qasimja]

is the fish breathing heavy? if its just swimming fast and hiding i wouldnt worry also is it eating yet?

 

[ScubaSteeve]

No doesn't appear to be breathing heavy just looks very nervous and erratic when it's out. I put some nori out but didnt seem to pay it any attention. A few times it looked like it picked at the glass or the rock but that about it

 

[Awesome Dennis]

Is this in a QT or your display? How big is the tank?

 

[ScubaSteeve]

My 32 biocube display, he seems to be calming down a bit and eating a lot now. Think I was just a little over worried

 

[nereefpat]

Could be that it's just adjusting to your time zone.

"Pacing" is one if the signs of too small a tank for a tang, and a 32 gallons is way too small.

 

[ScubaSteeve]

I know the 32 is too small I'm in the process of setting up a 150g at the new house were he will be going hes still very small right now and has settled down

 

[NJDragonet]

Same thing happened with 90% of my tangs. This is normal my Achilles and Chervon kept doing this they will settle down.

 

[nereefpat]

Forgot to mention, kole and the other Ctenochaetus genus cousins don't always eat nori. They don't naturally eat that type of algae in nature.

 

[garyfri]

@nereefpat are you saying the Yellow eyed kole doesnt eat Nori or should not eat it?

 

[nereefpat]

@nereefpat are you saying the Yellow eyed kole doesnt eat Nori or should not eat it?

If the kole goes for nori, great. They don't always.

 

[LunaReef]

If the kole goes for nori, great. They don't always.

I've seen your comment on this when I've searched the pacing topic previously so I got a 2'fer, yayy lol. My White Tail won't eat it but looks fat & beautiful so I'm not too concerned. I am however concerned about her pacing in the right corner of the tank. I have a 5' 85G, which I built specifically for her to have more swim space. She was initially hanging out in both ends of the tank but she seems obsessed with the right corner the past two months

 

[malacoda]

I've seen your comment on this when I've searched the pacing topic previously so I got a 2'fer, yayy lol. My White Tail won't eat it but looks fat & beautiful so I'm not too concerned. I am however concerned about her pacing in the right corner of the tank. I have a 5' 85G, which I built specifically for her to have more swim space. She was initially hanging out in both ends of the tank but she seems obsessed with the right corner the past two months

Unfortunately, it's about total three-dimensional 'freedom', not just length. Longer 'run' space alone won't always be enough to make a fish that needs a lot of room feel comfortable.

Min. recommended tank for a White Tail Bristletooth is about 80g.

If you have a 5' long tank that is still only 85g, then both the height and depth must only be around 18" each (Versus say, a more standard 48x24x18 or 30 x 24 x 24.). Essentially the same as making a person live in a 100ft long hallway. You may have a lot of length to pace back and forth, but it'll still constantly feel like the walls are closing in.

Minimum gallon recommendations for fish are usually provided based on standard tank sizes for this reason. It provides the minimum freedom in all 3 directions a particular fish typically needs.

 

[LunaReef]

Unfortunately, it's about total three-dimensional 'freedom', not just length. Longer 'run' space alone won't always be enough to make a fish that needs a lot of room feel comfortable.

Min. recommended tank for a White Tail Bristletooth is about 80g.

If you have a 5' long tank that is still only 85g, then both the height and depth must only be around 18" each (Versus say, a more standard 48x24x18 or 30 x 24 x 24.). Essentially the same as making a person live in a 100ft long hallway. You may have a lot of length to pace back and forth, but it'll still constantly feel like the walls are closing in.

Minimum gallon recommendations for fish are usually provided based on standard tank sizes for this reason. It provides the minimum freedom in all 3 directions a particular fish typically needs.

Understood. I had a space-depth limitation on this build, which also ended up being a semi-emergency as the foundation under my 90G had settled and was causing the tank to lean, so I cut corners. I plan to move within the next 6 months and will use this tank for the inhabitants in my 40G. Will build a bigger home for my Fancy Face soon. Thanks for your input.

 

[nereefpat]

I've seen your comment on this when I've searched the pacing topic previously so I got a 2'fer, yayy lol. My White Tail won't eat it but looks fat & beautiful so I'm not too concerned. I am however concerned about her pacing in the right corner of the tank. I have a 5' 85G, which I built specifically for her to have more swim space. She was initially hanging out in both ends of the tank but she seems obsessed with the right corner the past two months

Can you link to a YouTube video? Going up and down the glass on one side could be from seeing its reflection.

 

[LunaReef]

Can you link to a YouTube video? Going up and down the glass on one side could be from seeing its reflection.

I actually thought I did originally but It didn't attach. I'm wondering if I can maybe lower some of the rocks, to open up some space although she seems to enjoy zooming in & out of the scape & arches. I raised that intake pipe on the HOB & she seems to approve lol

 

[LunaReef]

I actually thought I did originally but It didn't attach. I'm wondering if I can maybe lower some of the rocks, to open up some space although she seems to enjoy zooming in & out of the scape & arches. I raised that intake pipe on the HOB & she seems to approve lol

Also, that Tuxedo has been growing out that hair algae for way too long, lol

 

[nereefpat]

I actually thought I did originally but It didn't attach. I'm wondering if I can maybe lower some of the rocks, to open up some space although she seems to enjoy zooming in & out of the scape & arches. I raised that intake pipe on the HOB & she seems to approve lol

I wonder if it's seeing its reflection. You might play with the room lights, like stick a lamp over on that side and see if it quits.

That isn't what I would call pacing, like a tang does when out of room. I had a powder brown in my 125 for a while that would go back and forth the length of the tank.

Beautiful fish. Personally, I think that tang has enough room in there.

 

[LunaReef]

I wonder if it's seeing its reflection. You might play with the room lights, like stick a lamp over on that side and see if it quits.

That isn't what I would call pacing, like a tang does when out of room. I had a powder brown in my 125 for a while that would go back and forth the length of the tank.

Beautiful fish. Personally, I think that tang has enough room in there.

She's such a beauty and I feel like she does too especially since she was pretty active on both sides of the tank previously. I think I started when I put an MP40 down in that corner. Good heavens she would circle it obsessively so I moved it to the back, as shown in the clip. Sometimes I feed on the opposite side of the tank and she parks herself right there when she sees me coming, lol, so it's not like she has an aversion to the left side. I'd really like to solve this ... I hate seeing her so manic. Thanks for your input