I witnessed something really funny today!

[weez1959]

and disturbing at the same time cuz Mr. Ed the Naso could have been injured!
He's been digging himself out a little cave as you can see in the pic and today he came out of his cave with one of my emerald crabs hanging out of his mouth (he was holding it by the tip of it's pincher claw and the crab is at least 2" across) He swam with it about 2 feet across the tank and dumped it against the left side of the tank on the glass and went back to his digging. Is this normal behavior for a tang, maybe He is a She and she's making a nest??

[showfish]

I have a Maroone clown that has done this before. They do not like any visitors in their house. I can't keep any substate in his area, or he will just fan it out. Loves that bare bottom.

[zhenya]

I doubt it is nesting behavior since most all surgeonfishes are broadcast spawners. However, it was probably making a house that it can retreat to for the night and crab was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[weez1959]

it was probably making a house that it can retreat to for the night and crab was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Probably, he spends almost his whole day taking mouthfuls of gravel out of his house and spitting them on my corals
I'm gonna have to kick him in the pants if he keeps it up
Did you get a mental image of that one

[Samper]

I've never seen a tang behave like that.....Is that normal behavior for some of them? My clowns have done this but the most my tang does with the substrate is pick at it.

[weez1959]

I didn't think they did this either but he's digging himself quite a hole!

[zhenya]

Unicornfishes are primarily zooplanktivores in adulthood and swim in open waters in good sized schools. Juvies are more around the reefs and feed on benthic algae. I think it may be a sign of too small of an aquarium for this fish as it matures more and more. Keep an eye on it and see if any other peculiar behavior develops. How large is it at the moment?

My bristletooth tang digs a little but not in any particular spot, he simply likes to move small rubble and shells that he finds on the sand to look for some algae to graze on. I even see him nibble on sea grass blades, not overly tasty for him but he just nibbles to scour for filamenthous algae on the blade tips.

[weez1959]

Hi Gene,
You might be right, I'm beginning to suspect OCD. He's about 4.75" from lips to the tip of his tail. I should have the new tank ready in about 4-6 weeks but it's still only going to be a 90 gallon. I have to find him a home because I KNOW my LFS will sell him to someone with a tiny tank.