Regal Blue Tang Reef Safe...Not So Fast!

[newbie20]

So, about a year ago, I had a colony of Radioactive Dragon Eye zoas growing and spreading pretty well. Suddenly, they began to slowly "melt" away. They never really died off, as they'd make appearances now and again, then disappear. Though I couldn't isolate the cause at the time, I chalked it up to something about the parameters, flow, etc. Didn't worry, because all else was fine.

Several months ago, I consolidated the contents of another system into mine, including more Dragon Eyes and a rock covered in Tubbs Blue zoas. Again the Dragon Eyes began to disappear, and I would notice the Tubbs Blue rock on the substrate in the mornings. I assumed that I'd not found a secure place and that the CUC was knocking it over at night and continued to experiment with different placements. The rock continued to get knocked down, and I began to notice the heads closing up and going away. One night, I just so happened to catch my Regal knocking the rock off of the new perch. Initially, I thought it was a territorial thing since it was on "his side" of the tank, but then I began to notice him nipping at it even after he'd knocked it down. I pulled the rock and gave it away to an ARC member after having seen this multiple times.

Kind of forgot about all of the above until I began to notice a large colony of palys, one of the most colorful things in the display (not sure what they are, but coloration resembles Armor of God), began to close up and "melt away" last week. My suspicions immediately went to the Regal. Sure enough, I now witness him nipping at them on a regular basis. I tend to feed on the heavier side, so I'm not sure what else to do other than get rid of him or live with a tank free of zoas/palys and hope he doesn't move onto something else.

Anyone else experience this?

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

I've have two large Regals and neither have ever really bothered anything to the point it died. Sure they nip here and there...they are after all a Tang. But to say that he's directly responsible for killing off zoas.....nope...I can't go there. Most of my colonies have spread and none have died.

 

[raz0945]

Tanks are grazers (Angels too), they will eat all day long. One of the problems for our grazers is the fact we keep our tanks so clean, we don't leave them any snacks. I have had 5 tangs and 6 angels and have not had a problem with them, other then when they run into my acros. I feed at least 2x a day and keep an algae clip with nori. I buy nori sheets cheap at the Asian grocery story at Gwinnett Mall. I have over 400+polyps on 25 different zoas. I think one of the biggest factors is buying the fish young and training them to eat the food I supply(it's hard to train us old ones) and not letting them get too hungry. Hope this might be helpful! Holley

 

[enderg60]

Yup, I had one that loved zoas, xenia, star polyps and blastos.

Had him over a year and then he just started eating them. Its not like he was hungry either, he looked like tear drop head on.

 

[newbie20]

EnderG60;956079 wrote: Yup, I had one that loved zoas, xenia, star polyps and blastos.

Had him over a year and then he just started eating them. Its not like he was hungry either, he looked like tear drop head on.

Funny you mention xenia. I had a period where my zenia was mysteriously disappearing as well. Doing fine now, but something I'm keeping my eye on.

ha! I just got your teardrop analogy. Mine's not there yet, but will be soon.

 

[newbie20]

porpoiseaquatics;956071 wrote: I've have two large Regals and neither have ever really bothered anything to the point it died. Sure they nip here and there...they are after all a Tang. But to say that he's directly responsible for killing off zoas.....nope...I can't go there. Most of my colonies have spread and none have died.

I wish that were the case with mine. I can say he's directly responsible. He "nips" at them like he nips at the nori sheets I put in the tank. More of a nip and tug, like it were algae on the rock.

 

[newbie20]

Raz0945;956075 wrote: Tanks are grazers (Angels too), they will eat all day long. One of the problems for our grazers is the fact we keep our tanks so clean, we don't leave them any snacks. I have had 5 tangs and 6 angels and have not had a problem with them, other then when they run into my acros. I feed at least 2x a day and keep an algae clip with nori. I buy nori sheets cheap at the Asian grocery story at Gwinnett Mall. I have over 400+polyps on 25 different zoas. I think one of the biggest factors is buying the fish young and training them to eat the food I supply(it's hard to train us old ones) and not letting them get too hungry. Hope this might be helpful! Holley

Yep, the tangs keep my rocks pretty clean. Guess this is the next best thing after algae that's growing on them. I, too, feed at least 2x/day, including nori sheets during both feedings. I also drop some food in there when I see him going at the palys. They were fine for the last 6+ months, but something recently triggered his targeting of them.

 

[enderg60]

Newbie20;956082 wrote: Funny you mention xenia. I had a period where my zenia was mysteriously disappearing as well. Doing fine now, but something I'm keeping my eye on.

ha! I just got your teardrop analogy. Mine's not there yet, but will be soon.

xenia is weird like that though. Ive had mine recede or completely die off from minor changes in alk or salinity.

Only knew he was eating it when I caught him nipping out of the corner of my eye and watched him move around the tank taking bites of things.

 

[reefenthusiast]

My blue tang has recently started nipping at my zoas, especially all the bright and expensive ones. I've had her for ~2 years. She's about 7 inches long. I ended up having to cover over my zoas with a clear plastic container. I'm trying to see if she's also responsible for my acans losing a head each week. 😠


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[reeferman]

ive personally seen regals and sailfins go after corals