My tang acting funny

[FishTales]

I just put a Copperbelt butterfly into my tank and my yellow tang keeps backing his tailfin into the butterfly and will smack him around. They are not nipping each other. Anyone seen this?

 

[jcegt87]

yes , what i think is the yellow tang is trying to tell the copperBAND that hes boss , tangs are aggresive towards their own kind and the copperband may be a threat as far as the tang sees it , be careful that little white dot on the tangs tail is basically a blade and can/will kill whoever the tangs sees as a threat

 

[Zissou]

Tangs are called surgeonfish for a reason, so it sounds like your tang is trying to go west side story on your copperband.

 

[wontonflip]

+2 jce -- watch out for the tang's barb.

Try rearranging rocks, or turning the lights out for a while. Copperbands are usually peaceful.

 

[Northstar24]

Thats how tangs defend themselves or pick on other fish, they use the spikes on the side of their tales as a weapon. Turn off the lights and re arrange some of the rocks to confuse the Yellow Tang

 

[FishTales]

Sorry I know it's copperband (stupid autocorrect). This is very interesting. Probably because the copperband is a tad bit bigger than tang. Tang doesn't seem to mess with others.

 

[wontonflip]

Well, the copperband is the new guy....the Tang is simply letting him know who's boss.