A few days ago I bought a blue hippo tang, about 1.5-2”, and a one spot foxface who is at least twice his size, maybe 4” or so. When I first introduced them the hippo tang went to investigate and it looked like he got poked by a barb? I guess not, but it sure looked like he was getting poked, regardless, shortly after he left the foxface alone and all was fine.
This morning I turn the lights on the QT on and the foxface doesn’t come out. Look in the piece of PVC he’s in and he’s still camo colored and breathing rapidly. I went to feed them and noticed as soon as he started the come out, the blue tang was all over him. Not being overly aggressive, no nipping or tail smacking, just all over him.
So I watch them for a few hours and the poor foxface was just super stressed out by this behavior. The blue tang literally will not leave his side, and that’s pretty much what he does.. just follows him around, circling him, sometimes lays on top of him. It’s weird. The foxface won’t fight back, just lays there with his spikes out looking very stressed.
So I caught the blue tang and put him in an acclimation box. Foxface is already MUCH happier and turning yellow again.
They are in a 30g quarantine tank currently, could this behavior be due to cramped quarters? Any chance they’ll work it out? I was thinking of introducing the foxface to the DT to give him time to settle in, but I’m really worried he has some sort of vendetta against the foxface and this behavior will continue. Thoughts?
This morning I turn the lights on the QT on and the foxface doesn’t come out. Look in the piece of PVC he’s in and he’s still camo colored and breathing rapidly. I went to feed them and noticed as soon as he started the come out, the blue tang was all over him. Not being overly aggressive, no nipping or tail smacking, just all over him.
So I watch them for a few hours and the poor foxface was just super stressed out by this behavior. The blue tang literally will not leave his side, and that’s pretty much what he does.. just follows him around, circling him, sometimes lays on top of him. It’s weird. The foxface won’t fight back, just lays there with his spikes out looking very stressed.
So I caught the blue tang and put him in an acclimation box. Foxface is already MUCH happier and turning yellow again.
They are in a 30g quarantine tank currently, could this behavior be due to cramped quarters? Any chance they’ll work it out? I was thinking of introducing the foxface to the DT to give him time to settle in, but I’m really worried he has some sort of vendetta against the foxface and this behavior will continue. Thoughts?