Is my Yellow Tang’s behavior normal?

[Taiga Tomii]

I’d like some advice regarding the behavior of my Yellow Tang.

I got this fish on January 14, 2025, and it has been in my tank for about 1 year and 3 months. It eats very well (nori and pellets). However, it seems slightly timid — it often hides in the rocks when I approach the tank.


My main concern is that, as you can see in the video, it makes sudden, jerky movements when it starts swimming or changes direction. I’m not sure if this is just poor swimming ability, a fear response, something like parasites, or if it’s completely normal behavior.

Also, compared to my other fish, its breathing seems slightly faster. Its breathing rate has been like this since I first got it. The jerky movements have also been present for at least the past 6 months, and possibly since the beginning.

I had to film from a distance using zoom because it gets scared and hides when I get close, so I apologize if the video is hard to see.

I cannot see any visible signs of parasites on its body. I keep two skunk cleaner shrimp, but I have never observed them cleaning this fish. It does not show any flashing behavior (rubbing against rocks).

Other fish in the tank (2 clownfish and 1 mandarin) behave normally, and I don’t see any signs of parasites on them either. I have never had a fish die in this tank since setup.


If anyone has experience with this type of behavior — whether it is normal or possibly related to parasites or stress — I would really appreciate your input.


Equipment:

• Neptunian Cube MP 90
• Maxspect SK400 skimmer
• Jebao bar-type wavemaker

Please let me know if any additional information is needed.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

#fishmedics

 

[BryanM]

I'm not an expert but I do have quite a few tangs, including 3 yellows, and they are all fairly skiddish fish.

Yours looks pretty normal to me.

 

[W31Olds]

Sounds normal to me.

 

[underground_corals]

looks normal to me, maybe a bigger tank?

 

[logibear]

Does not look concerning to me

 

[W31Olds]

Some of this behavior may be due to Tank Size.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’d like some advice regarding the behavior of my Yellow Tang.

I got this fish on January 14, 2025, and it has been in my tank for about 1 year and 3 months. It eats very well (nori and pellets). However, it seems slightly timid — it often hides in the rocks when I approach the tank.


My main concern is that, as you can see in the video, it makes sudden, jerky movements when it starts swimming or changes direction. I’m not sure if this is just poor swimming ability, a fear response, something like parasites, or if it’s completely normal behavior.

Also, compared to my other fish, its breathing seems slightly faster. Its breathing rate has been like this since I first got it. The jerky movements have also been present for at least the past 6 months, and possibly since the beginning.

I had to film from a distance using zoom because it gets scared and hides when I get close, so I apologize if the video is hard to see.

I cannot see any visible signs of parasites on its body. I keep two skunk cleaner shrimp, but I have never observed them cleaning this fish. It does not show any flashing behavior (rubbing against rocks).

Other fish in the tank (2 clownfish and 1 mandarin) behave normally, and I don’t see any signs of parasites on them either. I have never had a fish die in this tank since setup.


If anyone has experience with this type of behavior — whether it is normal or possibly related to parasites or stress — I would really appreciate your input.


Equipment:

• Neptunian Cube MP 90
• Maxspect SK400 skimmer
• Jebao bar-type wavemaker

Please let me know if any additional information is needed.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I agree, the tang does appear skittish and is breathing a bit fast. However, its color and body condition look good.

Since you didn't see it posture in front of the cleaner shrimp, nor does it scratch itself on anything in the tank, that tends to rule out, (but not completely) flukes. It may have a low grade, chronic case of gill flukes. It is likely that if it does have flukes, that the clownfish and the mandarin, not being closely related, may not be affected by that particular species of fluke.

Ultimately, it may just be that the tang is growing uncomfortable in that tank, its a bit small for that fish.


Jay

 

[Taiga Tomii]

Thank you very much for all the replies — I really appreciate it!

I understand it may be hard to tell from the side view in the video, but just for reference, my tank is 90 cm × 50 cm × 50 cm. I believe this should still provide enough space for the current size of the tang (though it may become tight in the future).

 

[Taiga Tomii]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I agree, the tang does appear skittish and is breathing a bit fast. However, its color and body condition look good.

Since you didn't see it posture in front of the cleaner shrimp, nor does it scratch itself on anything in the tank, that tends to rule out, (but not completely) flukes. It may have a low grade, chronic case of gill flukes. It is likely that if it does have flukes, that the clownfish and the mandarin, not being closely related, may not be affected by that particular species of fluke.

Ultimately, it may just be that the tang is growing uncomfortable in that tank, its a bit small for that fish.


Jay

If this is a chronic case of gill flukes, are there any effective treatments?

Also, if left untreated, is it likely that the fish will eventually die?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

If this is a chronic case of gill flukes, are there any effective treatments?

Also, if left untreated, is it likely that the fish will eventually die?

If it is chronic flukes, and if the fish become stressed for some reason, it is possible for a chronic fluke infection to become acute and cause fish loss.

Praziquantel is a reef safe treatment for flukes. I'm not sure if you can get that where you live. It is available in the US and the EU. Here is an article that I posted on its use:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/fish-disease-treatment-and-diagnosis.771/

 

[Dogeatbird]

After watching your video. My opinion is a targeting feed response. The twitches seen, appears to be; something caught the fishes eye. Brief pause then continue inspection of rock for forgoing.

Although not typical a planktonvore, all fish will consume a copepod.

I have a clown tang, in a bare bottom system.
I hatch brine shrim daily, and have observed my Clown tang chin rub, belly rub, and tail slap the bottom, glass walls, in an attempt to spook the nauplii into the water column.

Then circle back to snack.

 

[Dogeatbird]

After watching your video. My opinion is a targeting feed response. The twitches seen, appears to be; something caught the fishes eye. Brief pause then continue inspection of rock for forgoing.

Although not typical a planktonvore, all fish will consume a copepod.

I have a clown tang, in a bare bottom system.
I hatch brine shrim daily, and have observed my Clown tang chin rub, belly rub, and tail slap the bottom, glass walls, in an attempt to spook the artem

 

[Freenow54]

Mine was very timid. Be careful not to startle it. I did and it darted so fast it hit a rock on its side and died right in front of me

 

[winxp_man]

Breathing is faster than normal. Of the five zebrasoma I have, non really did anything like this. I don’t have a single tang now that runs away when I’m near the tank. They instead crowd the front like menaces. All they know is feed me! Haha.

My brothers Tomni is like this a bit. And only started doing that after I took my maroon pair I had in that tank with him, and my coral beauty. My brother not put in his QT’ed CB and he comes out but still more hiding than he used to. I have seen some fish characters where if they are alone or few fish, they become shy, and if there are a few tank mates they come out at the front of the tank.

 

[Freenow54]

Breathing is faster than normal. Of the five zebrasoma I have, non really did anything like this. I don’t have a single tang now that runs away when I’m near the tank. They instead crowd the front like menaces. All they know is feed me! Haha.

My brothers Tomni is like this a bit. And only started doing that after I took my maroon pair I had in that tank with him, and my coral beauty. My brother not put in his QT’ed CB and he comes out but still more hiding than he used to. I have seen some fish characters where if they are alone or few fish, they become shy, and if there are a few tank mates they come out at the front of the tank.

Yellow tangs are shy. My valingmi is a bully

 

[winxp_man]

Yellow tangs are shy. My valingmi is a bully

Not mine. They are angry little guys. I’ll get a video one of these days posted. Of the few I have had, not one was shy to come out and eat if there was food around, or when they saw me to hide.

It was there is food, or there will be food with my yellows haha.

 

[winxp_man]

Yellow tangs are shy. My valingmi is a bully

The true bully for me is the blue bar annularis. If he/she wants something it will get it not matter what! Haha

 

[Dogeatbird]

Every fish adjust differently to it’s surroundings. Have you tried letting the glass accumulate a little more of a film before cleaning.

Add a little food/ algae station; clean one pane of the aquarium.

Wait acouple of days, repeat, cleaning now two panes.

Wait a couple days more. Repeat cleaning all viewing panes.

The goal is to condition the fish that your proximity is not a threat, rather an opportunity for food.

 

[Freenow54]

Every fish adjust differently to it’s surroundings. Have you tried letting the glass accumulate a little more of a film before cleaning.

Add a little food/ algae station; clean one pane of the aquarium.

Wait acouple of days, repeat, cleaning now two panes.

Wait a couple days more. Repeat cleaning all viewing panes.

The goal is to condition the fish that your proximity is not a threat, rather an opportunity for food.

My Valingi comes out and greets me every time I clean the algae off the glass Gorf Time . My other fish love to come and stare at me when I am on my knees cleaning my sump. Thats the whole idea to me