Thing 1 and thing 2

Anihiel1

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Thing #1 I'm so sorry guys but the horseshoe crab got too big too soon and with limited covid cash, I did the unthinkable. I bought a 125 Aqueon during the Petsmart sale a bit ago. Petsmart was never part of my reefplan, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Please don't kick me off R2R.
Thing #2. I had purchased a tang as I now have room, and had him in the old 55g which is now a QT for observation. The entire time he hung in one corner, and seemed to be staring at / mimicing the foxface in the display tank a foot away. He wasn't very active and seemed, well, depressed. The foxface in the display tank would also hang out at the corner nearest the tang.
Fast forward to a few days ago. QT for him ended, and into the display he went.
IMMEDIATELY he was a different fish. He has been inseparable from the foxface, flapping his little fins as fast as he can to stay by his side. The best way to describe it is a inexhaustibly happy new puppy.
But this now raises another issue. He's a baby, maybe 1/3 (if that) of the foxface. He tries SO hard to keep up that he's often panting and has to rest a minute. He can make it about halfway down the tank before he runs out of steam. When he's not right next to the foxface, he's sprinting across the back of the tank, trying to pace him without getting in the way.
So I'm concerned. Is this behavior harmful? Is he going to exhaust himself? Can fish give themselves heart attacks from exertion?? He eats constantly like a little piglet and appears quite healthy other than the olympic tryouts.
 

Timfish

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In nature they are schooling fish for protection. In aquariums they can be quite happy not sharing their space once they adjust. (I've seen groups of yellow tangs do fine initially but as they mature they can get aggressive with each other and I've been forced to rehome tangs.) My guess is it's stressed and is trying to school with the Foxface. Hopefully there's plenty of hiding places for it that aren't claimed by other fish. For what it's worth I keep dither fish in my QT
 

ZoWhat

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Bro... i'll be brutally honest with you..

ever heard the term "lawnmower parent"?

“Lawnmower parents go to whatever lengths necessary to prevent their child from having to face adversity, struggle, or failure.”

I cant see anyone enjoying this hobby if they are a lawnmower-hobbyist concerned over a juvenile tang's swimming behavior. Only time to be mildly concerned is when a fish isn't eating and/or is bullied into a corner


.
 
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Anihiel1

Anihiel1

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In nature they are schooling fish for protection. In aquariums they can be quite happy not sharing their space once they adjust. (I've seen groups of yellow tangs do fine initially but as they mature they can get aggressive with each other and I've been forced to rehome tangs.) My guess is it's stressed and is trying to school with the Foxface. Hopefully there's plenty of hiding places for it that aren't claimed by other fish. For what it's worth I keep dither fish in my QT
Yes plenty of caves and hiding spaces but he doesn't seem very interested in them. He pops in and out. He also runs right over the cardinal fish if they're in the way.
 
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Anihiel1

Anihiel1

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Bro... ill be brutally honest with you..

ever heard the terms "helicopter parent" vs "lawnmower parent"?

“Lawnmower parents go to whatever lengths necessary to prevent their child from having to face adversity, struggle, or failure.”

I cant see you enjoying this hobby if youre a lawnmower-hobbyist concerned over a juvenile tang's swimming behavior. Only time to be mildly concerned is when a fish isn't eating and/or is bullied into a corner


.
Not overly concerned, its just the driving himself to panting that concerns me. If this is normal for a juvenile tang, then so be it.
Also please note that there was a bit of humor intended as well.
 
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