Yellow Candy Hogfish- Bodianus bimaculatus behavior

[Highgrade]

Has anyone ever seen a Hogfish demonstrate cleaning behavior such as certain wrasses do?

I've noticed my Hybrid powder blue/Whitecheek approach the hogfish and patiently waits. The tang will flare open it's gills and tilt its body. The hogfish appears to clean the tangs gills and inspects the rest of his body. Not sure if this is normal behavior or if he's getting some uneaten food/nori. Seems my hogfish prefers nori as much as the Tang does.

The tang has undergone 6 weeks of copper, 4 rounds of prazi and deworming treatments. So I don't think there is any concern for parasites such as gill flukes. No sign of crypto or any other disease/ailments. All the other fish are healthy and have gone through QT treatments as well.

Any help/feedback is appreciated.

Thank you,
HG

 

[Highgrade]

@evolved maybe you've heard of or seen this behavior?

 

[WMR]

Interesting, juvenile Atlantic hogfish( Cuban & Spanish) act as cleaners, haven’t seen Pacific hogs do it. I have seen those two types do it

 

[Highgrade]

Interesting, juvenile Atlantic hogfish( Cuban & Spanish) act as cleaners, haven’t seen Pacific hogs do it. I have seen those two types do it

It's definitely interesting. Appreciate the feedback.

 

[evolved]

Yes - it is documented that juvenile Bodianus will serve as cleaners.

 

[Highgrade]

Yes - it is documented that juvenile Bodianus will serve as cleaners.

Thank you Hunter. I figured as much but hadn't seen it documented/reported before.

 

[evolved]

Thank you Hunter. I figured as much but hadn't seen it documented/reported before.

I think Scott Michael has it captured somewhere...

*Edit- yeah, here: https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/4/fish

 

[Highgrade]

I think Scott Michael has it captured somewhere...

*Edit- yeah, here: https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/4/fish

Thanks again for the link!

 

[Kremis]

Yep mine used to do it when it was smaller

 

[rhdoug]

Just found this thread, but my recent candy hogfish addition was cleaning my scopas tang a few days ago.

 

[Steviegee]

Yep mine used to do it when it was smaller

Yes mine does it all the time.