New Scopas Tang observations and q's

[Neuticle]

It's my third day with my 4" Scopas Tang, and he's still remarkably shy. He was exited about eating right when I introduced him but now he's become withdrawn. The damsel pack gave him a small bit of trouble when he first arrived but he just ignored them and now they leave him alone.

I have plenty of caulepra and micro algae in the tank, and I feed various frozen foods and flakes twice a day, but he doesn't seem interested.

Temp is acceptable (a tad high @ 82) NO3 is undetectable, water is crystal clear. My parameters are identical to the LFS I got him from, just more flow (29X per hour), more calcium/alk, and more light. My tank is lightly stocked for a 100 gal. (Rabbitfish, 2 Osc. clown, 3 three-stripes, and a lawnmower)

Upon further inspection, he appears disease free but extremely emaciated, just like my rabbitfish I got from the store two moths ago. The rabbitfish was faster to adjust and is extremely fat now and very sociable.

Is this normal behavior for a Scopas? I'm worried about his emaciation.

[Fat Tony]

Mine was shy for a month or two when I first got it...

[Loverotties]

They take a while to feel comfortable.

[crvz]

If he's that emaciated, I'd probably start looking at enticing it to eat. Either with garlic, or something. Also, have you tried nori sheets yet?

[Neuticle]

I thought about nori, but there is a ridiculous amount of algae in my tank. I wouldn't think nori would be any more appetizing.

[crvz]

Originally Posted by Neuticle

I thought about nori, but there is a ridiculous amount of algae in my tank. I wouldn't think nori would be any more appetizing.

I wouldnt be so quick to assume that, tangs usually don't eat long hair algae or much of anything that requires bites... aside from nori (in my experience). If it's not small and scraped off the rock, usually they steer clear.

[Neuticle]

Well, I just jammed a whole cube of formula two frozen food into a crack in the cave he's hanging out in. We'll see if that works. He was eating hair algae and caulepra the first day, then he quit.

[Neuticle]

Well, unfortunately, it looks as though the tang experiment is coming to an end. The scopas is still paper thin, won't eat, and us now resting upright on the sand. I'm afraid he was on a hunger strike before I got him and was too far gone for me to help him. I hope the little bugger enjoyed his last few days in a clean tank without other fish bumping into him.

This is an eye opener for me, no more buying fish from dimly lit tanks, and watch the fish eat before I buy it.

There is a fat Sohal at the store, I may check him out when I go back.

[crvz]

Originally Posted by Neuticle

There is a fat Sohal at the store, I may check him out when I go back.

Well, I can't say that's a step forward in the tang experiment. Those fish get large (14"+) and aggressive, surely not suitable for just a 100 gallons. The Ctenochaetus genus is a good choice, I'd hold out for a nice kole or even a chevron before tackling the sohal.

[Neuticle]

Originally Posted by crvz

Well, I can't say that's a step forward in the tang experiment. Those fish get large (14"+) and aggressive, surely not suitable for just a 100 gallons. The Ctenochaetus genus is a good choice, I'd hold out for a nice kole or even a chevron before tackling the sohal.

lol, I'm just messing with you guys, but he is pretty. My buddy at the store says he's a real gladiator.