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02-03-2003, 07:07 AM
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#1
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Plankton
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 18
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Whyz my Tang Eating my FrogSpawn?
I just ought a fair sized piece of frogspawn about 2 weeks ago. ITs been doing great in my tank ever since. YEsteray I noticed one of the branches was closed up for some reason. Later in the the afternoon I caught my Purple tang picking at it. The other branches are still doing great, open fully. THe tank doesnt appear to be picking on them.
Any ideas as to whats going on? Why would the tank pick at one branch on not the others?
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02-03-2003, 10:42 AM
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#2
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TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
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Maybe that polyp head has some algae growing on it?
Fish sometimes take it in their heads to start picking at something and then don't quit. Tangs have been known to pick on corals and clams.
You might try moving the coral to a different spot to see if that breaks the habit.
HTH
Alice
__________________
 "A BRW Original"
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow... 
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02-03-2003, 10:47 AM
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#3
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Plankton
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 18
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too late. 
That stem is prety much gone. ****IT!
The other three stems are fully open and look great I dont understand.
Im wondering.... about 4 or 5 days ago I was at work and my girlfriend said that the green emerald crab was on a stem. I told her to nock him off and she did. Im not sure if its the same stem or not. Ill have to ask her. If so, perhaps the crab damage it some how.
At night the frogspawn prety much closes up, and thats when she noticed the crab on it. |
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02-03-2003, 11:03 AM
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#4
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TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
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Darn!
It's possible that the head was damaged and the crab and the tang were just doing clean up duty.
Did the polyp ever have any brown jelly looking substance on it? Did the "tentacles" ever look deflated and wilted, not just closed up?
__________________
"A BRW Original"
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow...
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02-03-2003, 11:16 AM
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#5
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Plankton
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 18
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Not that Ive noticed. Ive only had a shor time, 2-3 weeks. And its always looked good.
Im wondering if the crab damaged it and the tang finished it.
It always opened fully just like the others. The only time it looked wilted was when the light were out and it was closeing up.
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02-03-2003, 11:22 AM
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#6
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TRT Staff The Mominator
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Just South Of Seattle
Posts: 10,496
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How big is the crab? After emerald crabs get to have a carapice bigger than a $.25 piece, they aren't satisfied with just algae any more.
Keep an eye on the rest of the coral and if the tang goes after it, you may have a decision to make.
__________________
"A BRW Original"
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow...
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02-03-2003, 11:27 AM
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#7
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Plankton
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 18
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the crabs almost the size of a quarter. Had him about a month or so. Ill watch them both. I thought the crab was just a scavanger. didnt realise they picked on corals too.
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02-03-2003, 03:29 PM
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#8
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Qwasie
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Elm Grove, Louisiana
Posts: 178
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Hiya 1BadHawk
Most likely your tang was just helping clean up but I thought I'd mention tangs will nibble open brains and other large polyp stoneys if they are near starving. If your tang is nice and fat, no worries!
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02-03-2003, 03:53 PM
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#9
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Stress Monger
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 3,186
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Quote:
Originally posted by 1BadHawk
the crabs almost the size of a quarter. Had him about a month or so. Ill watch them both. I thought the crab was just a scavanger. didnt realise they picked on corals too.
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All crabs are oportunistic, they will eat anything they can get a hold of. Although Mythrix crabs are basically algae eaters they will still eat fish and anything else that manages to get caught in thier claws.
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02-03-2003, 04:09 PM
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#10
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Plankton
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 18
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oh
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02-04-2003, 01:09 AM
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#11
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Stress Monger
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 3,186
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I had red factor mythrix come in as hitch hikers opn lR. I actually watched one pull a xenia frag down into a hole in the rockwork for his dinner. also watched one grab a copper banded butterfly fish. I had to reach into the tank and pull it away from the crab, unfortunately I still lost the fish. |
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