Powder Blue Tang Eating LPS

[rlamos1]

I never knew this was a thing until I just experienced it. My PBT is nipping the heads off a couple Goni's and a Hammer. Searches in this forum and elsewhere reveal a surprising number of people having gone through this with multiple Tang species including the PBT.

It has been with me >3 years, is about 5" long and 3/4" at the belly; it is fairly mature. It gets distracted from the coral when I clip some nori in there, but is back on the hunt otherwise. Not crazy shredding of the coral, just occasional popping heads off and spitting out. But this is new behavior as of a week or two, so who knows how it will evolve. I've tried moving around things and that only worked for a day or two.

I see repeated often that once they get the taste for coral, that's it. I also have seen it mentioned that they became model citizens after having been relocated to different tanks. I'm thinking of mimicking that by relocating it to my quarantine for 30 days or so and reintroducing to my DT. My question is, has anybody had success with relocating to a new tank long term?

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[coralboi56]

It may have come from a tank housed with angelfish. Fish learn from other fish.

 

[wlmalek]

I never knew this was a thing until I just experienced it. My PBT is nipping the heads off a couple Goni's and a Hammer. Searches in this forum and elsewhere reveal a surprising number of people having gone through this with multiple Tang species including the PBT.

It has been with me >3 years, is about 5" long and 3/4" at the belly; it is fairly mature. It gets distracted from the coral when I clip some nori in there, but is back on the hunt otherwise. Not crazy shredding of the coral, just occasional popping heads off and spitting out. But this is new behavior as of a week or two, so who knows how it will evolve. I've tried moving around things and that only worked for a day or two.

I see repeated often that once they get the taste for coral, that's it. I also have seen it mentioned that they became model citizens after having been relocated to different tanks. I'm thinking of mimicking that by relocating it to my quarantine for 30 days or so and reintroducing to my DT. My question is, has anybody had success with relocating to a new tank long term?

Thanks for any feedback.

I’m in same exact situation now. Its powder brown and it’s ripping elegance tentacles.

 

[rlamos1]

Turns out it wasn’t getting enough nori. I was using the standard clips and it would rip entire sheets off which would then float away uneaten. I purchased a Two Little Fishies nori pouch with magnets and much less goes to waste. I offer it daily. No more coral nipping for about six months and my PBT is the “fat kid” in the tank now.