Hippo Tang Pestering Goby

xxoutlawtorn · 01/30/2010, 10:01 PM

I recently bought a hippo tang and added him to my 90 gallon tank. He seemed to be doing fine for the first week or so but recently I see him pestering my pink spotted goby. He'll continuously swim right up to the goby or near where the goby has made his home. The goby will deal with it for a little while but will start to flare his gills and will nip at the tang. It doesn't look like anything too serious but I have noticed some small nip marks on the side of the tang, like his scales are a little scuffed up. I don't have any place to separate them. Any advice and should I be worried about the health of my tang? Thanks a lot.

Octoshark · 01/30/2010, 10:15 PM

As long as the tang is the instigator, I wouldn't worry about it. If it was bothering the tang then he would stop messing with the goby. If the tang continues to harass the goby even if the goby nips at him, then the tang is only getting what he deserves

Unless of course you think the marks could possibly be from something else. But if you're sure its from the goby then I'm sure the tang would learn his lesson and stop messing with him if he was getting hurt.

xxoutlawtorn · 01/30/2010, 10:24 PM

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I've never seen the goby go out of his way to nip the tang. I think he's actually pretty forgiving given the situation, he lets the tang hang around him for a little while before saying enough is enough. Like you said, I'm sure if the tang was getting hurt he would find a new place to hang out. I'll keep an eye on the situation and make sure nothing worsens. Thanks for the response.

01/30/2010, 10:01 PM	#1
xxoutlawtorn Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 23	Hippo Tang Pestering Goby I recently bought a hippo tang and added him to my 90 gallon tank. He seemed to be doing fine for the first week or so but recently I see him pestering my pink spotted goby. He'll continuously swim right up to the goby or near where the goby has made his home. The goby will deal with it for a little while but will start to flare his gills and will nip at the tang. It doesn't look like anything too serious but I have noticed some small nip marks on the side of the tang, like his scales are a little scuffed up. I don't have any place to separate them. Any advice and should I be worried about the health of my tang? Thanks a lot.

01/30/2010, 10:15 PM	#2
Octoshark Marine Biology Student Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,366	As long as the tang is the instigator, I wouldn't worry about it. If it was bothering the tang then he would stop messing with the goby. If the tang continues to harass the goby even if the goby nips at him, then the tang is only getting what he deserves Unless of course you think the marks could possibly be from something else. But if you're sure its from the goby then I'm sure the tang would learn his lesson and stop messing with him if he was getting hurt. __________________ "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

01/30/2010, 10:24 PM	#3
xxoutlawtorn Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 23	That's pretty much what I was thinking. I've never seen the goby go out of his way to nip the tang. I think he's actually pretty forgiving given the situation, he lets the tang hang around him for a little while before saying enough is enough. Like you said, I'm sure if the tang was getting hurt he would find a new place to hang out. I'll keep an eye on the situation and make sure nothing worsens. Thanks for the response.