Purple tang nipping frogspawn

[Plato1]

I've noticed the last day or two that some of my frogspawn's haven't been opening fully. At first I was wondering about water conditions until I saw my purple tang nip about four different heads. What's the deal? My clownfish lives in another frogspawn and has taken over patrol of frogspawn corner. I've noticed him dart out and chase off the much bigger tang, but usually only after the tang has "tasted" the coral again.

Am I just not feeding the tank enough? How much should I feed to keep this from happening? BTW, the tang has been in the tank for about 9 months with no other problems. I usually only feed once a day.

 

[Miklos]

Do you have any macro algae in the tank for the atnk to graze on?If not do have clips of seaweed selecst hanging in the tank for the tang to feed on?You probaly know tangs are constant grazers and feed all day long.Also make sure you feed algae based foods with some type of vitamin supplement.If you do not want to do this I would just feed your tang a few times a day .These things might stop the tang from picking on the frogspawn;unless he already developed a strong taste for it.
Nick

 

[esmithiii]

I second the providing algae to graze on.

E

 

[Anonymous]

FWIW I had a purple and hippo which I had for about a year or two and they too suddenly started picking on my lps and gorgonians. Never mattered how much nori they had in the tanks they still went after them to the point of killing one of my prized red open brains.

I had to remove them from the reefs eventually and keep them in the fish only tanks.

Kinda sucks. Good luck with yours.

 

[JeremyR]

Like JP, I"ve seen plenty of tangs over the years eat LPS, and once they start they usually don't stop. I don't think the risk is quite as great as a dwarf angel, but I think the thought that tangs are 100% reef safe needs to wear off.