my regal tang is swimming erratically

[freshwave]

My Regal Tang has been swimming in circles and darting around the tank like crazy the past two days. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate, salinity at 1.025. Tank is a 75 gallon with a protein skimmer, two powerheads, and a canister filter. Tankmates include two Clownfish and a Cleaner Shrimp. No recent changes except a water change three days ago. Anyone seen this before?

[briarx]

That sounds sketchy. How old is your Regal Tang? I've heard younger ones can get stressed easier, especially if the tank's too small or there's not enough hiding spots. Mine used to do that when I first got it, but it chilled out after a week.

[speckle]

My Regal Tang has been swimming in circles and darting around the tank like crazy the past two days. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate, salinity at 1.025. Tank is a 75 gallon with a protein skimmer, two powerheads, and a canister filter. Tankmates include two Clownfish and a Cleaner Shrimp. No recent changes except a water change three days ago. Anyone seen this before?

Could be the water change messing with it. Did you match temp and salinity exactly? Sometimes even a tiny difference can freak them out. Also, what's your lighting schedule like? Too much light can stress them too.

[daxton9]

I've had a similar issue with my Regal Tang before. Turned out it was a minor infection. Have you noticed any spots or discoloration? If not, it might just be stress. Try dimming the lights for a day or two and see if that helps. Also, make sure the powerheads aren't creating too much current. They like flow but not a whirlpool.

[Aquafan]

Check your magnesium levels. Low mag can cause erratic swimming in Tangs. Also, what's your feeding routine? If they're not getting enough greens, they can get weird. Mine loves nori sheets, and I feed them twice a day. If all else fails, consider a quarantine tank to rule out parasites.

[Fable42]

I've had a similar issue with my Regal Tang before. Turned out it was a minor infection. Have you noticed any spots or discoloration? If not, it might just be stress. Try dimming the lights for a day or two and see if that helps. Also, make sure the powerheads aren't creating too much current. They like flow but not a whirlpool.

I agree with this. Stress is a big factor. Maybe add some more live rock for hiding spots? My Tang calmed down a lot after I added a few more caves.

[Lido]

Mine did this once when a crab was messing with it at night. Could there be something bothering it when the lights are off? Also, how's the temp? If it's too high or fluctuating, that can cause weird behavior.

[freshwave]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try dimming the lights and checking the magnesium. No spots or discoloration, so hopefully it's just stress. I'll update in a few days.

[speckle]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try dimming the lights and checking the magnesium. No spots or discoloration, so hopefully it's just stress. I'll update in a few days.

Good luck! Tangs can be drama queens sometimes, but they usually bounce back quick. Let us know how it goes.

[briarx]

Yeah, keep us posted. If it doesn't improve, maybe try a garlic soak for the food. Sometimes that helps with appetite and stress. Just a thought.