Strange Tang Behaviour

[flipper263]

I have a long green and orange device (tongs) used to reach into the tank and move or retrieve things, turn over snails etc. I have a brown scopas tang that does the strangest thing when I place my 'tongs' into the tank.
The other day, I flipped a snail and then just held the tongs there as I was watching the snail. I felt something push on the tongs and it was the tang. He was on his side pushing up on the tongs and his color had turned to a dark chocolate brown from nose to tail. It freaked me out, thought he was sick or something because he was on his side but he was pushing against the tongs. I removed them and he returned to normal color.
We found this both interesting and amusing so next time the tongs went into the tank....along comes tang....chocolate brown he turns as he eyeballs the tongs or pushes against them. It almost seems like some kind of mating ritual.
Any ideas or suggestions as to what he might be doing with the tongs? I will try to post a pic of him when he is with the tongs.
Here is a pic of him without the tongs in the tank :happyfish

 

[beth]

Now, that is a nice looking tang!
I'm tellin' ya. Don't you mess with no tang! Maybe you can get some home footage of him for Animal Planet antics.

 

[flipper263]

Here he is right before I put the tongs in

 

[flipper263]

Here he is right after

 

[flipper263]

and yet another with the tongs....

 

[daredevil]

I don't know the answer to ur ?, sorry, but where did u get those tongs and how much were they? I am not trying to take over this thread.

 

[flipper263]

I think I got the tongs at Big Als and they weren't more than $10 or $15 Canadian. I don't recall for sure.
Brenda:jumping:

 

[autopilot]

I saw tongs like that at my LFS they were like $7.99 (US)

 

[daredevil]

Thanx I'll look

 

[flipper263]

I can't believe it...I just broke my tongs tonight while feeding my starfish and anemone...my tang will be devastated....I better see about getting some new ones.
Brenda:jumping:

 

[flipper263]

No one has any idea what my tang is up to???

 

[lovethesea]

he's very pretty. maybe an aggression of some sort?

 

[tizzo]

If he's trying to slap the tongs with his tail, then he's being aggressive. If, when he approaches the tongs, he swims backwards (like he's backing up to them) then he's again, being aggressive. If that's not the case then I don't know but either way Beth is right, you could make $100 AND get a FREE T-SHIRT from animal planet!!

 

[spicyballs]

i would agree.. it's probably aggression... sooo.. since you broke your tong.. your tang should be happy now. hehe

 

[tizzo]

If it is aggression, then maybe you could try changing the color of your tongs. Coralife makes a grey handled with black tongs pair. Expensive but IMO worth it. Mine haven't broken and I've rearranged my rocks with them!!! They are strong!!

 

[flipper263]

He isn't slapping it or flaring or anything like that. He swims right up to it, then he looks at it as he turns deep chocolate brown. He shows no fear of it, he leans against it. It appears to be more of an affection than anything else.
I will have to take a video of him. Wish I could post the video on here for you to see.

 

[tizzo]

:notsure: but it sounds cute!!