Large schools of blue tangs grazing slowly along the reefs 
          are such a common sight that even shark biologists have 
          witnessed it many times, and we all know that shark 
          biologists seldom get wet.  It is believed to be a way of 
          avoiding being chased by territorial fishes or perhaps an 
          anti predator school.  I am sure that, if you look in books 
          on coral reef fishes, you will find many references to that 
          behavior.  All the best.  Jose Castro. 




______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ 
Subject: Unique fish assemblage. Seeking information. 
Author:  MCGRATTA@scccvc.corning-cc.edu at ~INTERNET 
Date:    2/5/96 10:29 AM 


I July, 1995 we were surveying a reef on the Northern end of San Salvador  
Island in the Bahamas when we encountered a close swimming school of about 
30 bue tang surrounding a 1.5 meter reef shark. This assemblage processed 
along the reef for several hundred meters and was seen 10-15 minutes later  
by another team on another part of the reef. We have never seen this  
behavior before or since and are curious about it. One suggestion in 
discussions has been that it may be similar to the mobbing behavior of  
birds in the presence of a predator.  

We would really appreciate any insights that you can provide about this. 

Tom McGrath 
Bahamian Reef Survey P.I. 
mcgratta@scccvc.corning-cc.edu