Reef Discussion

Susan Bates

Member
Jan 18, 2015
880
117
Urgent Help Please
Hi I sold one of my tanks 3 weeks ago but I kept yellow tang as he is my fav I put him in my other tank with my other yellow tangs but one keeps bashing him, I have tried mirror with no luck at the moment I have him in here what should I do now, I am having trouble uploading photo but he is a large guy and I have him in a 6in x 6in breeding box
 

Susan Bates

Member
Jan 18, 2015
880
117
Hi I sold one of my tanks 3 weeks ago but I kept yellow tang as he is my fav I put him in my other tank with my other yellow tangs but one keeps bashing him, I have tried mirror with no luck at the moment I have him in here what should I do now, I am having trouble uploading photo but he is a large guy and I have him in a 6in x 6in breeding box
IMG_2157.JPG

this is him
 
Sep 24, 2013
367
280
Palm Beach
Hi Susan,

introducing a Tang to a tank with other tanks it is always risky, specially if it is smaller than the dominant ones. Unfortunately, in my experience, adding more cover won't make any difference, as Tangs are very active and won't take cover and at the point they start hiding is already too late.

My course of actions would be these:
- Make sure you have a good fish trap, in case things go south. If the fish looks like it is giving up, it is time to remove it from the display.
- Overfeed with dry algae and avoid meaty foods, like brine and mysis. Plenty of algae will distract the other tangs and help them recover from the fights. Meaty food, in my experience, can make tangs more aggressive.
- Keep the new tang it in a breeding box, as you are currently doing, observing the health of the caged fish and the behaviour of the other tangs. The goal is to keep the fish visible to others, isolated from aggression and long enough that the older fish get used to it, but not long enough that the isolated fish will die from the stress of being caged.
- Release the tank in the display when older fish stop caring too much for it.
- Be prepared to capture the fish again, as aggression is not guaranteed to stop with this method.
- Make the judgement if it is worth repeating the process or sell the tang.

Another option, is to cage or sump the aggressor(s). One week out of the main display will reset their dominance, at lest for a couple of weeks.
 

macca_75

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2,125
844
I had a yellow in the Large Aqua Medic fish trap for over a month. The Powder blue eventually ignored the yellow and I released it. Straight away the aggression started again.

It has taken around 6 months but finally the yellow is out and they have sorted themselves out.

As long as there is hiding spots and the Yellow is eating it will sort itself out. If it can't get any food them you'll need to catch it and put it back into isolation so it can eat in peace and maybe move the fish on (or the aggressor).
 
Also before adding any new fish please get the main one right, that is Salinity... make sure your new fish goes into water with a lower salinity than that which it came from, If you can introduce him late at night when all the lights are off even better, oh and yes remember to acclimate him first... After that I usually try a mirror but I find if you don't rush introducing fish, you usually have success. Given you have a good fish supplier... no one will have luck if the fish is sick or pre stressed already.
 

MTG

Moderator
Jul 10, 2011
10,664
2,149
Gold Coast
Ive had success before with removing the agressive fish into a bucket with an airstone for a few hours. Change a couple rocks around in the tank and then put it back in. Often will cause the agressive fish to calm down