Acanthurus japonicus..."unlikely to cause major problems"

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I've always loved powder blue tangs, but I've heard and read they have a dark side. They can be super-aggressive to the point of bullying any other tangs in a reef tank. So, I decided to add my powder blue last in the hopes he would peacefully coexist with other tank members. However, I already had a fat, healthy powder brown in my tank. The book I've been reading stated that these tangs are less aggressive and "unlikely to cause major problems":

My powder blue had been through quarantine, before I added him, I devised a test. First, I made two copies of the following image, one mirroring the other:

I cut out the images, folded them at the axis of symmetry, and laminated them. I attached two lead weights and a styrofoam plug to complete the mockup:

The weights kept the underbelly pointed to the sand. The float kept the image upright. Current in the tank provided the motion. Here is the result:
What a jerk! My only hope is that "Mr. Peaceful" will tire himself out on the decoy. I've actually had quite some fun watching him waste calories terrorizing a two-dimensional foe

Maybe there's just something wrong with me...

 

[Swoody]

Wow , pretty nice footage and a bit funny... I just added a Blonde Naso to my tank today that has a long term Yellow Tang and a White tail BT Tang... There was and is a bit of posturing by the Yellow tang but nothing concerning at all & the WTBT has hardly given him a look so I’m happy about that. I call it a successful addition (so far!) It definitely looks like your guy is going to get his aggression out in no time flat with that kind of behavior. LOL...good luck with the addition of your new fish.

 

[Scotty Buttons]

That's really funny, thanks for sharing and good luck!

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

That's really funny, thanks for sharing and good luck!

We'll see. I have an alternate home already lined up for powder blue if is arch-nemesis doesn't get tired

 

[KrisReef]

If you make a bunch of these fish of both the blue and the brown colors you can probably safely add the two real fish into the tank without them finding each other so much?
Nice work!

 

[Trena White]

Funny I have a powder blue. Added after 4 smaller tangs. No aggression yet. I want a purple and an Achilles eventually.

 

[Scotty Buttons]

He will either get his aggression out, or your just training him in fish fight club.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

That is hilarious.. but you are genius for thinking of this. You’ll be fine after a couple days.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

If you make a bunch of these fish of both the blue and the brown colors you can probably safely add the two real fish into the tank without them finding each other so much?
Nice work!

You are a f&*$ing genious! I just may need to try this out to see what happens!

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

That is hilarious.. but you are genius for thinking of this. You’ll be fine after a couple days.

Well, either that or the path forward will be blatantly apparent at that point in time!

 

[Scotty Buttons]

Also I like how your yellow tang is just hanging out on the right side like, "ahhh what are you doing bro?"

 

[tautog83]

My powder brown started to do this to my bellus and my majestic angel randomly for like 3 or 4 days . I put a mirror up and he tried to attack his reflection for like 4 hours (I didnt mean to leave it up that long ). I think I made him "special " for a bit but he never chased another fish after that . You are definatley looking at war lol

 

[OrionN]

How bid is your tank? Just because Japonicus is less aggressive, than a Leucosternon, you cannot expect they take adding another tang into their home without a fight.
When I added my Japonicus to my tank with a resident Leucosternon, I make sure the Japonicus was healthy, fat and feeding well, eating well from a Nori clip. After adding him into my tank (420 gal) the Leucosternon drive him into the rock for weeks. I see where he hid and place a nori clip there for him (zip tided it t a stick that I place in the rock exactly where I wanted. I also feed the tank very well so that they do not finish the Nori clips in the tank.
The Japonicus stay hidden for about three week then gradually go our and be in one of the guys after about 4 weeks. He did not even loose weight.
Other tangs I had in this tank was Yellow, Purple, Atlantic blue and Chevron. The Powder Blue Tang was the most aggressive and undisputed king of the tank for sure.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Also I like how your yellow tang is just hanging out on the right side like, "ahhh what are you doing bro?"

Actually, although not in the video, I witnessed my yellow tang and the foxface "protecting" or picking up for the two-dimensional demon. Maybe there is hope!

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

My powder brown started to do this to my bellus and my majestic angel randomly for like 3 or 4 days . I put a mirror up and he tried to attack his reflection for like 4 hours (I didnt mean to leave it up that long ). I think I made him "special " for a bit but he never chased another fish after that . You are definatley looking at war lol

See, I already tried the "mirror technique". All of the fish stayed on the longer side of the tank away from the mirror. I wasn't convinced, so I devised this test.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

How bid is your tank? Just because Japonicus is less aggressive, than a Leucosternon, you cannot expect they take adding another tang into their home without a fight.
When I added my Japonicus to my tank with a resident Leucosternon, I make sure the Japonicus was healthy, fat and feeding well, eating well from a Nori clip. After adding him into my tank (420 gal) the Leucosternon drive him into the rock for weeks. I see where he hid and place a nori clip there for him (zip tided it t a stick that I place in the rock exactly where I wanted. I also feed the tank very well so that they do not finish the Nori clips in the tank.
The Japonicus stay hidden for about three week then gradually go our and be in one of the guys after about 4 weeks. He did not even loose weight.
Other tangs I had in this tank was Yellow, Purple, Atlantic blue and Chevron. The Powder Blue Tang was the most aggressive and undisputed king of the tank for sure.

Honestly, my tank is not really big enough which is why I devised this test and did the homework on the order of addition of these tangs.

By the way, I love Corpus Christi and wish Texas had the beaches of northwest Florida Grew up going to Rockport for vacations

 

[tautog83]

It took about 3 seconds for my powder brown to see the reflection , seek and destroy lol. Good test though

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

It took about 3 seconds for my powder brown to see the reflection , seek and destroy lol. Good test though

It's actually quite funny if there's not a fish life that hangs in the balance :/

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

This is what the situation looks like about three hours after first introduction of the "faux enemy":

 

[TriggerFinger]

I think that was a genius idea! Good luck with your new addition. That clown is huge!

Did you move the print out to another area and see if anything happened?