Are Yellow Tangs Killers?

67chevellemalibu2 · May 7, 2018

I believe my Yellow Tang killed my Queen Angel and a Clown Trigger. I have a Copperband band with a little tail nip. I have seen the yellow do some bullying, but never witnessed an attack.

landlubber · May 7, 2018

most tangs usually not malicious killers but if there isn't a lot of space in the tank or the display lacks places to hide when tempers flare, things can happen.

Baldguy · May 7, 2018

If a tang is frightened or wants to assert authority it brandishes its scalpel. The tang will kind of back up to the fish it is threatening. I've lost a couple fish when they turned up with a gash to the body. I didn't see it happen but think they must have surprised the yellow tang and paid the price.

nereefpat · May 7, 2018

I had a yellow tang kill a butterfly and a dwarf angel in a 90.

I had another kill a power brown in my current 125.

67chevellemalibu2 · May 7, 2018

I am thinking about getting rid of him. I’d like peaceful tank.

falconut · May 7, 2018

I've had 2 over the years & both were very passive. But every fish is different & yours could have been the culprit as I've heard others complain about them.

falconut · May 7, 2018

67chevellemalibu2 said:
I am thinking about getting rid of him. I’d like peaceful tank.

If you're looking for a peaceful tank, you may want to stay clear of clown trigger, I hear they get aggressive.

67chevellemalibu2 · May 8, 2018

Unfortunately, the clown trigger died, by the yellow tang I believe.

eatbreakfast · May 8, 2018

How many fish died in how long of a period of time? Yellow tangs can be territorial, but for it to go all out ballistic and kill a few fish would be both unusual, but also very noticeable. What size is the tank? How long has it been setup? What was the order you added the fish and when did you add them?

Clarksski · May 8, 2018

When I got a copperband, about 8 months ago, I kept the tank divided with egg crate because the yellow tang was a bully. Copperbands are very delicate. It’s hard enough to get a new one eating but if they are harassed... it makes it 10 times as hard.
Mine came down with lympho and I decided I liked the copper better than the bully tang. I rehomed the tang and copper has flourished. Sometimes, if you don’t want to see the bloodshed.. you have to make a choice.

Darth_Kirk · May 8, 2018

In a smallish tank, any Tang can be territorial and aggressive. Bullying a Clown Trigger to death is a tall order. What size tank is it?

67chevellemalibu2 · May 15, 2018

Darth_Kirk said:
In a smallish tank, any Tang can be territorial and aggressive. Bullying a Clown Trigger to death is a tall order. What size tank is it?

125 gallon

67chevellemalibu2 · May 15, 2018

I swear my Yellow Tang is a killer.
It’s time for it to go

eatbreakfast · May 15, 2018

How many fish died in how long of a period of time? Yellow tangs can be territorial, but for it to go all out ballistic and kill a few fish would be both unusual, but also very noticeable. What size is the tank? How long has it been setup? What was the order you added the fish and when did you add the

67chevellemalibu2 · May 15, 2018

I am watching the Yellow Tang bully twice the size Powder Brown as I am typing that I just added to my tank.
At first one a week, now maybe every other week.
125 gallons that had been up and running for 5 years by the previous owner.

eatbreakfast · May 15, 2018

Being setup for 5yrs previously doesn't count. How long has it been setup up in it's current iteration? Also, tangs fighting other tangs is much more common than tangs harassing other fish to death.

67chevellemalibu2 · May 15, 2018

eatbreakfast said:
Being setup for 5yrs previously doesn't count. How long has it been setup up in it's current iteration? Also, tangs fighting other tangs is much more common than tangs harassing other fish to death.

Over two months. I have watched that yellow harass every fish I have put in here. So has my wife and two sons.

Michael Naegeli · May 15, 2018

My medium sized yellow absolutely killed an about same sized Purple Tang. Yellow just crushed him every minute of the day. I was very surprised be it that I have always in the past added most all before a purple w No issues. This yellow is a Brute. He ended up killing my purple when I was away on Vacation. Had everyday service done on my tanks and told dude to pull the purple if didn’t subside but in vein. When I got back there was a New Purple tang much Larger this time and the yellow was still bullying until Purp showed him what’s up really now. Few months, their Besties. Sorry for ur loss. Yellows can be brutal

67chevellemalibu2 · May 15, 2018

My wife just took him to my local LFS. Hopefully that is the end of the bloodshed. Here’s what I have left:
Peacock Puffer
Niger Trigger
Two Bangai Cardinals
Blonde Naso & Powder Brown Tang
Starfish
Diamond Goby
Coral Beauty
That Yellow was brutal. They sure don’t look like it.

Michael Naegeli · May 15, 2018

67chevellemalibu2 said:
My wife just took him to my local LFS. Hopefully that is the end of the bloodshed. Here’s what I have left:
Peacock Puffer
Niger Trigger
Two Bangai Cardinals
Blonde Naso & Powder Brown Tang
Starfish
Diamond Goby
Coral Beauty
That Yellow was brutal. They sure don’t look like it.

Coral Beauty is another beefcake. I used to love them when I first started saltwater. Now I wouldn’t go there. Peckers