Clown and Tang bullies

Cpt.Flatspot · Sep 9, 2016

I am looking for some advice.

I have a 300 liter display tank and my Allards Clown and Blue Tang get along well. So well in fact that whenever I add a new species they bully it mercilessly. They leave my Cardinal, Firefish and Damzel be but anything else gets chased and beaten up.

Anyone have an idea how I can calm them down?

eatbreakfast · Sep 9, 2016

Use a social acclimation box for a few days to introduce new additions.

Cabinetman · Sep 9, 2016

Put a mirror against the glass so they can see there reflection. It will distract them. After a few days you can usual take it away and all will be good.

eatbreakfast · Sep 9, 2016

Cabinetman said:
Put a mirror against the glass so they can see there reflection. It will distract them. After a few days you can usual take it away and all will be good.

...while it distracts them, there are occasions where it 'amps up' their aggression.

BummersReef · Sep 9, 2016

I've heard a little rearranging of rocks etc sometimes helps ...

Cabinetman · Sep 9, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
...while it distracts them, there are occasions where it 'amps up' their aggression.

I've never encountered that personally and I've used that method a bunch of times as have friends of mine who were at there wits end

eatbreakfast · Sep 9, 2016

I've used a bunch as well. It usually works, but about 1:9/1:10 figet hyper-aggressive because of the perceived increase in competition.

Cabinetman · Sep 9, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
I've used a bunch as well. It usually works, but about 1:9/1:10 figet hyper-aggressive because of the perceived increase in competition.

Well worth a try with 9 outa 10 chance

Desmond · Sep 9, 2016

Social box work well but can put stress on the fish

revhtree · Sep 9, 2016

I have used the mirror trick and it has worked some. Other than that sometimes you have to pull the culprit!

Joseph Pagnotta · Sep 9, 2016

Funny because last night I just rearranged my Live rock for bully damsels, but after making changes my Diamond goby was chased by my Blue headed Wrasse right into my over flow. He's still in there while I am at work. Need to figure out how to get him out without breaking down the overflow. So not sure if rearranging rocks is fool proof.

Black Pearl · Sep 9, 2016

I've had the same problem with a clown tang, the mirror make him even more hyped. It's like he can't get to the image he's after so he takes it out on the other fish he can reach. I've got a trap in the tank now trying to remove this villain

Bloody.Knuckles · Sep 9, 2016

I just lost my young clown to being bullied by an adult clown. They have been in the same tank for months and appeared to be getting along after the initial friction. A couple of weeks ago, the adult, BT for B**** T**s, probably chased the little guy into the overflow, but I wrote it off as high water level. This morning my wife found the little guy stiff on the carpet. We're debating over getting rid of BT... she thinks we should get a bully fish to bully BT, lol.