How will the remaining tangs react? Advice wanted

[jpnegrete14]

Hello! Would like to bounce some ideas off you guys and gals on what to do.

100gal mixed reef

I plan on donating my young blue hippo tang to my LFS, pretty soon. He outgrew his last sleeping spot so I think its time. Enjoyed it while it lasted. This will leave a yellow tang, kole tang, lemonpeel angel, pintail fairy wrasse, a pair of helfrichi firefish, pair of clowns, two bimac anthias, and a banggai cardinal

The question is. In your experience is a third tang usually necessary to break up aggression among two already established tangs? If it is necessary my plan would be to take the kole and yellow tangs out for a couple weeks and then reintroduce them at the same time as the new tang(thinking convict but not sure. feel free to chime in on that too)

My preference is to not have to get another tang. Thinking maybe the lemonpeel will even out aggression among the three as he is in fact targeted by the kole. Fairly certain the kole messes with him because he also eats algae.

TIA! Happy reefing.

 

[Dbichler]

I agree time to take out the hippo. Time will tell how much bullying was occurring sometimes extra tangs helps spread aggression but maybe it was just the two in the first place. Take it out and watch and see.

 

[Waters]

Since the existing fish are all established, I think you will be fine.

 

[Steph72]

It’s always unpredictable. I agree with your idea about taking them both out and returning them to the tank at the same time. It worked for me when my purple and scopas were being aggressive to each other.