I need a fish whisperer

[Treefer32]

First, I'll list my stocking list currently (before adding 4 new fish this weekend). I have a 6ft x 3 foot wide by 31" tall 350 Gallon display.

In it I have a:

Black tang
Chocolate tang
caribean blue tang
bellas angel
Lawnmower Blenny
starry blenny
canary blenny
Malnouris wrasse
other smaller wrasse.
Dragon wrasse
Possibly a Goby that I haven't seen for a couple months now and his hole is filled in - So not sure if he found a new home in the sand under rocks or if he died.

The black tang hasn't cared ever about new inhabitants. He is as peaceful as I've ever seen a tang be.

So, I added 2 baby Oscellaris clowns, a Lamrack angel, and a copperband butterfly. The butterfly was the key I needed to attack my aiptasia infestation. He's doing great, he's eating, swimming openly, and I may have caught him eating an aiptasia. Have had him since last Wednesday.

I added all 4 new fish in the dark. The chocolate tang and the caribean blue tang don't like the copperband at all. I figured it was just pecking order stuff. Their agression has been getting less and less day by day. . . However, tonight the black tang did something I've never seen him do in five years of having him (in previous tanks)... He chased the copperband and wouldn't forget about him. He got something in his head that this copperband is evil. He lets the other tangs bully him on occasion, but, for the most part they all respect each other. The copperband though, has drawn the attention of all three tangs. . . I feel sorry for the poor guy, but, he's pretty smart. He swims on his side, upside down, and quickly away from the bossy tangs. . . So far he's still eating hanging out in places the tangs don't frequent and holding his own for now. The little baby clowns and the canary blenny all come over to help him a little and just hang out.

So, is this just pecking order, showing the tank mates who's boss. Or does my black tang not like colorful fish with long noses.... Too close in shape? He's going to decimate him until he's dead?

What can I do to reduce the agression? I really need the copperband and I love the black tang. . He's like a puppy. .

I'm feeding nori daily and they don't finish it all. I feed frozen food 2-3 times a day making sure there's enough for the whole tank. I realize it's only day 5. . . So, curious on any fish whisperers out there? Do I need to catch the copperband and move him to his own tank for now? (I'd have to setup something new from scratch, no backup tanks on hand right now.)

I'm out of town next week so, I won't have anything for him until I get back, I'm hoping it's just pecking order? He's very careful to eat last, and only food that no one else is going for. He still eats, just waits until no one is around and excess food comes to him then he goes for it... Seems like he's doing everything right to survive. But, I'm afraid he's going to get too stressed....

I need a fish therapist for my fish.

 

[Crabs McJones]

@4FordFamily sees a therapist regularly. Maybe he can relay some info for you joking aside Jason wrote the thread on tang aggression and IMO would be the best person to ask

Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating So what's the deal with tangs? How do I keep them together? Why are they so aggressive and difficult to keep sometimes? It's a common discussion point. Some may dissent with what I have to share but I've never had less than three tanks running at a...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ZoWhat]

Sometimes if you do a 3day blackout all the fish will go dormant/ sleepy.... and it might reset some attitudes when lights come back on.

I've also noticed this general rule:

The higher the salinity, the more territorial my fish become.

If ever I see fish aggression I always grab my refractometer and almost always my SG has climbed into 1.026 possibly 1.027. When I slowly force it to fall back down to 1.023 the fish CHILL OUT.

HTH.


.

 

[EakTheFreak]

First, I'll list my stocking list currently (before adding 4 new fish this weekend). I have a 6ft x 3 foot wide by 31" tall 350 Gallon display.

In it I have a:

Black tang
Chocolate tang
caribean blue tang
bellas angel
Lawnmower Blenny
starry blenny
canary blenny
Malnouris wrasse
other smaller wrasse.
Dragon wrasse
Possibly a Goby that I haven't seen for a couple months now and his hole is filled in - So not sure if he found a new home in the sand under rocks or if he died.

The black tang hasn't cared ever about new inhabitants. He is as peaceful as I've ever seen a tang be.

So, I added 2 baby Oscellaris clowns, a Lamrack angel, and a copperband butterfly. The butterfly was the key I needed to attack my aiptasia infestation. He's doing great, he's eating, swimming openly, and I may have caught him eating an aiptasia. Have had him since last Wednesday.

I added all 4 new fish in the dark. The chocolate tang and the caribean blue tang don't like the copperband at all. I figured it was just pecking order stuff. Their agression has been getting less and less day by day. . . However, tonight the black tang did something I've never seen him do in five years of having him (in previous tanks)... He chased the copperband and wouldn't forget about him. He got something in his head that this copperband is evil. He lets the other tangs bully him on occasion, but, for the most part they all respect each other. The copperband though, has drawn the attention of all three tangs. . . I feel sorry for the poor guy, but, he's pretty smart. He swims on his side, upside down, and quickly away from the bossy tangs. . . So far he's still eating hanging out in places the tangs don't frequent and holding his own for now. The little baby clowns and the canary blenny all come over to help him a little and just hang out.

So, is this just pecking order, showing the tank mates who's boss. Or does my black tang not like colorful fish with long noses.... Too close in shape? He's going to decimate him until he's dead?

What can I do to reduce the agression? I really need the copperband and I love the black tang. . He's like a puppy. .

I'm feeding nori daily and they don't finish it all. I feed frozen food 2-3 times a day making sure there's enough for the whole tank. I realize it's only day 5. . . So, curious on any fish whisperers out there? Do I need to catch the copperband and move him to his own tank for now? (I'd have to setup something new from scratch, no backup tanks on hand right now.)

I'm out of town next week so, I won't have anything for him until I get back, I'm hoping it's just pecking order? He's very careful to eat last, and only food that no one else is going for. He still eats, just waits until no one is around and excess food comes to him then he goes for it... Seems like he's doing everything right to survive. But, I'm afraid he's going to get too stressed....

I need a fish therapist for my fish.

Have you used mirrors with your tangs with other fish introductions? I have a Yellow Eye Kole Tang in a 131 gallon DT who was a complete jerk to new additions. I then put up a large sheet mirror that covered the side of my tank for 2-3 days when introducing new fish.

Has worked every time now & all the fish hate themselves (thinking it’s a direct competitor) worse than anything else.

Tape the mirror to one side of your tank and let us know!!

good luck!!

 

[Dom]

Sometimes if you do a 3day blackout all the fish will go dormant/ sleepy.... and it might reset some attitudes when lights come back on.

I've also noticed this general rule:

The higher the salinity, the more territorial my fish become.

If ever I see fish aggression I always grab my refractometer and almost always my SG has climbed into 1.026 possibly 1.027. When I slowly force it to fall back down to 1.023 the fish CHILL OUT.

HTH.


.

This is interesting. Are you running FOWLR? I can't imaging keeping much else at the salinity.

 

[ZoWhat]

Have you used mirrors with your tangs with other fish introductions? I have a Yellow Eye Kole Tang in a 131 gallon DT who was a complete ****** to new additions. I then put up a large sheet mirror that covered the side of my tank for 2-3 days when introducing new fish.

Has worked every time now & all the fish hate themselves (thinking it’s a direct competitor) worse than anything else.

Tape the mirror to one side of your tank and let us know!!

good luck!!

That's utter brilliance. Best idea I've read on R2R in over a year

 

[Reefahholic]

Definitely introduce at night or all at the same time as long as no other fish are in the tank.

If there's fish currently in the system then it's best to get a peace maker acclimation box from Melev's Reef or something similar to help reduce aggression.

 

[ZoWhat]

This is interesting. Are you running FOWLR? I can't imaging keeping much else at the salinity.

Zoas/palys dominated 180g 6ft

My zoas/palys HATE anything above 1.024. At 25, 26...they are not as fleshy as when I keep at 23

 

[Treefer32]

Interesting on the salinity thing. I almost got out of bed to check my salinity last night after reading that on my phone. (I didn't.) So, what is interesting is I had dosed Flucanozole 3 - 4 weeks ago for some Bryopsis that just wouldn't die. It's all gone now. So, I planned to do a massive water change to get rid of some of it. I drained my tank and changed out around 125-140 gallons. As I was filling it back up with freshly mixed saltwater (had mixed for an hour or two - IO salt). I tested and the salt was 1.031. I was o.k. with this as I had 50 gallons of fresh RODI with no salt. I knew I'd need some of that, but my 75 gallon bin was full. So I was planning to empty some of the salt water, refill from fresh and keep filling the tank.

That went out the window when I forgot I had shut my return pump off and had been filling the sump and walked away for just a minute. My furnace room was flooded. OOPS! turned the refill pump off, turned the return pump on. Then noticed my water change drain was still open on my return. So closed that. And started everything back up which forced a lot of air into the display. I drained both my high salt mix and my 50 gallons of fresh RODI bins to refill the display. . . .

The temp fell to 70 degrees (normally 76), and within 10 minutes of the return pump running it was back up to 73. So, it was just a cold front going through the tropics. . . I let things run a while and temp was back up to 76 in less than hour. PH was stable at 8.23.

So, I'm wondering if salinity can change fish moods that much if my salinity was off or something. I tested it this morning and it's 1.025. Which is what it tested at before the water change. So salinity is the exact same. Could just that big of a water change affect fish moods? Fresh clean water vs. Some nitrate ridden fish poop and pee 3 -4 week old water?

Otherwise I may have to try the mirror thing. My Caribean blue tang must see himself in the front glass at times. He goes beserk on the front glass.

I turned the lights on this morning and the copperband was towards the top right over the black tangs sleeping spot. They were sleeping about 10 inches apart.... Maybe they just didn't realize it in the dark. lol.

I'll try the lights out thing next, then maybe the mirror though that could just enrage them more... lol.

 

[ZoWhat]

So, I'm wondering if salinity can change fish moods that much if my salinity was off or something.

1.031 .....Holy Salinity.....

Plz report back fish behavior after the readjustment to 1.025. IMO you'll see a difference

 

[Treefer32]

1.031 .....Holy Salinity.....

Plz report back fish behavior after the readjustment to 1.025. IMO you'll see a difference

Skimjim, before and after salinity in the display was exactly the same at 1.025. My fresh saltwater was mixed with 0 salinity fresh water as I filled the sump because I ran out of saltwater. Somehow, I accidently ended up with the same salinity in the tank that I started with before the water change... Even this morning after the new salt water and fresh water mixed in the display over night. In fact the salinity was actually a little lower at 1.024- 1.025.. 32-33ppt.

 

[EakTheFreak]

@skimjim @Treefer32 Take a look at this video of my last introduction. Takes everyone away from new introductions!!

 

[Treefer32]

@skimjim @Treefer32 Take a look at this video of my last introduction. Takes everyone away from new introductions!!

That's really awesome. I think I've got some smaller mirrors I could stand up on the glass.

 

[EakTheFreak]

@Treefer32 I have a Copperband butterfly coming in 4 weeks with a Male & female Blue Star Leopard wrasse fish. Any advice on foods that have worked for you so far?

 

[Treefer32]

So far, he's a light eater, but I see eating. Very skittish and afraid of ticking someone off. So he tends to eat alone. I also see a bare spot of aiptasia and it's right where he hides alot. So, I suspect anyways, that he may be grabbing aiptasia here and there. Not as a main course (yet), but, substituting his diet some.

So, I have a canary blenny that's highly social, loves new tank mates. Goes and visits has tea with them and hangs out. He also eats from my hands. Loves when I stick my fingers in. So, I saw the copperband watching him eat from my fingers. And he's about 2 inches away from grabbing food out of my hand thanks to seeing the other fish do it and it not being a fatal event.

I got a sheet of Reef Frenzy Frozen food and he's eating that, not a ton, doesn't go crazy for it, but I've seen him several meaty pieces. Which is why I'm feeding 2-3 times a day so if he gets a few shrimp each time I know he's getting the minimum he needs. Plus a few aiptasia or pods. He's probably good. It really helped him seeing another fish eat from my fingers as I dangled chunks of frozen in the water.

He's definitely skittish, but considering his tank mates I don't blame him. He comes out more than I thought he would for food and just to adventure out.

 

[EakTheFreak]

So far, he's a light eater, but I see eating. Very skittish and afraid of ******* someone off. So he tends to eat alone. I also see a bare spot of aiptasia and it's right where he hides alot. So, I suspect anyways, that he may be grabbing aiptasia here and there. Not as a main course (yet), but, substituting his diet some.

So, I have a canary blenny that's highly social, loves new tank mates. Goes and visits has tea with them and hangs out. He also eats from my hands. Loves when I stick my fingers in. So, I saw the copperband watching him eat from my fingers. And he's about 2 inches away from grabbing food out of my hand thanks to seeing the other fish do it and it not being a fatal event.

I got a sheet of Reef Frenzy Frozen food and he's eating that, not a ton, doesn't go crazy for it, but I've seen him several meaty pieces. Which is why I'm feeding 2-3 times a day so if he gets a few shrimp each time I know he's getting the minimum he needs. Plus a few aiptasia or pods. He's probably good. It really helped him seeing another fish eat from my fingers as I dangled chunks of frozen in the water.

He's definitely skittish, but considering his tank mates I don't blame him. He comes out more than I thought he would for food and just to adventure out.

That’s great to hear. I’m ordering mine from quarantined fish.com. He gets them eating frozen and takes them through QT process for 4-6 weeks. I will still QT him myself to keep him eating strong before introducing to DT. I also feed LRS Frozen Frenzy & pellets (spectrum, sustainable aquatics).

thanks for sharing!

 

[Treefer32]

Yes, he seems to like the LRS reef frenzy stuff. So far. Not a voracious eater, but is eating! Which is a huge accomplishment.

 

[Treefer32]

What's interesting is watching my fish on webcam at work today (from my mobile device) and so far, very few if any bullying of the copperband. even saw him picking at some rocks (praying it's aiptasia he's pickig at and not pods). And the black tang and him were swimming side by side for a few moments with no aggression. So far, it looks like the issue may have been the massive water change (changing water quality, parameters, sudden drop in nitrates, etc.) And are just setting up who's boss.

The copperband is out swimming in the open with very little agitation from the tangs if any. Saw a wrasse chasing a bellas angel around the tank.. heh. So far so good today. I forgot how active clown fish are as babies. . . They swim the entire 6 feet of the tank at max speeds do a loop de loop and swim back the other six feet. And go non stop. . . How do they have the energy to do that all day???