I need help with aggression

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 13, 2022

hey guys. I went to the lfs this weekend and picked up some new fish, one of which was a biota yellow tang. Since being introduced he has been beat up pretty bad. My sailfin and kole tang have him cornered on the tank and if he moves from that spot he gets attacked. He has a small gash on one side and his fins are all but gone. I couldn’t get a pic of the gash but I have a pic of the fin damage. I can’t sit and babysit him as much as I would love to but that’s not feasible. Any suggestions? Or is he a goner?

Rmckoy · Nov 13, 2022

Sailfin tangs are ruthless . And will not give in .
You can try removing the sailfin , rearranging the rocks ,
Or even placing a mirror in the tank ( dollar store make up mirrors with the handle work amazing
Chances are the yellow will not make it or you might have to try returning it before it’s too late

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 13, 2022

Rmckoy said:
Sailfin tangs are ruthless . And will not give in .
You can try removing the sailfin , rearranging the rocks ,
Or even placing a mirror in the tank ( dollar store make up mirrors with the handle work amazing
Chances are the yellow will not make it or you might have to try returning it before it’s too late

I’ve been trying all day to catch the sailfin. He is very elusive. I’ve tried the mirror but my aquarium is somewhat mirrored so they see themselves in the glass so it isn’t very effective. I am gonna buy a trap, hopefully the little guy can hold off that long, and I’m getting rid of the sailfin. He already killed one fish when I first started the tank. And I even put them in there together. What’s really surprising is how aggressive the kole is towards him. I didn’t think they were that aggressive but he has actually been worse than the sailfin it seems. Sucks! Lol
Thanks for the reply.

Rmckoy · Nov 13, 2022

Reefdiculous22 said:
I’ve been trying all day to catch the sailfin. He is very elusive. I’ve tried the mirror but my aquarium is somewhat mirrored so they see themselves in the glass so it isn’t very effective. I am gonna buy a trap, hopefully the little guy can hold off that long, and I’m getting rid of the sailfin. He already killed one fish when I first started the tank. And I even put them in there together. What’s really surprising is how aggressive the kole is towards him. I didn’t think they were that aggressive but he has actually been worse than the sailfin it seems. Sucks! Lol
Thanks for the reply.

Perhaps if the kole and sailfin get along. Keep them and try to re home the damaged yellow .
The issue is they are all similar shape. Same diet , they see it as competition and survival of the fittest applies

Tamberav · Nov 13, 2022

Put the little guy in an acclimation box or makeshift one with large holes in a tupperware and your algae scraper magnet to hold it. Otherwise they may kill it.

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 13, 2022

I just don’t understand why he doesn’t hide, he didn’t even try to find a spot in the rocks he just stayed in the open .

Rmckoy · Nov 13, 2022

Reefdiculous22 said:
I just don’t understand why he doesn’t hide, he didn’t even try to find a spot in the rocks he just stayed in the open .

He has no idea where to go and everywhere he does try he’s getting his tail kicked

As weird as it is the corner is the safest place . And he knows if he stays there it’s best

i cant think · Nov 14, 2022

Unless you intervene, he’s a goner. As for the kole, what species is he? Some of the smaller species become much more aggressive than some others may say they are.

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 14, 2022

i cant think said:
Unless you intervene, he’s a goner. As for the kole, what species is he? Some of the smaller species become much more aggressive than some others may say they are.

I don’t know the scientific name but it’s a yellow eye.

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 14, 2022

Tamberav said:
Put the little guy in an acclimation box or makeshift one with large holes in a tupperware and your algae scraper magnet to hold it. Otherwise they may kill it.

This is the only Tupperware I had. My mag was too big to fit in it and leave him room. I don’t know if this will work or not.

mnl119 · Nov 14, 2022

Reefdiculous22 said:
hey guys. I went to the lfs this weekend and picked up some new fish, one of which was a biota yellow tang. Since being introduced he has been beat up pretty bad. My sailfin and kole tang have him cornered on the tank and if he moves from that spot he gets attacked. He has a small gash on one side and his fins are all but gone. I couldn’t get a pic of the gash but I have a pic of the fin damage. I can’t sit and babysit him as much as I would love to but that’s not feasible. Any suggestions? Or is he a goner?

Are you able to put in a tank divider to establish him on one side of the tank? He's not going to make it if that's the kind of damage he's experienced in the first day or two.

I've made great tank dividers in the past using that grid material for overhead lights you get at the local hardware store.

Tamberav · Nov 14, 2022

Reefdiculous22 said:
This is the only Tupperware I had. My mag was too big to fit in it and leave him room. I don’t know if this will work or not.

I think it is better than the alternative for now anyways. I am not sure how big he is but I have seen people make acclimation boxes out of critter keepers and egg crate or even divide the tank entirely with egg crate.

The idea is that maybe the other tangs will eventually get less aggressive... you can assess their behavior while them not being able to physically attack the other tang. Eventually they may not care so much after seeing the yellow for awhile.

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 14, 2022

Tamberav said:
I think it is better than the alternative for now anyways. I am not sure how big he is but I have seen people make acclimation boxes out of critter keepers and egg crate or even divide the tank entirely with egg crate.

The idea is that maybe the other tangs will eventually get less aggressive... you can assess their behavior while them not being able to physically attack the other tang. Eventually they may not care so much after seeing the yellow for awhile.

He’s not big. Maybe 3 inches nose to tail. I just got home from work and they aren’t really going near him. How long should I keep him in there?

bnord · Nov 14, 2022

sorry bud, but I have been whee you are and wish had caught up the CB yellow and donated him to a tang-less tank

my personal experience says that is the fish's best hope

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 14, 2022

bnord said:
sorry bud, but I have been whee you are and wish had caught up the CB yellow and donated him to a tang-less tank

my personal experience says that is the fish's best hope

Yeah, it’s a bummer. I asked the guy at my lfs and he said he should be fine. I’ve gotten all my fish from there. I guess he was thinking more about his bottom line.

Reefdiculous22 · Nov 14, 2022

Thanks for all the responses and advice. I can’t go back to the lfs until this weekend. Only thing I can think of is leave him in the Tupperware until I can get him back to safety.

Lbrdsoxfan · Nov 14, 2022

Reefdiculous22 said:
Yeah, it’s a bummer. I asked the guy at my lfs and he said he should be fine. I’ve gotten all my fish from there. I guess he was thinking more about his bottom line.

Yup. The aggression may subside, may not. I feel for the little guy. Had to rehome a scopas for that reason, tore into my yellow pretty good.

Tamberav · Nov 14, 2022

I would give it a week or two but since the box is only semi transparent, I wonder if they can see him well enough. I would probably devise a plan for a more permanent/functional box and just use this one temporary.