Kole tang aggression

Tonyf · Dec 1, 2019

Hi guys, just after some advice.
yesterday I added a sunburst anthia.
Now the minute I added him to the tank
My kole just went bezerk
Absolutely relentless, and whist would not stop attacking him. I have never seen this aggression from him before, to the point that if I didn’t do something and soon, the anthia was finished. I raced up to the Lfs and grabbed an acclimation box so the anthia is safe for now, battered and bruised and missing half of his tail
The kole has only been in for about 6 weeks and is only a juvenile
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

AZMSGT · Dec 1, 2019

I would lock up the tang and let the Anthias be free. Also try the mirror trick. Let the Kole attack a mirror for a while.

Jesterrace · Dec 1, 2019

As mentioned single out the tang and then let it go after it's reflection. You may just have an aggressive tang there (unfortunately many of them are jerks), Tangs also need other Tangs or another fish to keep their attitude in check.

Tonyf · Dec 1, 2019

Thanks for the replies, I will leave the anthia for a bit and let him heal for a few days and the try and catch the kole and put him in time out, and let the anthia get established, if that doesn’t work then someone I guess will have to go

Mmun · Dec 1, 2019

Tonyf said:
Hi guys, just after some advice.
yesterday I added a sunburst anthia.
Now the minute I added him to the tank
My kole just went bezerk
Absolutely relentless, and whist would not stop attacking him. I have never seen this aggression from him before, to the point that if I didn’t do something and soon, the anthia was finished. I raced up to the Lfs and grabbed an acclimation box so the anthia is safe for now, battered and bruised and missing half of his tail
The kole has only been in for about 6 weeks and is only a juvenile
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Rearrange the rock work helps. If not mirror trick

Tonyf · Dec 1, 2019

I will definitely try the mirror trick tonight

SuncrestReef · Dec 1, 2019

Wow, I'm surprised to hear that. My kole tang is super peaceful and has never bothered any other fish. He did go through a phase where he was obsessed with biting the antennae of my cleaner shrimp, but eventually got bored with that and now leaves him alone.

wrasse man · Dec 1, 2019

My kole tang pestered my potter’s angel to death. Couldn’t catch either one until it was too late for a healthy recovery. He was also kind of a jerk to a tiny yellow tang, lots of tail slapping but that only lasted less than a day, now they are little buddies.

Tonyf · Dec 1, 2019

I’m really surprised too to be honest. I picked him because I had never seen one so small. I quarantine him, fed him really looked after him.
And he has been the model citizen until now

Tonyf · Dec 1, 2019

So sorry to hear about the angel
They are a beautiful fish!

Jesterrace · Dec 2, 2019

wrasse man said:
My kole tang pestered my potter’s angel to death. Couldn’t catch either one until it was too late for a healthy recovery. He was also kind of a jerk to a tiny yellow tang, lots of tail slapping but that only lasted less than a day, now they are little buddies.

That sucks, love the Potter's Angel. Honestly though it doesn't surprise me given that Tangs and Dwarf Angels are of a similar shape and the Tangs have the size and tail scalpel advantage. My Yellow Tang turned on my Coral Beauty Dwarf Angel after about a month (even though they were in the same holding tank at my LFS for a couple of weeks and added at the same time). Yellow Tang tore off a chunk of the lower fin, repeatedly slapped it with it's tail and left visible white cuts on my Coral Beauty and did shadow and intimidation behavior to boot. I caught my Yellow Tang and sent it back to my LFS and replaced it with a One Spot Foxface and the tank has been MUCH HAPPIER since.

egwich · Dec 2, 2019

Tonyf said:
Hi guys, just after some advice.
yesterday I added a sunburst anthia.
Now the minute I added him to the tank
My kole just went bezerk
Absolutely relentless, and whist would not stop attacking him. I have never seen this aggression from him before, to the point that if I didn’t do something and soon, the anthia was finished. I raced up to the Lfs and grabbed an acclimation box so the anthia is safe for now, battered and bruised and missing half of his tail
The kole has only been in for about 6 weeks and is only a juvenile
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

How big of a tank do you have? I was one of those newbies who put a Kole Tang in a 4 foot long tank because I heard he should be fine in there. He was a crazy bully. Eventually, he decided to start fighting with my clownfish and that was his demise.

A lot of people say Kole Tangs are the most peaceful tangs. I did not have that experience. He was always ticked. Maybe if he was in a 150-180 he might be OK.

Tonyf · Dec 2, 2019

Yeah I think your kinda right!
He swims around the tank like he is the boss and he is still very small but uses up every inch of the tank

Waters · Dec 3, 2019

My Kole is the same way......has an issue just with certain fish. Definitely doesn't like any algae eating fish. I just added a Melanarus Wrasse and 3 Anthias......he ignores the group of 3 and relentlessly chases the Wrasse.

EddieJ · Dec 3, 2019

Our kole tang killed our flasher wrasse. The wrasse was one of the incumbent citizens and the kole was a new addition. So no new wrasses for us .

Waters · Dec 3, 2019

I have considered re-homing my Kole. He is one of the oldest fish in my tank. He unfortunately prevents me from adding any Tangs, Angels, Wrasses, or Blennies. Everything else he is fine with

homer1475 · Dec 3, 2019

As everyone else above. My yellow eye kole is major ****! Chases everyone and even harassed my starry blenny to death.

Tonyf · Dec 3, 2019

I’m starting to think that maybe a kole tang isn’t as peaceful as once thought

Waters · Dec 4, 2019

homer1475 said:
As everyone else above. My yellow eye kole is major ****! Chases everyone and even harassed my starry blenny to death.

Yeah, they don't tolerate any algae eating fish.....or any fish shaped like them.......or anybody added after them.........or wrasses evidently.......