Powder brown not playing nice

[RomoFL]

So I have a powder brown with a Foxface, 3 clowns and a melanurus wrasse. I wanted more tangs so we decided on a yellow and hippo. The yellow tang is about the same size as the powder brown but the hippo is much smaller. We were told they should all place nice since the yellow is a different shape than the brown and the hippo is as well. As soon as the new guys were introduced to the DT, the powder brown started getting really aggressive to both of them. We took out the powder brown and he’s now in the sump. I’m getting a breeder box so he can stay in that while in the DT and hopefully acclimate to the new tangs. Do you guys/gals think this might work?

 

[jschultzbass]

Maybe. That's about the best anyone can say. I had a Powder Brown in with a blue, gem, and two spot bristletooth tang that I added at the same time with the Brown being the biggest and for a year he didn't bother anyone or anything but last week out of the blue (pun intended) he decided he hated my blue tang and will attack and chase him anytime the blue is out from behind the rocks. Needless to say I had to catch the PB , which took about 3 days, and put him in my frag tank. If you want to try again, if possible rearrange your rock work so his territory is all different. If that doesn't work, you'll probably have to make a choice on which one to keep.

 

[RomoFL]

Yeah I was afraid my last resort would be to send back to LFS - and they would only give me half the original cost for store credit.

Would a mirror help you think? Have you tried it with your situation?

 

[Jon Fishman]

73g tank probably has him stressed and angry

My Powder Blue was terrible in my 75

 

[nereefpat]

An established powder brown can definitely hate new tangs.

Is the display 73 gallons? If so, that certainly will add to the problem.

 

[Jon Fishman]

An established powder brown can definitely hate new tangs.

Is the display 73 gallons? If so, that certainly will add to the problem.

I’m just going off of his build thread of RSR 350, and google says they are 73g

 

[vetteguy53081]

rarely do they play nice. Powder brown and blue, Achilles tang and yellow eye tang are my picks to be the Last tang introduced in ANY tank

 

[RomoFL]

Yeah it’s a Reefer 350 so 73g DT. He was fine with 3 other clowns, a wrasse and a foxface. Maybe for the size multiple tangs are not a good idea? The hippo and yellow tang seem fine together.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

It also in my experience may take a couple days to calm down.

 

[RomoFL]

Finally got my breeder to separate the powder brown. He’s no longer in the sump. How long should I keep him in here? Kinda feeling bad about it.

 

[Jesterrace]

I’m just going off of his build thread of RSR 350, and google says they are 73g

Actually they are in the 90 gallon range, that said, still too small for any of those tangs IMHO and an established Powder Brown is unlikely to play nice with any new Tangs.

 

[RomoFL]

True.. although I’m not sure how established he was.. it was only a week before I introduced the newer tangs.

 

[RomoFL]

He’s back with the others now.. yellow tang is giving him some payback but it’s not nearly as bad as the aggression from the powder brown before. So far everyone is okay with the occasional chase.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Great looking setup.

 

[4FordFamily]

Adding tangs to a resident acanthurus, particularly a powder blue, brown, goldrim, or Achilles is almost never going to end well.

In a that size you may be able to house a smaller zebrasoma such as a yellow for a while but you ought not to keep the others. Sorry

Regarding tang aggression, you may find this article useful:

Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

Tangs tang aggression mean nasty evil injured stab surgeonfish killing killed kill beat hide hiding why help remove sump new addition

www.reef2reef.com

 

[RomoFL]

Thanks for the tip. Yeah I kinda figured I would get flack for having tangs in this size.

 

[Flame2hawk]

Multiple tangs in any tank is always a crap shoot. Better chance if different shapes, color and genre. Sometimes groups of 3 or more of the same species, ie 3+ yellows, will work as aggression is shared more widely. Need big tank for that of course. We also know that the bigger the tank the more of a chance that success can happen with multiple tangs. Yellow and hippo blue co exist often in set ups. Adding a third can really be a challenge in anything smaller then 150 or so. Again I have seen 3 tangs work in something smaller but as they get bigger things get a bit more aggressive. I have a 625g tank that just completed its cycling. I will move slowly now with adding fish. In about a month or so I will add tangs on same day. Likely will try to get them all around the same size....Will add the hippo first, 1 hour later or so will add the Gem, yellow and purple at the same time and hope it works. If after some days they don’t coexist, I have a plan B which will be to set up a mirror as I’ve had success putting a small mirror in the outside of a lower corner of the tank which allows for the more aggressive tang to take out his/her aggression harmlessly. Fingers crossed!! Good luck!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the tip. Yeah I kinda figured I would get flack for having tangs in this size.

Not a matter of flack but for your safety (and pocket) as well as that of the fish. All fish have requirements and tangs are no exceptions, in fact more attentative for housing needs. They're very territorial and other than angels are some of the most expensive fish in the hobby.
We want to watch them grow and change colors, not tearing each other up.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Good lord, those tangs in a lil 73g. Ya not gonna work... please research fish that ate appropriate for your tank size, that will reduce your frustration and wasted money before hand

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good lord, those tangs in a lil 73g. Ya not gonna work... please research fish that ate appropriate for your tank size, that will reduce your frustration and wasted money before hand