Tang aggression - 4" yellow vs 2" purple

[aruns]

Hi all,

I have had a yellow and a mimic tang in my 150G for about 8 months now and after some initial bickering have become happy tank mates. They are about 4" and 3.5" respectively now.

Last week, after a year long search, I finally got my favorite purple tang. The little fella is 2" and gorgeous. As soon I put him in the 150, after a week in an observation tank, the mimic and yellow started picking in him. In just in a day noticed constant harassing and he ended up with torn fins.

I have now caught the yellow and mimic and have banished them to the sump. The purple has the run of the tank

My question - how long should I wait before reintroducing them back into the main tank. And any particular way I should reintroduce them?

I was thinking a couple of months to give the purple time to grow and establish territory. But he's still going to be mismatched in size and I am worried about that.

I know thus is not exact science but would like to increase my odds. Any one dealt with tang aggression with size difference, would appreciate ur advice.

Cheers

 

[AZMSGT]

I think you’re on the right path, only additional thing to try is the Mirror trick. hand a mirror in front of the place the most aggressive fish hangs out.. then watch them go bananas. Thier focus changes allot.

 

[Squidward]

The mirror trick worked for me as well. Took about 2 days.

 

[nereefpat]

Putting the yellow in an acclimation box in the display for a couple days could help.

This is going to be tough.

 

[Guy714]

I had the same issues with my 2 blue tangs and did the same way you did by banishing one to the sump. I kept him in the sump for 2 weeks before reintroducing him to the main tank. Things were settled afterward although they are still bickering during feeding time.

 

[aruns]

Thanks all, will try acclimation box and mirror trick with the less aggressive mimic first, and then the yellow.

 

[ca1ore]

I always chuckle when folks talk about tangs as friends. Assure you, they are not. About the best you can do is wary tolerance. Removing an aggressor to the sump for a month is about the best way to get to tolerance as it resets the pecking order, though that is not always enough. Mimic will be fine. The yellow may be more problematic, particularly if larger. Good news is that the purple tang is the most aggressive of the zebras and may hold its own even if smaller.

 

[najer]

When I introduced a blond naso in with the black naso the mirror trick worked for me, hope it goes ok for you.

 

[Katrina71]

Poor little guy.

 

[aruns]

Just wanted to check back in and provide an update. After a week in the sump , I first put the mimic tang in an acclimitation box inside the display for a day and then released him. Zero issues.
A couple of days later, did the same with the yellow tang and this time for added measure, taped stick on mirrors in either side of display.

This has worked brilliantly so far. The mimic settled after a day, but the yellow and purple have been swimming next to each other going nuts over their reflections . Couple of days of this now. Plan to remove the mirrors once they stop doing that.