Tang aggression problem

[Muttley000]

I have a 90 gallon which had a sole yellow tang about 4". He eats seaweed sheets and frozen food like a champ and is healthy and looking great. My LFS had a yellow eyed Cole tang also about 4" that they treated and qtd for me and it looked great, so I added it to my system without another QT as I didn't have an empty tank that I felt he would be comfortable in. I acclimated and he looks great, but he is up in the corner because every time he comes down the hello postures like he is trying to cut him with his scalpels. He has not eaten for 3 days now but still looks perfect. I'm looking for advice. I do have a 40b on the same multi tank system that I could put one of them in temporarily with just a couple of cardinals and a secretive wrasse if someone thought moving one of them is the right thing to do. What do you guys and gals think?

 

[nereefpat]

Yellow tangs can be awful, especially if they are established and another similar fish is added.

Some tricks like taping a mirror to one side of the tank can help. If you can catch one of them, an acclimation box like a critter keeper can help too.

 

[4FordFamily]

Two articles I recommend you check out. One about tang aggression and one is off topic about LFS quarantine.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tang-aggression-understanding-and-combating.76/

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lfs-fish-“treatment”-the-“sudden”-need-for-quarantine.308/

Adding one tang to an existing established tang is almost always a bad idea . A social acclimation box would be your best bet.

 

[cracker]

time out in the sump for the Yellow Tank or separate the tank some how with egg crate. Not the new fish but the Yellow. these fish are greedy & easy to trap.

 

[ca1ore]

Yeah, acclimation box, mirror, bisect tank or remove aggressor for a few weeks.

 

[Muttley000]

Thanks guys, I will give the mirror a quick try and if that doesn't show promise immediately I will isolate the yellow. Results to follow!

 

[eatbreakfast]

90g is not a lot of space for 2 tangs...

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

if only there was a thread about dealing with tang aggression.... man that would be helpful.

 

[norfolkgarden]

if only there was a thread about dealing with tang aggression.... man that would be helpful.

Lol, wow, could you at least send him the link?
Not everyone knows how to search it.
[emoji6]

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tang-aggression-understanding-and-combating.76/

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Lol, wow, could you at least send him the link?
Not everyone knows how to search it.
[emoji6]

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tang-aggression-understanding-and-combating.76/

It is already a sticky in the forum, AND ford4family posted a link. But thanks for taking things waaaay too seriously and not having any sense of humor at all.

 

[norfolkgarden]

It is already a sticky in the forum, AND ford4family posted a link. But thanks for taking things waaaay too seriously and not having any sense of humor at all.

I get that a lot lately.
[emoji6]

You're welcome Sir.
[emoji4]

 

[4FordFamily]

Let's stay on topic and be kind and courteous!

 

[Muttley000]

Actually I have read most (admittedly not all) of that thread, but many people don't read replies on those super big threads because things get lost and they are hard to follow. And I a
So wanted replies on my specific situation without it being mixed with other people's problems. Sorry if I broke some etiquette rule

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

its not a big deal, i was just waiting for an excuse to use my tang meme.

the advice you got is really all you can hope for.

 

[4FordFamily]

Actually I have read most (admittedly not all) of that thread, but many people don't read replies on those super big threads because things get lost and they are hard to follow. And I a
So wanted replies on my specific situation without it being mixed with other people's problems. Sorry if I broke some etiquette rule

You are fine.

 

[4FordFamily]

For good measure, here is one I wait to use as well

 

[JumboShrimp]

I brought my Yellow Tang back to my LFS in favor of my Kole Tang. Much easier ways to get ‘yellow’ color back into the tank—not even a close call.

 

[Muttley000]

As an update the mirror trick seems to be helping. I put a mirror at the opposite end of the tank from where the Kole has been staying. At first no results, but when I scraped the coralline spots so it was a clear reflection in the mirror the yellow is now camped out there. Now the Kole is venturing around about half the tank freely and picking at rocks/scraping film algae off the back glass. He has still not taken any frozen that I have been able to notice. I moved an algae clip to "his side" and the algae is gone but I can't be sure he ate it. If he ventures to within several inches of the yellow he does get chased all the way back to the other end, but then the yellow goes right back to the mirror. I'm going to let this ride and see what happens.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Seems promising... baby steps

 

[Neptune 555]

if only there was a thread about dealing with tang aggression.... man that would be helpful.

I want to frame this meme!