Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[Tajaba]

It could be aggression although naso generally tolerate conspecifics so my guess is disease. Also, young naso are notoriously fragile.

Hi, yea at first I thought it was getting beat up but I was observing them all day yesterday and nope, they're not fighting. but the other one refuses to eat anything other than caulerpa (which I grow). Do you have any suggestions?

 

[4FordFamily]

Hi, yea at first I thought it was getting beat up but I was observing them all day yesterday and nope, they're not fighting. but the other one refuses to eat anything other than caulerpa (which I grow). Do you have any suggestions?

Any spots? Hiding from light? Pealing skin? “dustings” on skin? Hiding, breathing heavy, swimming in to powerheads? Flashing? Scratching?

As far as foods tangs eat red or sometimes green nori rubber banded to rocks, live brine, and live blackworms sometimes when they’re finicky but the prior could be the culprit (disease).

 

[Tajaba]

Any spots? Hiding from light? Pealing skin? “dustings” on skin? Hiding, breathing heavy, swimming in to powerheads? Flashing? Scratching?

As far as foods tangs eat red or sometimes green nori rubber banded to rocks, live brine, and live blackworms sometimes when they’re finicky but the prior could be the culprit (disease).

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. Yea, This isn't my first rodeo I know......talking to strangers on the internet and all that, its always better to be safe. I really appreciate your answers! Yea, I tried to watch for signs of amyloodinium for sure but so far nothing on her. They're not hiding from light at all (they're both in an acclimation box......together) since they were a pair and I didn't want to separate them. The healthy one is normal color and the other one is displaying the "stressed" color. But I have no idea why. I am carefully flushing its gills with H2O2 once a day now just to make sure there isn't any trophonts in there. But yea, its not eating. I have tried nori and nothing.

 

[4FordFamily]

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. Yea, This isn't my first rodeo I know......talking to strangers on the internet and all that, its always better to be safe. I really appreciate your answers! Yea, I tried to watch for signs of amyloodinium for sure but so far nothing on her. They're not hiding from light at all (they're both in an acclimation box......together) since they were a pair and I didn't want to separate them. The healthy one is normal color and the other one is displaying the "stressed" color. But I have no idea why. I am carefully flushing its gills with H2O2 once a day now just to make sure there isn't any trophonts in there. But yea, its not eating. I have tried nori and nothing.

The repeated treatments may be the culprit. H202 has killed many fish, even during dips. I’d just leave it be until you have a confirmed diagnosis at this point.

 

[alfani]

I have a yellow tang and a small hippo. The get along fine, no issue that i know of. I had the yellow for a few years, now I want to get a gem tang. Would it be a problem? It tank size is 170 gallon that is 52 inch long. Thanks

 

[Tajaba]

The repeated treatments may be the culprit. H202 has killed many fish, even during dips. I’d just leave it be until you have a confirmed diagnosis at this point.

Sad to report that the weaker one has died. I still don't know the cause but it was probably malnutrition since it didn't eat for several days. The healthy one is happy and eating like a pig......so I don't know what to make of it. I'll update you in a month. I think I'm done with adding tangs in general..........managed to get 12 into an 800 gallon tank and it has become so stressful to see new additions getting beaten now that its probably not worth it to add anymore!

 

[4FordFamily]

I have a yellow tang and a small hippo. The get along fine, no issue that i know of. I had the yellow for a few years, now I want to get a gem tang. Would it be a problem? It tank size is 170 gallon that is 52 inch long. Thanks

It’s hard to tell but I doubt it would work with two tangs and adding a fish of the same genus to two established tangs.

 

[4FordFamily]

Sad to report that the weaker one has died. I still don't know the cause but it was probably malnutrition since it didn't eat for several days. The healthy one is happy and eating like a pig......so I don't know what to make of it. I'll update you in a month. I think I'm done with adding tangs in general..........managed to get 12 into an 800 gallon tank and it has become so stressful to see new additions getting beaten now that its probably not worth it to add anymore!

Sorry for your loss

 

[LeonThePeon]

So it's been a month now - and last weekend I lost 1 yellow and 1 purple tang. Came back to the office and saw one of the remaining purple tang chasing the other - So I'm guessing the chaser may have killed the others (?) Parameters are still good and all are eating.

I added a 8x10 mirror on each end of the tank yesterday in hopes that the chaser will leave the other purple alone. I came in this morning and I see the chaser AND the Sailfin flashing and swiping at the mirror .

Started thinking - will them attacking their mirror image cause stress to them? Is it potential for an ick outbreak from stress? (Maybe tagging @Humblefish)

 

[4FordFamily]

So it's been a month now - and last weekend I lost 1 yellow and 1 purple tang. Came back to the office and saw one of the remaining purple tang chasing the other - So I'm guessing the chaser may have killed the others (?) Parameters are still good and all are eating.

I added a 8x10 mirror on each end of the tank yesterday in hopes that the chaser will leave the other purple alone. I came in this morning and I see the chaser AND the Sailfin flashing and swiping at the mirror .

Started thinking - will them attacking their mirror image cause stress to them? Is it potential for an ick outbreak from stress? (Maybe tagging @Humblefish)

It may stress them, but it keeps them from hurting each other. Stress doesn't cause ich, if ich is present and the fish are resistant, it may worsen and begin to impact them more. Sorry for the trouble, mixing tangs is always a risk.

What all remains? I don't remember much about the setup.

 

[LeonThePeon]

It may stress them, but it keeps them from hurting each other. Stress doesn't cause ich, if ich is present and the fish are resistant, it may worsen and begin to impact them more. Sorry for the trouble, mixing tangs is always a risk.

What all remains? I don't remember much about the setup.

Down to:
2 Purple Tangs
2 Yellow Tangs
1 Sailfin Tang
1 Hippo Tang
1 Rusty Angel
1 Schooling Bannerfish

12' tank

 

[4FordFamily]

Down to:
2 Purple Tangs
2 Yellow Tangs
1 Sailfin Tang
1 Hippo Tang
1 Rusty Angel
1 Schooling Bannerfish

12' tank

So this may sound strange but for a tank that size you have too few tangs and now they’re too similar (two pairs of fish that won’t likely pair). In larger tanks they have more room to be territorial and stake out a territory to defend. A particularly nasty fish may be worse, others may feel it less necessary to be aggressive with more room. The situation with two yellow and two purple is not ideal. If it were me I’d buy another few yellows and maybe one or two more purple if you’re set on keeping them together.

 

[LeonThePeon]

Taking the hit on a dead purple tang hit the wallet (and mind). Not sure if I'm ready to get another one or two introduced.... But we'll test the theory on some yellow tangs! 4 more in QT now - start the clock. Not going to have the time to do TTM properly - these guys are going to have to do it the old fashion way in Cu

 

[siggy]

I have a new Powder Blue that is not eating. He was eating when I brought him home. I noticed this after he was getting thin. Now he picks around the tank all day and Im putting a half a sheet of nori every day along with pellets, brine shrimp, and other cubes for omnivorous. He,s too thin I will most likely loose him in a day or two, any suggestions

 

[RazorD]

First off- amazing thread. Just learned quite a bit here. Thank you! I started a separate thread before noticing all the info here and figured it might make sense to post specifically here as this appears to be the centerpiece for tang discussion-

I currently have a yellow tang and a blue tang that I’ve had for about 2 1/2 years. Both were purchased very small and are very healthy well fed model citizens that have never shown any aggression whatsoever. I’m about to upgrade tanks from a 55g to 170 (5’) and would like to get some thoughts on new tank mates, what works, and what order to add them.

I’m going to be going up about three times the size of tank so I’m afraid to add anything new in day 1 as I fear I may still have a mini cycle so I thought it may make sense to at least wait a few weeks at a minimum. Am I wrong in this logic? Is it better to risk small cycle in water in trade for less behavioral issues?

Also, looking for recommendations on what tang to add? I like the Clown, Chevron, Orangeshoulder and Kole - But open to suggestions. Thoughts?

 

[jsvand5]

First off- amazing thread. Just learned quite a bit here. Thank you! I started a separate thread before noticing all the info here and figured it might make sense to post specifically here as this appears to be the centerpiece for tang discussion-

I currently have a yellow tang and a blue tang that I’ve had for about 2 1/2 years. Both were purchased very small and are very healthy well fed model citizens that have never shown any aggression whatsoever. I’m about to upgrade tanks from a 55g to 170 (5’) and would like to get some thoughts on new tank mates, what works, and what order to add them.

I’m going to be going up about three times the size of tank so I’m afraid to add anything new in day 1 as I fear I may still have a mini cycle so I thought it may make sense to at least wait a few weeks at a minimum. Am I wrong in this logic? Is it better to risk small cycle in water in trade for less behavioral issues?

Also, looking for recommendations on what tang to add? I like the Clown, Chevron, Orangeshoulder and Kole - But open to suggestions. Thoughts?

I doubt you’ll have a a cycle as long as you use new sand and the new live for is cured. I’d move everything over as soon as the temps were right if it were me. I just set up a 210 gallon tank with nothing but dry rock. All I did was take a marine pure block out of my 90g and put it in the 210’s sump. I never had any cycle at all.

 

[RazorD]

You're likely right. Now it comes down to selecting?

Also, if I aim to time this all by putting them in together, the new tank goes up next week which means no time for home QT. My LFS is great and I can get a good look at whatever I get before buying, but it's not ideal. Should've decided this weeks ago so I'm a bit under the gun here.

 

[jsvand5]

You're likely right. Now it comes down to selecting?

Also, if I aim to time this all by putting them in together, the new tank goes up next week which means no time for home QT. My LFS is great and I can get a good look at whatever I get before buying, but it's not ideal. Should've decided this weeks ago so I'm a bit under the gun here.

I don’t know, I’d never add a tang to my tank without Qt, but you may be luckier than me.

 

[Utkarsh]

I have a 180 gallon, and already have a purple and a kole tang. I introduced a white cheek tang, after keeping him in an acclimation box for a week. Both the established tangs used to ignore the new whitecheek tang altogether, when it was in acclimation box.
But today when i, introduced the whitecheek without the acclimation box. My purple tang literally wanted to murder the new tang, the aggression was pretty bad, so i took out the purple tang and it is now in my sump.
The kole tang and whitecheek tang are fine with each other.
My question is when can i re-introduce purple tang? As it is pretty stressed in my sump, has not eaten all day, plus i have a debelius reef lobster in my sump, so i am a bit concerned for my purple tang's safety, as i have read that it(lobster) eats fish, when they sre sleeping.
So when to add purple back to dt? Can i add him when the lights will go out, as the whitecheek seems to be comfortable now and it has been a span of 12-15hours since it has been in the sump.

 

[ReeferReefer]

Hey guys. I just bought a Yellow Eye Kole tang from a someone in my local reef club. I am having problems with the new tang being very aggressive towards my existing fish.

My tank is a 90 gallon softie dominated tank with lots of rock and caves. The other inhabitants are a flame angel, blue star Leopard, 2 clowns and a royal gramma.

The Kole Tang is chasing around the flame angel, wrasse and gramma. Seems to leave the clowns alone. The Gramma and angel seem to be good at hiding in caves to avoid the tang but the wrasse just swims away.

I noticed the flame angel has some tattered back fins.

I have a nori clip up but the Kole doesn't seem interested in it or in grazing in general.

The Kole was added yesterday.

Any advice? We had to take all the rock out of the tank to get the Kole the first time and I'd hate to have to do that to my tank too.

I've put up a mirror and the tang is super aggressive towards it. Seems to be giving my wrasse a bit of break. Not sure if this is a long term solution though.


Is the Kole just showing his dominance and calm down? Or could this be a more serious aggression problem?