Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[drstardust]

Anyone have experience with Prionurus laticlavius? LFS is selling one labeled as a Galapagos tang. It’s a small one at about 2”. Kind of interesting and ugly at the same time.

If anyone knows what to do with this fish, it's @4FordFamily. I'm following because I'd be interested in keeping it as well.

 

[4FordFamily]

Anyone have experience with Prionurus laticlavius? LFS is selling one labeled as a Galapagos tang. It’s a small one at about 2”. Kind of interesting and ugly at the same time.

I don’t have experience with them, the few I’ve seen have been similar in temperament to some of the less aggressive acanthurus tangs. It’s one of the few tangs I do not have experience with.

 

[jsvand5]

I don’t have experience with them, the few I’ve seen have been similar in temperament to some of the less aggressive acanthurus tangs. It’s one of the few tangs I do not have experience with.

I think I decided to pass on it after reading about their potential size. Looks like nearly 2 ft from what I have seen. I don’t really like any fish that are over 7” or so in my tank (6ft tank). I feel like it just looks unnatural. I’m hoping my achillies doesn’t ever reach the reported max. I’d hate to have to sell that one.

 

[skiwez]

Just a quick follow up ended with a purple and yellow tang after a 5 week qt/observation I added to them to my display several hours before the lights came on. When everyone woke up thankfully no major issues. There was some posturing from the sailfin but no outright hostility. It's only been 3 days but the tank actually seems more peaceful. The sailfin was starting to be a bully but the added fish keep him distracted.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[danoo]

Thanks so much for the response

Alright 3 yellow tangs it is. Hope they get along!

As an update on this:

I got the 3 captive bred yellow tangs from Biota (via LiveAquaria). My first reaction to getting them was how *tiny* they were. Each of them about 1.5" long and super thin. Not in an unhealthy way, just the normal proportions for such a small fish. They all ate right away, and in the 2 week TTM process I had them eating frozen food, nori and then eventually rocks with some GHA from my tank that I wanted them to get a taste for. They ate all of this without issue and got along pretty nicely in the 20 gallon QT tanks.

Then after a few more days of observation I decided to put them into the DT as they seemed quite healthy. Based on this thread I was very concerned about the reaction I'd get from my Kole tang. Since I didn't actually have a perfect backup tank for my kole tang (my backup tank is only 20 gallons), I got my fish trap ready but decided to see what the kole tang's reaction would be to the tangs.

For reference here is the size differential:

Anyways, it has been a week so far and the kole tang has not taken the slightest interest in the yellow tangs. The first couple of days for the tangs were a little rough because I've got 6 damsels and 2 clownfish that have their territory and were prepared to defend it. So the yellow tangs were bouncing around from spot to spot trying to find anywhere a damsel wouldn't attack them. Fortunately the tank is 8x3' so there was still quite a bit of safe real estate.

That settled down after a few days and now the tangs are swimming past the damsel real estate without getting much of a reaction. The yellow tangs were showing no aggression towards each other in the QT process and were doing a lot of hanging out together. That has not translated to the DT. The tangs are doing a lot of jostling amongst each other and trying to figure out their hierarchy. But again the tangs are tiny and the tank is huge so they are having no issue swimming away from each other's aggression. The first few days one of them had some nipped fins (which could have been the damsels), but as of today all of them have full fins so they've healed from that.

I thought maybe they'd get a little aggression from either my lawnmower blenny or bicolor blenny, but neither of them seem to care either. So at this point things are looking pretty good. I also should note that my Kole tang spends like 30% of his time fighting his reflection in the acrylic so maybe that is a helpful factor.

Either way I'm very excited about how everything has gone thus far, and am greatly enjoying my tiny little tangs swimming around eating algae.

 

[Pom Herder]

I plan to order one of those tiny biota yellow tangs along with a yellow eyed kole and add them together at the same time to my 210 gallon tank (these will be my last additions and there are currently no tangs in this tank). The only koles I have been able to find are much larger than the biota yellow tang. Considering how tiny the yellow tang will be, will it still be a good idea to add him together with the much larger kole or will the kole likely beat up on the yellow tang.

 

[Hal3134]

Just another data point for all: I recently added a Powder Blue to my 250g. Existing residents included 2x yellow tangs, a tomini tang, and a hippo tang. The PB is about 1/3 again larger than the 2 yellows, but the 2 yellows picked on the PB mercilessly. The other tangs ignored it. The PB was getting torn up. I put the PB in an acclimation tank for 5 days (which in hindsight I should have done originally) and then reintroduced him to the main swimming area. Day 1 of the reintroduction was a little touch and go, but not as bad as originally, but after that everyone seemed to accept everyone else. I still see some flashing and rushes by the yellows against the PB, but it seems pretty harmless.

 

[mfollen]

Looking for advice on how to handle zebrasoma aggression on a new addition.

180 gallon. Was just a hybrid black (4.5”) & desjaardini (2.5”), desjaardini died and the Black was in the tank all by itself.

I then added 3 tangs, desjardiini (3”), purple (3”), chevron (4”).
The black has slowed on aggression on the chevron after days of relentless aggression. The chevron is now allowed to swim in the tank alongside the new desjaardini.

But unfortunately the black has honed in on the purple and will not allow it to leave the back end of the tank without bulk rushing it back to its cave.

Any tips on how to alleviate the aggression of the black honing in on the purple? Algaex sheets are placed throughout the tank and I’ve been feeding heavily.

Thank you so much!

 

[Foothill Corals]

Looking for advice on how to handle zebrasoma aggression on a new addition.

180 gallon. Was just a hybrid black (4.5”) & desjaardini (2.5”), desjaardini died and the Black was in the tank all by itself.

I then added 3 tangs, desjardiini (3”), purple (3”), chevron (4”).
The black has slowed on aggression on the chevron after days of relentless aggression. The chevron is now allowed to swim in the tank alongside the new desjaardini.

But unfortunately the black has honed in on the purple and will not allow it to leave the back end of the tank without bulk rushing it back to its cave.

Any tips on how to alleviate the aggression of the black honing in on the purple? Algaex sheets are placed throughout the tank and I’ve been feeding heavily.

Thank you so much!

Try a mirror, it should keep the Black distracted for a while.

 

[Miami Reef]

I have a 300 gallon tank. I added a yellow and blue tang together a while back. I now added 6 tangs with the lights off and the yellow was attacking 3 of the tangs so far. He looks very aggressive.

Do you think there’s hope he’ll calm down with time?

I added 3 nets and a big pick stick to the tang. Aggression so far stopped, but it’s 2am so maybe he finally went to sleep?

 

[TheHarold]

Today I will be introducing a 4” Yellow Scopa Tang to my 300g. I chose a yellow Scopa since my understanding is that they are less aggressive than yellow tangs.

It will hopefully do well with:

3” Blue Tang
4” sailfin
4” Sohol

I know it’s a risk with the Sohol, but the tank just needs more fish.

 

[TheHarold]

@4FordFamily did LiveAquaria send me the wrong fish? Because this looks brown to me....
wysiwyg

 

[4FordFamily]

@4FordFamily did LiveAquaria send me the wrong fish? Because this looks brown to me....
wysiwyg

It’s possible, although they lose their brown and yellow coloring depending on stress. I’d give it 24 hours before notifying them. I had a yellow tang that got very brown under stress and looked like a yellow scopas!

 

[4FordFamily]

@4FordFamily did LiveAquaria send me the wrong fish? Because this looks brown to me....
wysiwyg

Any change in color?

 

[TheHarold]

Any change in color?

Yep, totally yellow now lol. I’m glad I didn’t email them- thanks .

Will try and get a photo tomorrow. I have a mirror up to keep aggression down

 

[Miami Reef]

I have a 300 gallon tank. I added a yellow and blue tang together a while back. I now added 6 tangs with the lights off and the yellow was attacking 3 of the tangs so far. He looks very aggressive.

Do you think there’s hope he’ll calm down with time?

I added 3 nets and a big pick stick to the tang. Aggression so far stopped, but it’s 2am so maybe he finally went to sleep?

Happy to say that the aggression fully stopped and his fins grew back. Everyone is getting along happily which is honestly a dream come true.

 

[4FordFamily]

Sorry again everyone I don’t know why I don’t get motivation emails for this thread! Grrr! Keep tagging me if you like!

I plan to order one of those tiny biota yellow tangs along with a yellow eyed kole and add them together at the same time to my 210 gallon tank (these will be my last additions and there are currently no tangs in this tank). The only koles I have been able to find are much larger than the biota yellow tang. Considering how tiny the yellow tang will be, will it still be a good idea to add him together with the much larger kole or will the kole likely beat up on the yellow tang.

Kole are aggressive for a bristletooth tang, seemingly more so as more time progresses. They have a large variance in temperament, however. It isn’t a risk I’d generally take without acclimation boxes.

Looking for advice on how to handle zebrasoma aggression on a new addition.

180 gallon. Was just a hybrid black (4.5”) & desjaardini (2.5”), desjaardini died and the Black was in the tank all by itself.

I then added 3 tangs, desjardiini (3”), purple (3”), chevron (4”).
The black has slowed on aggression on the chevron after days of relentless aggression. The chevron is now allowed to swim in the tank alongside the new desjaardini.

But unfortunately the black has honed in on the purple and will not allow it to leave the back end of the tank without bulk rushing it back to its cave.

Any tips on how to alleviate the aggression of the black honing in on the purple? Algaex sheets are placed throughout the tank and I’ve been feeding heavily.

Thank you so much!

Mirror on the side, more “lights out” time each day, and continuing to feed well is a good move. Tangs like to pick at algae - perhaps adding a small rock with algae rubber handed to it on the opposite end of the tank from where the purple tang is pinned to will give the aggressor something else to do and provide a strong distraction as well.

I have a 300 gallon tank. I added a yellow and blue tang together a while back. I now added 6 tangs with the lights off and the yellow was attacking 3 of the tangs so far. He looks very aggressive.

Do you think there’s hope he’ll calm down with time?

I added 3 nets and a big pick stick to the tang. Aggression so far stopped, but it’s 2am so maybe he finally went to sleep?

Generally they calm over the course of a few days. Keep the lights out as much as possible in the early stages to keep stress down and allow the newcomers to acclimate to the tank and rest before the lights come back on.

Today I will be introducing a 4” Yellow Scopa Tang to my 300g. I chose a yellow Scopa since my understanding is that they are less aggressive than yellow tangs.

It will hopefully do well with:

3” Blue Tang
4” sailfin
4” Sohol

I know it’s a risk with the Sohol, but the tank just needs more fish.

What a risk it is but I hope it works out! I love yellow scopas!

Yep, totally yellow now lol. I’m glad I didn’t email them- thanks .

Will try and get a photo tomorrow. I have a mirror up to keep aggression down

Yes, show me some tangs!

 

[TheHarold]

Sorry again everyone I don’t know why I don’t get motivation emails for this thread! Grrr! Keep tagging me if you like!



Kole are aggressive for a bristletooth tang, seemingly more so as more time progresses. They have a large variance in temperament, however. It isn’t a risk I’d generally take without acclimation boxes.



Mirror on the side, more “lights out” time each day, and continuing to feed well is a good move. Tangs like to pick at algae - perhaps adding a small rock with algae rubber handed to it on the opposite end of the tank from where the purple tang is pinned to will give the aggressor something else to do and provide a strong distraction as well.



Generally they calm over the course of a few days. Keep the lights out as much as possible in the early stages to keep stress down and allow the newcomers to acclimate to the tank and rest before the lights come back on.



What a risk it is but I hope it works out! I love yellow scopas!



Yes, show me some tangs!

Tank is super dirty as I just mixed up the rockwork a bit and blasted all the sand. I also still have the squiggly mirror up, lol.

So here is the best I can get for now. They are doing pretty well- the new tang was not willing to eat from the algae clip, but is able to come out of the rocks and swim for a few minutes at a time. The sailfin has nipped it a few times, but I’m hoping that will subside.

 

[4FordFamily]

Tank is super dirty as I just mixed up the rockwork a bit and blasted all the sand. I also still have the squiggly mirror up, lol.

So here is the best I can get for now. They are doing pretty well- the new tang was not willing to eat from the algae clip, but is able to come out of the rocks and swim for a few minutes at a time. The sailfin has nipped it a few times, but I’m hoping that will subside.

A few times doesn’t sound serious, it should subside. Nice tank, love the selections!

 

[TheHarold]

I didn’t see any aggression this afternoon, they’re all out and about! And the scopa is as yellow as a yellow tang

I will take down the mirror tomorrow

I really do love LiveAquaria divers den. I get fat, healthy tangs each time. Totally worth paying double the price, in my opinion.