Tomini Tangs

[ilott]

Hello,

I have recently purchased two fish online, they arrived today looked super healthy, swimming around happily in the plastic box I put them in for about an hour after acclimation, I then released them into the main display, Midas Blenny and Tomini Tang, the blenny is fine out and about, but I haven't seen the tang since, I understand they hide when stressed but I just want to be able to see him so I know he is alive, has anyone else had their Tomini Tang hide and if so for how long?

 

[Super Fly]

give it time, it's probably trying to settle in after a stressful shipment. Should be fine. I love my Tomini tang, great personality.

 

[ilott]

give it time, it's probably trying to settle in after a stressful shipment. Should be fine. I love my Tomini tang, great personality.

Hopefully! He was a lot more active than the blenny during acclimation and introduction, last place I saw him was where my dwarf angel lives and he has been quite feisty with my clownfish recently so I'm just hoping he likes his new friend.

 

[alysak6075]

mine was hiding for about 48 hours. It will come out once its hungry.

 

[landlubber]

in general i find no fish is itself in the first week of being introduced so its probably just building a little courage. triple that time in the case of wrasses lol.
ps. with the stresses of joining a new system it's not uncommon for a new tang to display ich if its been previously exposed to it.

 

[Super Fly]

Hopefully! He was a lot more active than the blenny during acclimation and introduction, last place I saw him was where my dwarf angel lives and he has been quite feisty with my clownfish recently so I'm just hoping he likes his new friend.

If you are referring to the dwarf angel that's been feisty w the clownfish and not the tomini, then the angelfish may not take kindly to the Tomini. Dwarf angels can be territorial and bully tank mates, which is why they and tangs should be the last tank addition. Which dwarf angel is it?

 

[Deschutes541]

I've had my kole tang about a month now and it still occasionally hides when it sees me. Do your best to leave it alone and limit it's stress as much as possible.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Like a little child in a new school, allow it to get comfy and slowly come out. Food usually brings them out.
as for acclimation, an hour is somewhat insufficient. Container was great but you should have floated bags at least 20 minutes for temperature adjustment and then added a cup of water every 15 minutes 8x and then verified salinity being same or similar and then using cup rather than net to introduce fish into tank

 

[ilott]

in general i find no fish is itself in the first week of being introduced so its probably just building a little courage. triple that time in the case of wrasses lol.
ps. with the stresses of joining a new system it's not uncommon for a new tang to display ich if its been previously exposed to it.

I've seen tangs get ich quite easily, he didn't show any signs upon arrival, and I understand ich isn't as bad as people make out and a lot of fish will recover on their own.

 

[ilott]

If you are referring to the dwarf angel that's been feisty w the clownfish and not the tomini, then the angelfish may not take kindly to the Tomini. Dwarf angels can be territorial and bully tank mates, which is why they and tangs should be the last tank addition. Which dwarf angel is it?

He is feisty with the clown, the clown is feisty with me so I'm assuming it doesn't bother the clown too much, but it's a rusty angel, which I've heard to be one of the least aggresive

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Like a little child in a new school, allow it to get comfy and slowly come out. Food usually brings them out.
as for acclimation, an hour is somewhat insufficient. Container was great but you should have floated bags at least 20 minutes for temperature adjustment and then added a cup of water every 15 minutes 8x and then verified salinity being same or similar and then using cup rather than net to introduce fish into tank

I agree! Having been to many different schools, I appreciated it much more when the other students offered me food!

 

[ilott]

Like a little child in a new school, allow it to get comfy and slowly come out. Food usually brings them out.
as for acclimation, an hour is somewhat insufficient. Container was great but you should have floated bags at least 20 minutes for temperature adjustment and then added a cup of water every 15 minutes 8x and then verified salinity being same or similar and then using cup rather than net to introduce fish into tank

Yeah they were floating for about 10 minutes, the salinity was very similar to my own so I only added maybe a cup or two for acclimation then left them in the plastic box for about an hour

 

[ilott]

I've had my kole tang about a month now and it still occasionally hides when it sees me. Do your best to leave it alone and limit it's stress as much as possible.

I will do, I've got some seaweed on a clip near where I last saw him to try and entice him out.

 

[William Morris]

I have had a Tomini for about a year now - have to say it's the nicest fish I have ever had in my 50 years of doing aquariums. Great cleaner - all day pecking away at the gravel and rocks.
But, the tang is quite skittish and often hides inside the rock structure even during the day.

 

[vlangel]

I have a tomini tang and even now it occasionally likes to hang out in its cave. Mine took about 2 days to act a little more comfortable in my tank and it came from a LFS that it had been at for months. Also my tomini is by far the largest most dominant fish in my tank and so he was not being bullied by anyone.

If you have access to live brine shrimp that may help it settle in. Most fish can not resist the lure of live food.

 

[ilott]

I have had a Tomini for about a year now - have to say it's the nicest fish I have ever had in my 50 years of doing aquariums. Great cleaner - all day pecking away at the gravel and rocks.
But, the tang is quite skittish and often hides inside the rock structure even during the day.

I've read a lot about them being shy as I expected, but I hoped to have caught a glimpse of him at least once since putting him in, he is a juvenile and very small so I'm kinda worried he may be bullied a little bit.

 

[William Morris]

My Tomini will not be bullied. He is a great community fish. When I had a rogue Royal Gramma terrorizing my other fish - the Tomini would school him every once in a while. But he is the largest fish I have too.
You never know in this game.
I dropped a Six Line into my tank on Saturday and my Dottyback destroyed him within an hour. Not the fun part of this hobby.
Very community orientated when feeding too.

 

[Deschutes541]

I will do, I've got some seaweed on a clip near where I last saw him to try and entice him out.

That's a good idea. He'll come around eventually if you give him time. If he doesn't immediately go for the seaweed, you can try rubber banding some to a piece of rock. That's what I've been doing so far and mine loves it. I would wait a week or so before doing that though.

 

[OfficeReefer]

That's a good idea. He'll come around eventually if you give him time. If he doesn't immediately go for the seaweed, you can try rubber banding some to a piece of rock. That's what I've been doing so far and mine loves it. I would wait a week or so before doing that though.

I must keep note of this option! Very helpful, thank you.