Adding a killer?

MaPePo

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Hello-

TLDR: killer small Tomini Tang in QT is finishing prophylactic treatment in a couple of weeks. Question: Add it to display tank, give it back to the store, or hold it in QT until display is better stocked?

First tank, 82 gal system with 61 gal display - it’s been going about 2-3 months. Everything has gone well so far with two juvenile 1 inch clowns, a YWG + pistol shrimp pair who are always in their burrow, I see the YWG once a week on avg but hear the pistol snapping daily, + a skunk cleaner shrimp + fire shrimp, CUC, and lots of coral. No anemone yet. Everyone gets along great, seems to be a happy little reef.

Meanwhile, my small Tomini tang is coming up on her 30 day copper power treatment. After her rounds of prazipro she will be ready to transfer to the display tank.

My problem is, the Tomini was QT’d with a royal gramma for 3 weeks until she killed him. In my newbie ignorance, I didn’t know what I was looking at with the RG’s torn fins as signs of aggression from the Tomini bc I never saw actual aggression from the Tomini. The Tomini hides constantly, I have the QT full of PVC pipes and she panics if I’m around and she’s caught outside of them. After almost a month in a fairly busy part of our house, she still seems like she will never get used to us. I can only catch a photo of her when I’m far away from the tank and as treatment has progressed her shyness has increased if anything - it’s even harder to catch a sighting of her since the RG died. We have been so careful to give her space and stay out of the tank and we don’t have kids that might tap on the glass or anything.

My question for experienced fish keepers: what would you do?

I’m afraid she might kill my tiny clowns in the display tank. In another forum some have said she should relax in a normal tank with lots of rock. Should I use an acclimation box (she’s going to REALLY freak out if I do). What’s your experience with tomini’s? If I need to catch her in the display tank bc she is being aggressive my only option may be to net her - she won’t really eat nori anymore, I’m not sure how I’d trap her with food the other livestock wouldn’t steal.

I really don’t want to return her to the store after all the Qt work. Should I keep her in the QT until we have more dominant fish in the display or the clownfish are a certain size?

Photos below of the Tomini in the QT, and my display tank.



 

Uncle99

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I’m not overly concerned about the tang going in an immediately attacking anyone. A RG will fiercely defend even a small space so not a surprise on its demise.
The clown hold their spot and assuming lots of other room, the tang will seek to secure territory.

Btw….did I miss the pics?
 

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I’m not overly concerned about the tang going in an immediately attacking anyone. A RG will fiercely defend even a small space so not a surprise on its demise.
The clown hold their spot and assuming lots of other room, the tang will seek to secure territory.

Btw….did I miss the pics?
Nah, likely just the app being itself ... It seems often when people think they uploaded pics using the app it doesn't actually work.
 

CHSUB

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Ime, Tomini tangs are very gentle, I’m surprised he killed your RG almost question your assertion. I would not worry. My Tomini was also very timid in QT; had to leave the room to feed and always stayed in his PVC pipe. If you read they are aggressive maybe confusing with a Kole Tang?
 
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MaPePo

MaPePo

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I’m not overly concerned about the tang going in an immediately attacking anyone. A RG will fiercely defend even a small space so not a surprise on its demise.
The clown hold their spot and assuming lots of other room, the tang will seek to secure territory.

Btw….did I miss the pics?
Nah, likely just the app being itself ... It seems often when people think they uploaded pics using the app it doesn't actually work.
Yea it must be, sorry about that, it won’t let me edit the post now though. These are the pics of the QT (29 gallons) and the display.
20260428_174331_FCD723F6-06D4-4FCC-BEB4-0BD7AAE14119.png

20260428_174331_F253F722-2344-4365-ABEB-161A194710BE.png


Was 29 gallons QT not big enough? It was so weird because I would see them out together eating and saw no aggression from either.
 
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MaPePo

MaPePo

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Ime, Tomini tangs are very gentle, I’m surprised he killed your RG almost question your assertion. I would not worry. My Tomini was also very timid in QT; had to leave the room to feed and always stayed in his PVC pipe. If you read they are aggressive maybe confusing with a Kole Tang?
To be honest, I wouldn’t have known that was the cause unless others had told me. You can see the state of the RG find and this is following a few weeks of random single white spots that disappeared on their own and others told me were injuries. At the time the thought was the RG was hurting itself wedging itself in the PVC pipes.
20260428_175820_6A364071-AC5C-4BF1-A89D-52948E184ADE.png

20260428_175820_A3DD7F32-17C4-4B31-8D42-0413146014C8.png
 
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MaPePo

MaPePo

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I’m not overly concerned about the tang going in an immediately attacking anyone. A RG will fiercely defend even a small space so not a surprise on its demise.
The clown hold their spot and assuming lots of other room, the tang will seek to secure territory.

Btw….did I miss the pics?
Sorry the pics didn’t post for some reason - i made a reply in this thread with the two photos. Do you think the rock in my display tank is enough hiding space? I’m taking the pvc pipe out later this week when my lid arrives. The pipe seems to keep the clowns happy at the bottom instead of hanging out at the surface of the tank.
20260428_180257_828F1D35-F8B7-41B1-BC73-003141920B9D.png
 
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MaPePo

MaPePo

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Tomini tangs are generally peaceful.

Is the QT tank super small? I know you stated you have pvc in it for hiding.

Best bet probably is Tomini in Display in acclimation box for some period, should you want to keep it.
QT is 29 gallons. I suppose if the Tomini never chills out in the acclimation box I can then return her to the store.
 

CHSUB

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Fish have different personalities, but I keep a Tomini and RG together. Tang was introduced first and tank is only 33 gallons. I would bet money everything will be fine…put him in DT and Ime he will calm down. Mine at over 2 years…
IMG_1456.jpeg
 
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MaPePo

MaPePo

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Fish have different personalities, but I keep a Tomini and RG together. Tang was introduced first and tank is only 33 gallons. I would bet money everything will be fine…put him in DT and Ime he will calm down. Mine at over 2 years…
IMG_1456.jpeg
I hope so, beautiful fish btw -great photo
 

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I doubt the Tomini killed your RG, especially given how you describe it hiding. QT is very stressful on fish. I would suspect some type of disease or bacterial infection. These can cause fins to deteriorate. I would not automatically assume aggression.
 

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