Advice with tang introduction/aggression

[4FordFamily]

So a little follow up help: They have been in a 20 gallon QT for almost three weeks with a piece of egg crate to separate them. I hang their nori close together to force them to be near one another while they eat. Each have their own PVC elbow to hide in. Yesterday and today I removed the eggcrate for a brief time while feeding mysis. They ate independant of one another, only briefly sizing each other up and coming together once or twice for some mild tail twitching/slapping - nowhere near as aggressive as the white tail was before and this time it was the purple trying to show who was boss. I reinserted the eggcrate between them after they were done.

So, do I pull the eggcrate and leave them together in the 20 gallon to see how they do longer-term, or go ahead and re-introduce them to the DT and let them find their spots there? I feel that if I leave them in the 20 gallon with it being so small it may erase the good I've done and force aggressiveness. On the other hand if the mild tail slapping I had seen means there is still going to be problems I definately do not want to try to capture them back out of the DT.

Suggestions?

I think you’re better off removing the eggcrate in the 20 gal where you can separate again if it goes awry. A little tail slapping is often just posturing. That’ll have to reestablish who is boss — once that’s done, harmony may ensue.

 

[FarmerTy]

So a little follow up help: They have been in a 20 gallon QT for almost three weeks with a piece of egg crate to separate them. I hang their nori close together to force them to be near one another while they eat. Each have their own PVC elbow to hide in. Yesterday and today I removed the eggcrate for a brief time while feeding mysis. They ate independant of one another, only briefly sizing each other up and coming together once or twice for some mild tail twitching/slapping - nowhere near as aggressive as the white tail was before and this time it was the purple trying to show who was boss. I reinserted the eggcrate between them after they were done.

So, do I pull the eggcrate and leave them together in the 20 gallon to see how they do longer-term, or go ahead and re-introduce them to the DT and let them find their spots there? I feel that if I leave them in the 20 gallon with it being so small it may erase the good I've done and force aggressiveness. On the other hand if the mild tail slapping I had seen means there is still going to be problems I definately do not want to try to capture them back out of the DT.

Suggestions?

Why don't you ask Gigem! [emoji17]

Haha, I'm with 4ford, pull the crate and place your bets! Things get too crazy, you can always divide again. Don't stop it too early though, let them have a go and establish dominance and hopefully peace after that.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Why don't you ask Gigem! [emoji17]

LOL - my wife just asked why I was laughing so hard!

Duke it out in the small tank it is. I sure hope they settle. I really like both of these guys and I'd hate to have to let one go.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

I finally pulled the eggcrate barrier two days ago and left it out. They are still engaging in some minor aggression: short chases, posturing, tail slaps, etc., only this time it doesn't look like one is trying to kill the other like it was before. I have not seen either fish with visible damage from the encounters and they tend to have these episodes briefly then go hang out on opposite ends of the tank. So far so good. I'll monitor for a few more days in the 20 gallon and then hopefully reintroduce together in the display tank this weekend.

 

[FarmerTy]

I finally pulled the eggcrate barrier two days ago and left it out. They are still engaging in some minor aggression: short chases, posturing, tail slaps, etc., only this time it doesn't look like one is trying to kill the other like it was before. I have not seen either fish with visible damage from the encounters and they tend to have these episodes briefly then go hang out on opposite ends of the tank. So far so good. I'll monitor for a few more days in the 20 gallon and then hopefully reintroduce together in the display tank this weekend.

So basically a typical night for me and my wife. Sounds like they'll be just fine then. [emoji23]

 

[ChadLo]

I finally pulled the eggcrate barrier two days ago and left it out. They are still engaging in some minor aggression: short chases, posturing, tail slaps, etc., only this time it doesn't look like one is trying to kill the other like it was before. I have not seen either fish with visible damage from the encounters and they tend to have these episodes briefly then go hang out on opposite ends of the tank. So far so good. I'll monitor for a few more days in the 20 gallon and then hopefully reintroduce together in the display tank this weekend.

It could be because of the temporary 20 they are in. Too small of a tank and they eat the same thing. Think they are competing with one another for food. You can also try taping a mirror to the side of the tank. Then they will beat up the glass instead.

 

[FarmerTy]

It could be because of the temporary 20 they are in. Too small of a tank and they eat the same thing. Think they are competing with one another for food. You can also try taping a mirror to the side of the tank. Then they will beat up the glass instead.

They were moved to the 20g QT because the kole tried to murder the other tang when first introduced to the DT. He then kept them both in the QT separated by eggcrate to get used to each other.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Just to put the final word in on this thread - I ended up putting them in the DT Thursday evening as lights were dimming. Just enough time for them to find a hidey-hole but not enough time to cause trouble. Friday and today everything has been great - now they are "buddies". The purple is back to be the submissive and follows the white tail now kinda like this:

 

[Mfreddy]

When I introduced a purple tang into my DT, I used a 16x8x6 acclimation box. I have a 7” Niger with an attitude, a 5” clown trigger, 24ish snowflake, and an incredibly docile fat dogface puffer.

The Niger played jaws in his head while he slowly cruised by for about 3 days. I had a piece of pvc for the tang to hide.

After 6 days the tang was swimming next to the Niger I released him to the DT 8 days ago and have no aggression. Tonight he sucked down a piece of cherry stone clam that took him 15 seconds to chew.

I don’t think he would’ve made it without the acclimation box.