Help Choosing Tang and Wrasse Replacements

[theKoolAidMan]

I have a Reefer 450 and am having some bully issues. First off, I have a full grown Starry Blenny has was already established in the tank. He's about 4-5 inches long. He merrily went about his day doing from perch to perch and eating algae off the rocks and sand. Happy life. Then I made the mistake of adding a Tomini Tang. The Tang is not full grown and about 3-4 inches in length. From day 1 he did not like the Blenny. If he saw him grazing he would peck at him and harrass him until the Blenny fled to the rocks. The Blenny wasn't damaged by this and the Tang rarely resorted to tail swipes, but would from time to time. Over the last couple of months the blenny has been less and less active, likely from the contact harassment when he tried to graze. He still gets food and is physically healthy, however his behavior has radically changed. He spends all of his time increasingly hidden in the rocks or swimming up and down the glass at one end. He can do this for hours. He never did this before but does it more and more every day. I think the stress from the tang is pushing him to his breaking point.

As such, I'm trapping and returning the tang.

The second case involves wrasses. I had a 2-3 inch long Naoko Wrasse in the tank for about 3 weeks before adding a Red Headed Solor Wrasse from a friend who was breaking down his tank. The Solor Wrase is about 3-4 inches long. Clearly bigger than the Naoko. After adding him the Naoko went after him and the do circled each other. The Solor drove off the Naoko mostly due to size. Since then they co-exist to some extent, but if the naoko gets too close the solor goes after him driving him off. When he does this the naoko gets stressed and will swim up and down the glass looking for a way out. After a while doing this (5 minutes -30 minutes usually) he'll calm down and go back to swimming in and out of the rocks, only to be chased off by the solor wrasse again. The solor wrasse will also chase off my Bartlett's Anthias if he comes down from the top of the water coloumn into the rocks.

As such, I'm trapping solor and trading it in.

So my question is, what are some ideas for fish that would work in my reefer 450 that will play nice with my current stocking list? I really liked the activity both the wrasse and tang provided. Swimming in and out of the rocks, lots of movement mid-column. Would a flasher wrasse work with the Naoko which is a fairy wrasse? Are Yellow Tangs better with a Starry Blenny? Or should I stay away from tangs due to the blenny?

List:
2x Percula Clownfish
1x Starry Blenny
1x Bartlett's Anthias (male)
1x Coral Beauty Angel
1x Naoko Wrasse
1x Pink Bar Goby w/ Tiger Pistol Shrimp

 

[Flippers4pups]

I have a Reefer 450 and am having some bully issues. First off, I have a full grown Starry Blenny has was already established in the tank. He's about 4-5 inches long. He merrily went about his day doing from perch to perch and eating algae off the rocks and sand. Happy life. Then I made the mistake of adding a Tomini Tang. The Tang is not full grown and about 3-4 inches in length. From day 1 he did not like the Blenny. If he saw him grazing he would peck at him and harrass him until the Blenny fled to the rocks. The Blenny wasn't damaged by this and the Tang rarely resorted to tail swipes, but would from time to time. Over the last couple of months the blenny has been less and less active, likely from the contact harassment when he tried to graze. He still gets food and is physically healthy, however his behavior has radically changed. He spends all of his time increasingly hidden in the rocks or swimming up and down the glass at one end. He can do this for hours. He never did this before but does it more and more every day. I think the stress from the tang is pushing him to his breaking point.

As such, I'm trapping and returning the tang.

The second case involves wrasses. I had a 2-3 inch long Naoko Wrasse in the tank for about 3 weeks before adding a Red Headed Solor Wrasse from a friend who was breaking down his tank. The Solor Wrase is about 3-4 inches long. Clearly bigger than the Naoko. After adding him the Naoko went after him and the do circled each other. The Solor drove off the Naoko mostly due to size. Since then they co-exist to some extent, but if the naoko gets too close the solor goes after him driving him off. When he does this the naoko gets stressed and will swim up and down the glass looking for a way out. After a while doing this (5 minutes -30 minutes usually) he'll calm down and go back to swimming in and out of the rocks, only to be chased off by the solor wrasse again. The solor wrasse will also chase off my Bartlett's Anthias if he comes down from the top of the water coloumn into the rocks.

As such, I'm trapping solor and trading it in.

So my question is, what are some ideas for fish that would work in my reefer 450 that will play nice with my current stocking list? I really liked the activity both the wrasse and tang provided. Swimming in and out of the rocks, lots of movement mid-column. Would a flasher wrasse work with the Naoko which is a fairy wrasse? Are Yellow Tangs better with a Starry Blenny? Or should I stay away from tangs due to the blenny?

List:
2x Percula Clownfish
1x Starry Blenny
1x Bartlett's Anthias (male)
1x Coral Beauty Angel
1x Naoko Wrasse
1x Pink Bar Goby w/ Tiger Pistol Shrimp

Unfortunately most tangs will find the blenny as a food competitor and will attack them. Decision needs to be made on what you want to keep.

This could work if your tank was much larger.

Any Halichoeres wrasse may work, leaning towards the Halichoeres chrysus.

 

[HairyGary]

I have a Reefer 450 and am having some bully issues. First off, I have a full grown Starry Blenny has was already established in the tank. He's about 4-5 inches long. He merrily went about his day doing from perch to perch and eating algae off the rocks and sand. Happy life. Then I made the mistake of adding a Tomini Tang. The Tang is not full grown and about 3-4 inches in length. From day 1 he did not like the Blenny. If he saw him grazing he would peck at him and harrass him until the Blenny fled to the rocks. The Blenny wasn't damaged by this and the Tang rarely resorted to tail swipes, but would from time to time. Over the last couple of months the blenny has been less and less active, likely from the contact harassment when he tried to graze. He still gets food and is physically healthy, however his behavior has radically changed. He spends all of his time increasingly hidden in the rocks or swimming up and down the glass at one end. He can do this for hours. He never did this before but does it more and more every day. I think the stress from the tang is pushing him to his breaking point.

As such, I'm trapping and returning the tang.

The second case involves wrasses. I had a 2-3 inch long Naoko Wrasse in the tank for about 3 weeks before adding a Red Headed Solor Wrasse from a friend who was breaking down his tank. The Solor Wrase is about 3-4 inches long. Clearly bigger than the Naoko. After adding him the Naoko went after him and the do circled each other. The Solor drove off the Naoko mostly due to size. Since then they co-exist to some extent, but if the naoko gets too close the solor goes after him driving him off. When he does this the naoko gets stressed and will swim up and down the glass looking for a way out. After a while doing this (5 minutes -30 minutes usually) he'll calm down and go back to swimming in and out of the rocks, only to be chased off by the solor wrasse again. The solor wrasse will also chase off my Bartlett's Anthias if he comes down from the top of the water coloumn into the rocks.

As such, I'm trapping solor and trading it in.

So my question is, what are some ideas for fish that would work in my reefer 450 that will play nice with my current stocking list? I really liked the activity both the wrasse and tang provided. Swimming in and out of the rocks, lots of movement mid-column. Would a flasher wrasse work with the Naoko which is a fairy wrasse? Are Yellow Tangs better with a Starry Blenny? Or should I stay away from tangs due to the blenny?

List:
2x Percula Clownfish
1x Starry Blenny
1x Bartlett's Anthias (male)
1x Coral Beauty Angel
1x Naoko Wrasse
1x Pink Bar Goby w/ Tiger Pistol Shrimp

C. Naokoae's are very agressive in their own right so adding flasher may be a risk as well. If it were my tank, I would try to remove the Naoko and add a flasher or two or a flasher and H. chrysus.

 

[theKoolAidMan]

What about some other anthias if I were to say away from wrasses and tangs? I have a cleaner and fire shrimp so I'd be hesisitant to add H. chrysus.

 

[HairyGary]

What about some other anthias if I were to say away from wrasses and tangs? I have a cleaner and fire shrimp so I'd be hesisitant to add H. chrysus.

Re H. Chrysus I would be more worried about smaller hermits but you are probably safe either way.

I am not that familiar with Anthias but think they would be fine.

 

[mta_morrow]

C. Naokoae's are very agressive in their own right so adding flasher may be a risk as well. If it were my tank, I would try to remove the Naoko and add a flasher or two or a flasher and H. chrysus.

I eliminated my yellow tang and now have a onespot foxface in my 525. Less stress throughout the tank and a peaceful grazer that actually eats algae.

And it’s a beautiful fish!

 

[theKoolAidMan]

I eliminated my yellow tang and now have a onespot foxface in my 525. Less stress throughout the tank and a peaceful grazer that actually eats algae.

And it’s a beautiful fish!

That's a great idea. How active are they compared to the yellow tang? I'd assume not as high strung?

 

[mta_morrow]

That's a great idea. How active are they compared to the yellow tang? I'd assume not as high strung?

A very chill fish. They are typically shy for a few days, longer with more aggressive fish around.

Mine is now always out and about and following me for food.

Always swimming around the rock work and in and out of caves.

As long as I have a big enough tank, I will have a foxface.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I agree 100% about ditching the Yellow Tang in favor of the Onespot Foxface. I did the same thing— an excellent decision for the main reasons others have stated: Active yet ‘chill’ fish (retaining that nice yellow in your tank)... and a great algae eater.

 

[Jesterrace]

Another guy here who booted a Yellow Tang and replaced it with a One Spot Foxface. You get a large slender profile algae eater and a much better tank mate to boot. Oh and their night color change camo scheme offers a cool factor that the Yellow Tang can't match.

 

[theKoolAidMan]

Has anyone heard of aggression issues between the foxface and a Starry/Lawnmower Blenny?

 

[JumboShrimp]

I had to remove a Lawnmower Blenny one week after putting him in a 90 gallon with a Tailspot Wrasse (M. Wrasse)— that wrasse tormented him from the get-go, and was going to kill him for a certainty. (I guess the Wrasse took him to be too close in body-type.) But the Foxface didn’t care about him. Hope this helps.

 

[Jesterrace]

Has anyone heard of aggression issues between the foxface and a Starry/Lawnmower Blenny?

I haven't heard anything, although, I would think that the Blenny would be more likely to be the aggressor in that case. Usually though all a foxface needs to do is flex it's venomous spines and other fish back off. It was rather humorous, my Coral Beauty and Melanurus Wrasse were swimming towards my One Spot Foxface right after I added him (as if to say, "Hey Newbie, This is Our Turf"), the Foxface took one look at them coming towards him and Flexed his spines and the Melanurus and Coral Beauty immediately turned tail and went the other way. I think they got the message, ever since then they all hang out in close proximity and don't bother each other.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Funny story. Two thumbs up!