How long should I leave up the mirror for this Gem Tang?

[YoubetyourWrasse]

So my Magnificent Foxface was taking abuse from my Gem Tang yesterday so I put a mirror up. The Foxface was in the tank for around a month. I added the Gem around a week and a half after he was ready to enter the DT. As you can see from this video the mirror is working and the poor Foxface is over there just wanting to be buds. The Gem now has dorsal splits and is going nonstop. I don't want to stress him to the point of illness because he has been going continuously for 10 hours today. When I turned the lights off last night he slept; however, when the morning came he started tail slapping his reflection throughout the day. Can someone chime in on how long I should keep this mirror up? I read that they will stop attacking at some point...I don't think that will be the case lol. PS just fed the tank please don't mind the foating debris.

 

[blaxsun]

What an a**hole, lol. I had a powder brown that was harassing my raccoon and the mirror trick didn't work, so I taped a net in one corner as a kind of "umbrella" where the raccoon could hang out (the tang wouldn't go near it). After a few days they were best buds, go figure.

 

[YoubetyourWrasse]

Any thoughts on length of time for the mirror? Or should I do repetitions and shorter length of time? Or would this condition or reinforce the aggression?

 

[nereefpat]

I would leave it up for a few days to see if it calms down a bit.

How big is the tank?
Plenty of rockwork?
Plenty of food a few times a day?

 

[4FordFamily]

A few days to two weeks is often as much as a zebrasoma tang will need. On rare occasions, it won't work out. It's best to add more fish/herbivores/similarly-shaped fish at a time for this reason.

 

[YoubetyourWrasse]

A few days to two weeks is often as much as a zebrasoma tang will need. On rare occasions, it won't work out. It's best to add more fish/herbivores/similarly-shaped fish at a time for this reason.

Yeah, I added him/her several weeks after the Magfox and this started a few days ago after both are getting established. There is no real damage, but definite harrassment. Don't think another tang could be introduced without rehoming the Gem. I would just like the timid magfox to be okay.

 

[blaxsun]

How are you currently feeding your herbivores?

 

[YoubetyourWrasse]

Nori, spirulina flake, tdo, purple/red/green julian's etc....rods/lrs. I also have had better luck in my experience banding them to a frag plug so it is more natural grazing. If the gem sees the plug drop he attacks it lol.

 

[YoubetyourWrasse]

So it seems to have worked; however, now the mirror is gone and he is still fighting with himself on the other side of the tank at his faint reflection. If I go on that side and place my hand there...it is almost like he pouts swims off and tries to come back to fight while I am standing there again...then runs off and pouts...rinse and repeat. So now I think he's stuck fighting his reflection..or simply stuck on stupid lol.

 

[UtahReefer]

I have a Yellow Eye Spotted Bristle Tooth. Once transferred to the new system she began to become aggressive and chase other fish. Put the mirror up for 5 days and that's all she was interested in, the behavior stopped. Took it down after 5 days and all was fine. Used the mirror again for three days when I added two additional tangs. Success again. For me the mirror trick worked. Just watch the fish, make sure it continues to eat and doesn't stress to the point that to starves itself.

 

[YoubetyourWrasse]

I have a Yellow Eye Spotted Bristle Tooth. Once transferred to the new system she began to become aggressive and chase other fish. Put the mirror up for 5 days and that's all she was interested in, the behavior stopped. Took it down after 5 days and all was fine. Used the mirror again for three days when I added two additional tangs. Success again. For me the mirror trick worked. Just watch the fish, make sure it continues to eat and doesn't stress to the point that to starves itself.

Yeah it tolerates the magfox well now and completely ignores, a small convict Tang. Seems to have worked well.