Powder brown aggression/ mirror method.

[metone914]

I recently acquired a Biota yellow tang to add to my established (2 year old) 180 gallon reef. The tank has two clowns, 1 algae blenny, a tomini tang, a Formosa wrasse and a powder brown tang. Tang police aside, the powder brown was added too soon and shows aggression to any newly introduced fish. This behavior has subsided after 24/48 hours in the past. He has been pretty relentless bullying the yellow and being a smaller fish I was worried about his eating/stress etc. I put a mirror in the corner of the tank and it has worked a miracle. The yellow has come out of his cave and is grazing unmolested. It’s only been six hours and he has seemed to settle in. The powder brown is consumed by the mirror. Flashing and running circling dive bomb attacks. I don’t want the powder to go insane so , anyone who has used this method, how long should I keep the mirror in the tank? Tia

 

[metone914]

I recently acquired a Biota yellow tang to add to my established (2 year old) 180 gallon reef. The tank has two clowns, 1 algae blenny, a tomini tang, a Formosa wrasse and a powder brown tang. Tang police aside, the powder brown was added too soon and shows aggression to any newly introduced fish. This behavior has subsided after 24/48 hours in the past. He has been pretty relentless bullying the yellow and being a smaller fish I was worried about his eating/stress etc. I put a mirror in the corner of the tank and it has worked a miracle. The yellow has come out of his cave and is grazing unmolested. It’s only been six hours and he has seemed to settle in. The powder brown is consumed by the mirror. Flashing and running circling dive bomb attacks. I don’t want the powder to go insane so , anyone who has used this method, how long should I keep the mirror in the tank? Tia

 

[Reefering1]

I typically leave the mirror until the aggressor relaxes. Hasn't taken more than 10 days or so in the past. The new fish needs to learn his way around the tank and find a safe place that he can't be found. Does such place exist in your tank?

Fwiw, you can tape that mirror to the outside of the glass and it works just as well. I would be worried of contaminants getting in the water.

 

[metone914]

I typically leave the mirror until the aggressor relaxes. Hasn't taken more than 10 days or so in the past. The new fish needs to learn his way around the tank and find a safe place that he can't be found. Does such place exist in your tank?

Fwiw, you can tape that mirror to the outside of the glass and it works just as well. I would be worried of contaminants getting in the water.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes there are plenty of nooks and cranny’s for him to hide. The yellow already had found a cave to dwell that is inaccessible to the powder. That’s what prompted me to try the mirror. The brown would dart towards the cave anytime the yellow attempted to leave it. Driving him back in. I was worried he wouldn’t have access to food so I tried the mirror. With the brown occupied with his phantom the yellow was free to explore and find comfort in his new surroundings. As for the mirror I washed it in rodi. It’s just glass and rubber so I didn’t think it would be an issue. I am going to leave it in at least another couple days. Then I’ll pull it out and see what happens. I can always put it back. Thanks again. Much appreciated- metone

 

[code4]

Tia I hope all is well now. Wanting to check how it went. I added a 3" yellow tang to my 100 gallon tank. Mostly small fish. Had been running for over a year. After about 2 weeks the Yellow suddenly decided to go after my CBB I have had for years. Hobby Lobby mirrors saved him. The Yellow Tang is day 2 going after his phantom self. Not stopping to eat hardly. But not damaging his self either. Thanks for any insight.

I have been adding 2 nori feeders and extra food to help with food aggression also. Admittedly the CBB is my favorite. It has also stood up to the tang. But I know that can't last. The Yellow Tang has been in a forty for 2 years. And is from Biota. Adding information for others. Not always about who went in first. Also CBB is slightly larger

 

[code4]

And also rearranged rock work before adding. Even putting rocks from his previous home in the tank.

 

[Patrick Cox]

@metone914 (Tia), I would also be interested to hear how things are going. I am running into a similar issue. Thanks.

 

[Rocks reef]

I typically leave the mirror until the aggressor relaxes. Hasn't taken more than 10 days or so in the past. The new fish needs to learn his way around the tank and find a safe place that he can't be found. Does such place exist in your tank?

Fwiw, you can tape that mirror to the outside of the glass and it works just as well. I would be worried of contaminants getting in the water.

I second removing the mirror from the tank and taping/securing it to the outside of the tank.

 

[metone914]

@metone914 (Tia), I would also be interested to hear how things are going. I am running into a similar issue. Thanks.

This method worked great for me. I left the mirror in for about a week or so if I remember correctly? Once I removed the mirror there would be some aggression by the powder towards the yellow but nothing to bad. After about a week they were fine. Maybe a chase here or there but nothing bad. I would recommend this method for sure. If I ever run into the same situation again it will be the first thing I do to try to remedy it. Good luck!

 

[MNscoe]

I’m working on this same problem and mirror approach with my BT Tang harassing a new Starry Blenny. During the first day of mirror therapy the tang went bonkers. By the second day he’s already largely ignoring the mirror, just swims by frequently to check on “the other guy.”
He’s slightly less aggressive to the blenny and the blenny is coming out a bit more, so good initial progress. Now on day 3.

Did the mirror lose its effectiveness? Should I do something else? Move it? Take it on and off occasionally?

 

[metone914]

I’m working on this same problem and mirror approach with my BT Tang harassing a new Starry Blenny. During the first day of mirror therapy the tang went bonkers. By the second day he’s already largely ignoring the mirror, just swims by frequently to check on “the other guy.”
He’s slightly less aggressive to the blenny and the blenny is coming out a bit more, so good initial progress. Now on day 3.

Did the mirror lose its effectiveness? Should I do something else? Move it? Take it on and off occasionally?

I left the mirror in for about two weeks or so. I don’t remember exactly. The tang went bonkers for the first few days obsessing with the reflection in the mirror. Then after about a week he would still “check in” on his phantom in the mirror. During this time he would still occasionally harass the yellow but it was mild and the yellow had found spaces to hide and run to and then eventually stand up to the powder. It all pretty much died down in the second week. You can try placing the mirror in another location in the tank. I have no experience with that but heard it works.
Good luck

 

[code4]

I had to move the mirror and even put multiple mirrors on the tank. My aggressor was a yellow tang. Victim CBB. I also rearranged some rockwork.

 

[MNscoe]

Thanks folks.
Although my BT tang is less obsessed with the mirror, he does seem to be slowly becoming less aggressive to my Starry Blenny. And the Blenny is coming out a bit more, standing up for himself just a tiny bit.

I’m sometimes taking the mirror down for a day, then moving it. And I just added a second nori clip which is helping the Blenny get more access to the seaweed. The tang does try to guard both clips…. The bully.

 

[code4]

@MNscoe I am glad it is getting better for the little guy. Sounds like we are doing the same things.

 

[Patrick Cox]

Mirror helped for me. PBT finally settled in.

 

[code4]

Mirror helped for me. PBT finally settled in.

I am glad this helped. One more tool to help with aggression. The mirror is back on my tank again!

 

[jackintheboxfish]

Unrelated but watching this video gave me a good laugh