Spastic Tang

[SaltEpidemic]

So I raised a wild caught atlantic blue from about the size of an inch, he was joined with a biota yellow tang who was about an inch and half. Basically I was growing them out to join some other fish from a smaller tank to all eventually be placed in a larger tank at the same time. They both grew fairly fast, but the Atlantic blue grew quicker and eventually over took the yellow. Anyway, I'd noticed the yellow was starting to get bullied during feeding, and eventually stopped eating. The Atlantic became very spastic around this time, super healthy and aware, so I decided not to hold off any longer and upgraded my tank.

Upon adding my fish to the new tank, having used 120lbs of Marco rock that I had been cooking for 9 months, clowns went in, gobies, wrasses, and then my tangs. I added 4 tangs in total, yellow, sail, purple, and the Atlantic blue which was the largest, but I would say all are still fairly small, so between 3 and 4 inches roughly.

The Atlantic remained spastic, not really showing dominance per say, but more swimming around frantically and claiming his spot in the scape. He would bother every fish in the tank, like just super hyper, while all the other fish are very calm and swim together peacefully.

I had to eventuality remove him, almost lost a clown and my yellow was showing signs of illness, I presume bacterial issues from stress. It's been a week now, the tank stock fish have healed back up after a few days looking really bad, and of course after I treated the water mildly, and dipped the clown when he was kicking the bucket at the top of the water column.

So my question is how I should go about dealing with this atlantic blue? He's in a hold tank, my previous 50 gallon, he's super healthy and has tons of personality. My initial thoughts are to maybe try adding him again with a larger tang that can give him a pop when needed lol

And with that all said, and to be completely honestly, I've watched the remaining tangs, all get along, same specie, very mellow and peaceful as they go about their buisness. Like, they're healthy, but when I compare their movement and just energy, it's unmatched to this atlantic blue, meaning he just seems to be so much healthier its almost hard to explain what I mean here. Like is this normal?

 

[littlefoxx]

My purple is this way, shes super active and spazzy and loves to constantly dive bomb/shoulder check other fish all day long. Thats just her. Shes boss tang and knows it. Maybe stock your fish then add the atlantic last and see what he does. Might just be a PITA tang. Rehomed a beautiful powder blue for this reason. Horrible to new fish then started beating on my fish added before her.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

So I raised a wild caught atlantic blue from about the size of an inch, he was joined with a biota yellow tang who was about an inch and half. Basically I was growing them out to join some other fish from a smaller tank to all eventually be placed in a larger tank at the same time. They both grew fairly fast, but the Atlantic blue grew quicker and eventually over took the yellow. Anyway, I'd noticed the yellow was starting to get bullied during feeding, and eventually stopped eating. The Atlantic became very spastic around this time, super healthy and aware, so I decided not to hold off any longer and upgraded my tank.

Upon adding my fish to the new tank, having used 120lbs of Marco rock that I had been cooking for 9 months, clowns went in, gobies, wrasses, and then my tangs. I added 4 tangs in total, yellow, sail, purple, and the Atlantic blue which was the largest, but I would say all are still fairly small, so between 3 and 4 inches roughly.

The Atlantic remained spastic, not really showing dominance per say, but more swimming around frantically and claiming his spot in the scape. He would bother every fish in the tank, like just super hyper, while all the other fish are very calm and swim together peacefully.

I had to eventuality remove him, almost lost a clown and my yellow was showing signs of illness, I presume bacterial issues from stress. It's been a week now, the tank stock fish have healed back up after a few days looking really bad, and of course after I treated the water mildly, and dipped the clown when he was kicking the bucket at the top of the water column.

So my question is how I should go about dealing with this atlantic blue? He's in a hold tank, my previous 50 gallon, he's super healthy and has tons of personality. My initial thoughts are to maybe try adding him again with a larger tang that can give him a pop when needed lol

And with that all said, and to be completely honestly, I've watched the remaining tangs, all get along, same specie, very mellow and peaceful as they go about their buisness. Like, they're healthy, but when I compare their movement and just energy, it's unmatched to this atlantic blue, meaning he just seems to be so much healthier its almost hard to explain what I mean here. Like is this normal?

Despite their similar appearance to yellow tangs, Atlantic blues are actually an Acanthurus, not Zebrasoma, and thus tend to grow much more aggressive than all but the meanest of the latter genus. However, every fish is an individual, and it's entirely possible you have a really nasty one on your hands.

As you said, it's possible adding a third larger tang may help, just by the process of diluting the aggression amongst multiple tangs instead, but it's possible they both take turns beating on the yellow; it's hard to say how anything in this realm will go down.

 

[SaltEpidemic]

Despite their similar appearance to yellow tangs, Atlantic blues are actually an Acanthurus, not Zebrasoma, and thus tend to grow much more aggressive than all but the meanest of the latter genus. However, every fish is an individual, and it's entirely possible you have a really nasty one on your hands.

As you said, it's possible adding a third larger tang may help, just by the process of diluting the aggression amongst multiple tangs instead, but it's possible they both take turns beating on the yellow; it's hard to say how anything in this realm will go down.

Yeah I have 3 in there now if the same, the yellow, sail, and purple. They're buddies, but the smallest purple was a little pokey at first but after a day everything was worked out.

My thoughts are to add maybe a Naso, slightly larger, something big enough to smack him if needed, but also fairly mild himself to place nice. I never saw the blue really our right beating another fish, just the mild face off and joust. I think it was him doing it continually for like a week, while the others went on with their life, that eventually started to stress the other fish. Pita.

And the wife won't be happy if I get rid of him, he's full of spunk lol Crazy personality, very aware of us when we speak to him, looks right at you type of fish. We're new to the hobby and have raised him since he was clear, so we're trying to find another way around just getting rid of him lol But I understand that might be a possibility, or to just key him in his own tank.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Yeah I have 3 in there now if the same, the yellow, sail, and purple. They're buddies, but the smallest purple was a little pokey at first but after a day everything was worked out.

My thoughts are to add maybe a Naso, slightly larger, something big enough to smack him if needed, but also fairly mild himself to place nice. I never saw the blue really our right beating another fish, just the mild face off and joust. I think it was him doing it continually for like a week, while the others went on with their life, that eventually started to stress the other fish. Pita.

And the wife won't be happy if I get rid of him, he's full of spunk lol Crazy personality, very aware of us when we speak to him, looks right at you type of fish. We're new to the hobby and have raised him since he was clear, so we're trying to find another way around just getting rid of him lol But I understand that might be a possibility, or to just key him in his own tank.

Just because you don't see the aggression, doesn't mean it isn't happening. Fish act very differently when the great food giver is standing around. I often tell people to turn off the lights in the room, sit a few feet back from the tank, and don't move for a good 10-20 minutes to see what fish are normally doing when you're not in the room.

 

[littlefoxx]

Just because you don't see the aggression, doesn't mean it isn't happening. Fish act very differently when the great food giver is standing around. I often tell people to turn off the lights in the room, sit a few feet back from the tank, and don't move for a good 10-20 minutes to see what fish are normally doing when you're not in the room.

Agree! Ive gone this with my tangs to see whet they do and discovered regal angel is actually more of a bully than the tangs are! They get along but she can be a turd to my french angel for no reason!!! Lol. But he also loves to invade her cave so he probably starts it

 

[jda]

Atlantic Blue are somewhat high energy. They really need stacked up rock where they can totally get away and hide completely out of sight - no caves and arches and junk that humans like.

Since they are growing well, I imagine that you are feeding them well, but the food needs to increase as they grow. Well fed tangs are much less aggressive.