Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[4FordFamily]

I have a sailfin that has been in my tank for about 4 months and would like to get an Achilles. Will the Achilles trend to be more aggressive than the sailfin?

Yes. What size tank? What other fish?

 

[Glott3133]

Yes. What size tank? What other fish?

I have the sailfin tang
Blue throat trigger
Blue devil damsel
Mated maroon clowns
Watchman goby

In a 125 gallon tank.

 

[4FordFamily]

I have the sailfin tang
Blue throat trigger
Blue devil damsel
Mated maroon clowns
Watchman goby

In a 125 gallon tank.

I wouldn’t recommend a sailfin nor Achilles in less than 180 gallons, personally. I think you’ll have trouble, and without the ability to add more tangs concurrently (limited real estate) I’d suggest perhaps a bristletooth genus tang added with a fox face of some sort or perhaps two more zebrasoma tangs.

 

[Glott3133]

The difference between a 125 gallon and a 180 gallon tank is the tank depth, right? How will that benefit me more with my sailfin?

 

[4FordFamily]

The difference between a 125 gallon and a 180 gallon tank is the tank depth, right? How will that benefit me more with my sailfin?

Fish like the long swimming but the depth adds more overall space to swim, pretty dramatically. I’ve had both. It also adds water to dilute the nutrients (poop) more.

Tangs do prefer longer swimming mentioned but even more than that they just love space to swim.

 

[Glott3133]

Good to know. Thanks for the explanation. If I were to upgrade, could I add an achilles to the tank with the sailfin? The sailfin is pretty territorial.

 

[4FordFamily]

Good to know. Thanks for the explanation. If I were to upgrade, could I add an achilles to the tank with the sailfin? The sailfin is pretty territorial.

As a stand-alone addition, it’s risky. A sole tang is used to defending his territory successfully against other similarly shaped herbivores. This is why adding 2-3 at a time can spread aggression.

Sailfin usually don’t “hold grudges” for more than a few day, but a lot of damage can be done by then to what is a very sensitive fish.

If you haven’t quarantined your existing fish, don’t worry about ever adding an Achilles because it will definitely die and give the parasites an east host that they can proliferate and risks all of your existing resistant fish as well.

 

[jaxteller007]

Our little Lt Dan is growing so fast! lol. He was the size of the Coral Beauty a month ago.

 

[jaxteller007]

Also the 2 yellow tangs seem to have figured things out now. It helps that the smaller one has caught up to the larger one size wise. We don't even seen them fight anymore. Every now and then they will chase each other for a second if one tries to go in a hiding spot the other is already in but that's it.
I wonder if initially having 3 yellow's and the smallest one (who got beat up pretty bad in QT) dying early on made a difference in the two we have now getting along? Maybe that combined with them QTing together plus having more decent sized, active fish in the tank now?
Thanks for all the tips and help @4FordFamily

 

[jaxteller007]

As a stand-alone addition, it’s risky. A sole tang is used to defending his territory successfully against other similarly shaped herbivores. This is why adding 2-3 at a time can spread aggression.

Sailfin usually don’t “hold grudges” for more than a few day, but a lot of damage can be done by then to what is a very sensitive fish.

If you haven’t quarantined your existing fish, don’t worry about ever adding an Achilles because it will definitely die and give the parasites an east host that they can proliferate and risks all of your existing resistant fish as well.

Our sailfin just turned into such a bully, I'm glad we wound up re-homing him. He actually killed another tang in his temp home before being moved to an 800 gallon tank. I wonder if it was because when we had him, we really only had him and the foxface without any other large, active fish. Maybe he just got in his head early on that he was the boss...

 

[jaxteller007]

Trying to figure out what to go with next in our tank. I still love, LOVE PBTs and we are "owed" one but I really hesitate because of their reputation of being able to hold grudges. Right now everyone is getting along well and we just added a CBB who I absolutely do not want to stress. Might have to hold off on any more Tangs and do some smaller, peaceful schooling fish.

 

[4FordFamily]

Trying to figure out what to go with next in our tank. I still love, LOVE PBTs and we are "owed" one but I really hesitate because of their reputation of being able to hold grudges. Right now everyone is getting along well and we just added a CBB who I absolutely do not want to stress. Might have to hold off on any more Tangs and do some smaller, peaceful schooling fish.

I too love PBT, but gosh they can be a bear... they often don't work out well with CBB due to their aggressive nature and the tendency of CBB to "stop feeding" in response to bullying, competition for food, or stress. But SOME have done it successfully, of course.

 

[jaxteller007]

I too love PBT, but gosh they can be a bear... they often don't work out well with CBB due to their aggressive nature and the tendency of CBB to "stop feeding" in response to bullying, competition for food, or stress. But SOME have done it successfully, of course.

Yea thats what I'm mostly worried about. Maybe down the road if we go even bigger. I like the CBB and it serves a great function. PBT while pretty, isn't thatttt much prettier than our Lt Tang who seems to be getting along great with everyone for now.

 

[jaxteller007]

@4FordFamily I just got offered a small (3-4") Vlamingi Tang that's been QTd and is eating at a crazy deal. Unfortunately I know that guy would outgrow our 180 in 2 years at best most likely. Gonna have to pass on it, but man I want one if we ever upgrade again. A good friend of mine has had a couple that when we've went over their house, the Vlamingi's were dang near like dogs, they would swim to the top of the water level and let you "pet" them lol.
Also offered me a flame/tomini.. that might be worth considering. They stay pretty small and are some of the more peaceful tangs right?

 

[4FordFamily]

@4FordFamily I just got offered a small (3-4") Vlamingi Tang that's been QTd and is eating at a crazy deal. Unfortunately I know that guy would outgrow our 180 in 2 years at best most likely. Gonna have to pass on it, but man I want one if we ever upgrade again. A good friend of mine has had a couple that when we've went over their house, the Vlamingi's were dang near like dogs, they would swim to the top of the water level and let you "pet" them lol.
Also offered me a flame/tomini.. that might be worth considering. They stay pretty small and are some of the more peaceful tangs right?

Tomini are more peaceful. Vlamingi to me, are SUCH highly filthy fish and relatively drab that my shallow approach to reef keeping has kept them out of even my very large systems. I DO admit they have neat personalities - of course, MANY disagree with me.

 

[jaxteller007]

Tomini are more peaceful. Vlamingi to me, are SUCH highly filthy fish and relatively drab that my shallow approach to reef keeping has kept them out of even my very large systems. I DO admit they have neat personalities - of course, MANY disagree with me.

Yea aside from their size, the amount of waste they produce is keeping us from it. Of course it's possible the wife vetoes me haha.

Now if I had a like 15 foot long, thousands of gallons tank, that would be different.

 

[foxxkb]

I have a yellow, purple, blue, and a kole tang. In a 180 gal, 72x24x25. Thinking of adding 2 more zebrasomas at the same time. Would that work? Or any other tang suggestions? The other fish in there are: 3 flasher wrasses, 3 fairy wrasses, Yellow coris wrass, pair of clowns, watchman goby, clown goby, a yellow head jawfish and a lawnmower blenny. Am I at capacity? Thanks

 

[jaxteller007]

Tomini are more peaceful. Vlamingi to me, are SUCH highly filthy fish and relatively drab that my shallow approach to reef keeping has kept them out of even my very large systems. I DO admit they have neat personalities - of course, MANY disagree with me.

The wife came home with the Flame and Vlamingi lol. Waste wise, I'm not too worried. We really have our skimmer and media reactor dialed in right now and the skimmer is rated at like 300 gallons heavy bio load (reef octo elite 220s). Also just added a 40 watt AquaUV.
Size wise, well that means when we buy a house next year I can plan for my upgrade cause no way shes gonna wanna get rid of the guy by then lol.
So far everyone is getting along. The Lt is trying to boss the others around but I imagine that will change when the Vlamingi outgrows him lol.
I'm really surprised at how well the 2 yellows are getting along now (knocks on wood).

 

[4FordFamily]

I have a yellow, purple, blue, and a kole tang. In a 180 gal, 72x24x25. Thinking of adding 2 more zebrasomas at the same time. Would that work? Or any other tang suggestions? The other fish in there are: 3 flasher wrasses, 3 fairy wrasses, Yellow coris wrass, pair of clowns, watchman goby, clown goby, a yellow head jawfish and a lawnmower blenny. Am I at capacity? Thanks

You are pushing it with bioload though I always push it as well. It could work, it’s always difficult to know. Purple and Kole can be particularly territorial. Add just before the lights turn off at night (10 minutes) And after a feeding (30 min or so) so they recognize the new fish in the AM and everyone has rested up.

 

[jaxteller007]

You are pushing it with bioload though I always push it as well. It could work, it’s always difficult to know. Purple and Kole can be particularly territorial. Add just before the lights turn off at night (10 minutes) And after a feeding (30 min or so) so they recognize the new fish in the AM and everyone has rested up.

@foxxkb we followed 4ford's advice on all the tangs we added and it has worked out great.