Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[MnFish1]

Hi guys, I feel a little silly because this is the third time I have asked here about adding tangs to complete my fish list. Unfortunately in West Australia it has been difficult to order particular fish that were easy to get before the you know what. I have also recently had a velvet outbreak but managed to save 8/11 fish. My current fish have received treatment, then the Hybrid TTM and all seem well but I have 4+ weeks to observe.

My question is in regards to when to add what fish.. the fish I’ll be adding to my (fallowed 8 weeks) reefer XXL750 is as follows..
Purple tang
Hippo tang (New)
Desjardini tang (New)
Majestic angel
Eibli angel (New)
Harlequin tusk
Yellow fox face
Pair of Perc clowns
Pair of Banggai’s

The new fish arrive soon as the LFS has them but do 7 day QT (copper/prazi) but I will follow up with Hybrid TTM, fresh water dip and couple of weeks observation also.

Any advice on how to go about adding these fish?... really the tangs are my only concern

Thanks again guys

Not sure there is magic to the process - I would definitely get your old fish established first. Followed by the new ones. Curious how did you choose 8 weeks for your fallow period - did you raise the temp?

 

[Jase4224]

Not sure there is magic to the process - I would definitely get your old fish established first. Followed by the new ones. Curious how did you choose 8 weeks for your fallow period - did you raise the temp?

Humble fish website recommends 6 weeks fallow for velvet, it’s at the bottom of the article/first question on the thread:

Marine Velvet Disease

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) - Updated 6-9-2023 What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Dips/baths which can provide temporary relief for velvet (in order...

humble.fish

I have raised the temp to 27.5-28 and I added a couple extra weeks to be sure. Also I only have a couple of leather corals so the lights are off, thoroughly cleaned all the detritus out of every crevice in the system, vacuumed the sand, cleaned and re-scaped the rocks.

No magic to the process I guess but there is a lot of discussion in this thread about what to add when so I was thinking there may be better or worse ways?

 

[MnFish1]

Humble fish website recommends 6 weeks fallow for velvet, it’s at the bottom of the article/first question on the thread:

Marine Velvet Disease

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) - Updated 6-9-2023 What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Dips/baths which can provide temporary relief for velvet (in order...

humble.fish

I have raised the temp to 27.5-28 and I added a couple extra weeks to be sure. Also I only have a couple of leather corals so the lights are off, thoroughly cleaned all the detritus out of every crevice in the system, vacuumed the sand, cleaned and re-scaped the rocks.

No magic to the process I guess but there is a lot of discussion in this thread about what to add when so I was thinking there may be better or worse ways?

The reason I asked - is that its sometimes uncommon to be able to save fish especially 8/11 with velvet - so CONGRATS on that. I wondered if you may have had cryptocaryon instead or in conjunction. My only advice would stay the same - add the old fish first - to make sure there is no recurrence. Beyond that - adding all the new fish at the same time is probably the best idea.

 

[Jase4224]

The reason I asked - is that its sometimes uncommon to be able to save fish especially 8/11 with velvet - so CONGRATS on that. I wondered if you may have had cryptocaryon instead or in conjunction. My only advice would stay the same - add the old fish first - to make sure there is no recurrence. Beyond that - adding all the new fish at the same time is probably the best idea.

It’s possible I had both Crypto and Velvet. My two dwarf angels died with no outside/skin abnormalities but they couldn’t swim properly and their gills were inflamed. My tusk and majestic angels were covered in a dust that started with spots and the purple tang and fox face also got the spots on them. Took the day off work, bought meds and equipment and right into treatment.

Ok that makes sense to add old fish first, but might hold back the purple tang and add the tangs together after watching the old fish for a couple of weeks.

 

[Pneumatic_Addict]

Just throwing another, current experience, out here:

My Achilles is a total ******. 3.5”s of straight up butthole.

Relentlessly chased my Conspic when added to my holding tank. Trapped & released a few days later. Everything settled.

Added a few firefish to my DT a month or so ago. Took out two of the three in less than 24hr. Third won’t leave the rock. Ironically, I added them for additional movement/color in the tank.

Just added a regal yesterday. Same result. Gunna spend the day intermittently trying to trap. Tear down rock tomorrow if unsuccessful.

…..remind me why we do this again?

 

[Jase4224]

Just throwing another, current experience, out here:

My Achilles is a total ******. 3.5”s of straight up butthole.

Relentlessly chased my Conspic when added to my holding tank. Trapped & released a few days later. Everything settled.

Added a few firefish to my DT a month or so ago. Took out two of the three in less than 24hr. Third won’t leave the rock. Ironically, I added them for additional movement/color in the tank.

Just added a regal yesterday. Same result. Gunna spend the day intermittently trying to trap. Tear down rock tomorrow if unsuccessful.

…..remind me why we do this again?

I’ve asked myself the same question.

Perhaps it’s better to keep the Achilles somewhere else until you have added all the other fish you want then put him in last.

 

[Pneumatic_Addict]

I’ve asked myself the same question.

Perhaps it’s better to keep the Achilles somewhere else until you have added all the other fish you want then put him in last.

He was supposed to be the last addition. I wasn’t sure what HI ban would do to costs, so I jumped on a small one, figured it would help. No such luck.

Seems to have calmed for now. I just upped feeding. No more fish until the new tank is built and wet….

 

[gentlefish]

@4FordFamily ,
I have an established display Reefer 750 with a 3 inch yellow docile boss Tang and Tomini Tang. Also 2 Pyramids and a Potters.
I have another Red Sea 525 in the basement with a purple Tang and a Flame that were abandoned in a tank break down. It is difficult to judge potential interaction to other fish here.

Lately I was wondering, if I should not try to move those 2 into the existing display. Note, I like things peaceful.
Good idea, or the worst ever? Thanks for your input!

 

[vetteguy53081]

@4FordFamily ,
I have an established display Reefer 750 with a 3 inch yellow docile boss Tang and Tomini Tang. Also 2 Pyramids and a Potters.
I have another Red Sea 525 in the basement with a purple Tang and a Flame that were abandoned in a tank break down. It is difficult to judge potential interaction to other fish here.

Lately I was wondering, if I should not try to move those 2 into the existing display. Note, I like things peaceful.
Good idea, or the worst ever? Thanks for your input!

Introduce under low light and if necessary tape a mirror to tank to divert attention of any aggressors
Have an acclimation box in case needed

 

[workhz]

I’ve had a tomini tang. Maybe 3” along with two clowns that are maybe 2”. Introduced around the same time a year ago. Over the last month the tang has been picking on both of them, out of the blue it seems. Nothing has changed. No new fish introduced in a year, no change in rockscape. It’s like a switch flipped.

Poor clowns just hang out in about 1/8th of the 90g tank.

 

[DavidRZ]

I have a 140 gallon 6" tank. I just added a tomini and powder brown tang three days ago. I was planning to add a yellow tang tomorrow. The yellow would be a tad larger then the powder brown, which is a tad larger then the tomini.

Has the powder brown been in the tank long enough to establish it as his territory? Would it be a good idea to add the yellow as soon as I could or should I take out the powder brown and add both of them together?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a 140 gallon 6" tank. I just added a tomini and powder brown tang three days ago. I was planning to add a yellow tang tomorrow. The yellow would be a tad larger then the powder brown, which is a tad larger then the tomini.

Has the powder brown been in the tank long enough to establish it as his territory? Would it be a good idea to add the yellow as soon as I could or should I take out the powder brown and add both of them together?

Powder brown will be a likely issue/bully
Remove or separate him for sure.

 

[DavidRZ]

Powder brown will be a likely issue/bully
Remove or separate him for sure.

No doubt the brown is my concern. Was hoping he hasn't had enough time to claim the tank. Had a great opportunity to pick up this yellow and concerned they won't play nice together. I'll have some mirrors ready and hope for the best.

 

[vetteguy53081]

He

No doubt the brown is my concern. Was hoping he hasn't had enough time to claim the tank. Had a great opportunity to pick up this yellow and concerned they won't play nice together. I'll have some mirrors ready and hope for the best.

will do the tail welcome
In addition to acclimation box… you can tape mirror up against tank to divert its attention and also lower lights to put it into hiding

 

[jduong916]

I have a group of tangs fairly large. I added a sohal about the size of my largest powder blue. The sohal would pester the the shoulder tang very mildly, but nothing serious. After about three months i did a three day black out and almost all of the algae on the rock and ground disappeared. As soon as i turned on the lights the sohal tried to murder the shoulder tang, and has already blinded one of the shoulders eye. He also started to chase my parrot fish, but the parrot fish is too fast for him to hurt. So anyways i took the sohal out and im wondering it i should try to add him back to the tank after a month. The rocks and floor have more algae now.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a group of tangs fairly large. I added a sohal about the size of my largest powder blue. The sohal would pester the the shoulder tang very mildly, but nothing serious. After about three months i did a three day black out and almost all of the algae on the rock and ground disappeared. As soon as i turned on the lights the sohal tried to murder the shoulder tang, and has already blinded one of the shoulders eye. He also started to chase my parrot fish, but the parrot fish is too fast for him to hurt. So anyways i took the sohal out and im wondering it i should try to add him back to the tank after a month. The rocks and floor have more algae now.

Having 19 tangs, part of your issue is the type of tangs. The very nastiest is sohol, followed by clown tang, then powder blue and then purple
Sohal is the tang from He*L
You can try the trick of placing mirror against tank to confuse sohol with another sohol but may not work
A tank divider using egg crate may be more successful

 

[i cant think]

Having 19 tangs, part of your issue is the type of tangs. The very nastiest is sohol, followed by clown tang, then powder blue and then purple
Sohal is the tang from He*L
You can try the trick of placing mirror against tank to confuse sohol with another sohol but may not work
A tank divider using egg crate may be more successful

+1 to this, when I was working in an LFS we ended up only getting Sohals when people wanted them (Same thing with the Six Line Wrasse). They were truly from the deepest parts of He-l. Never have I met a tang worse than it, even matas and the larger acanthurus tangs were more peaceful.

 

[vetteguy53081]

+1 to this, when I was working in an LFS we ended up only getting Sohals when people wanted them (Same thing with the Six Line Wrasse). They were truly from the deepest parts of He-l. Never have I met a tang worse than it, even matas and the larger acanthurus tangs were more peaceful.

Its hard to express just how bad these tangs truly are. I had two. First one , I thought was just a jerk. Tried a smaller one to realize how evil these things are regardless of size

 

[jduong916]

Its hard to express just how bad these tangs truly are. I had two. First one , I thought was just a jerk. Tried a smaller one to realize how evil these things are regardless of size

So i shouldnt try to reintroduce the aohal back to the DT?

 

[jduong916]

Having 19 tangs, part of your issue is the type of tangs. The very nastiest is sohol, followed by clown tang, then powder blue and then purple
Sohal is the tang from He*L
You can try the trick of placing mirror against tank to confuse sohol with another sohol but may not work
A tank divider using egg crate may be more successful

Before i yanked the sohal i put a mirror up and he was the only one not going after his last reflection lol. Just kept attacking the shoulder