Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[salty joe]

Maybe because they are not full grown but my lieutenant and purple prefer shellfish to nori. They are also crazy about TDS pellets. I feed a sheet of nori every day first thing while they are hungry and after an hour or so it's gone.
They also graze all day on the algae/rock. IMO, it's good to feed nori every day.

 

[85173]

A month or so later, yesterday. The gem died. I am heartbroken. There is nothing wrong my chemistry, and no illness. Total mystery. I don’t feed much nori because they all look fat and happy

Herbivorous fish are prone to constipation when there is too high a percentage protein in their diet. They swim normally the night before and when you check them in the morning they are dead. They really do need their high percentage greens diet.

 

[salty joe]

Herbivorous fish are prone to constipation when there is too high a percentage protein in their diet. They swim normally the night before and when you check them in the morning they are dead. They really do need their high percentage greens diet.

That's really interesting.

 

[TrottingReef]

2 Days ago I added a Majestic Angel and Queen Angel to my 220g with 5 Tangs, one of them a Powder Blue Tang infamous for their aggression to new tank mates they see as competition. I was concerned about the PBT and how it would act toward the two new Angels. Sure enough it was very aggressive towards them. I had them in acclimation boxes and the PBT was trying to go at them in the boxes. I have used mirrors with very good results in the past. I could not find my 2 hand mirrors that I would affix them to the tank to distract the Tangs. I went to Walmart to get some new ones. I found a 16"x16" mirror for $5.99 and decided to give it a try. It was MUCH bigger than the 5 and 6" mirrors I had before. In the past it would take me 4-7 days to get the PBT to calm down and leave the new additions alone. I put the mirror up on the right side panel and boy did that mirror cause a distraction. Over half the tanks inhabitants spent the next 24 hours glued to the right side of the tank inspecting them selves in the mirror with the PBT trying to kill its reflection. I released the two Angels and they were completely ignored. Today would have been day 3 of having the mirror up. I decided to see how the PBT would react if I took it down and sure enough, the PBT has ignored the two Angels since I took it down. This was the first time with any of the additions since I got the PBT that it ignored the newcomers in less than 4 days. I think the larger mirror was what did the trick.

Link to mirror below, not sure why it says Robot or Human.
Mainstays 16 x 16 Black Mirror: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-16-x-16-Black-Mirror/552929593

 

[Lostoften]

Planning for restocking my RS 625 attempt 2. Unfortunately, lost all the fish due to a disease outbreak. Prior to outbreak, I had a blue hippo, gem tang, purple tang, white tail bristle tooth and a tomini tang. The blue hippo was added first, and was extremely small. All the other tangs were added together couple months after the blue hippo. Reading through these post, it seems I was on borrowed time with the hippo in a 5ft tank. Would the other tangs be likely to succeed in a ~130ish gallon 5’ tank? Or better to stick to 3 tangs.

 

[nick0206]

Hi. I'll share my experience with tangs first, and then ask a question.
My first tank had a Hippo tang and a Yellow tang. I had no idea that tangs could be aggressive. Then I added a blue powder to them and didn't see any aggression.
When I started the second tank, I was told about their aggression at LFS, and was advised to start Blue Powder first because of his tendency to stress and illness as a result.
A couple of months later, Yellow and Sailfin were added. I thought he would kill them, because he immediately attacked them. In the morning, all three swam like friends, but it was clear that they pronounced it as a dominant.
Moving to another city and another tank was a heavy price for me. Apart from sailfin, no one survived (it's a long story).
A Purple tang was added to the new tank. At first, there was some aggression, but it passed quickly enough. Next was Foxface, but he was able to fight off both thangs, so they still don't like him, but they don't bully him too much.

Now the question.
I want to add more surgeons. I have a list of those I like. Yellow and Achilles I am not considering yet because they are expensive. Of what I am considering
Blue Powder
Naso
Sohal
Clown
Should I add two thangs at the same time?
What size?
I don't have QT, so I think it is better to buy them not in LFS.
Thanks

 

[TrottingReef]

Hi. I'll share my experience with tangs first, and then ask a question.
My first tank had a Hippo tang and a Yellow tang. I had no idea that tangs could be aggressive. Then I added a blue powder to them and didn't see any aggression.
When I started the second tank, I was told about their aggression at LFS, and was advised to start Blue Powder first because of his tendency to stress and illness as a result.
A couple of months later, Yellow and Sailfin were added. I thought he would kill them, because he immediately attacked them. In the morning, all three swam like friends, but it was clear that they pronounced it as a dominant.
Moving to another city and another tank was a heavy price for me. Apart from sailfin, no one survived (it's a long story).
A Purple tang was added to the new tank. At first, there was some aggression, but it passed quickly enough. Next was Foxface, but he was able to fight off both thangs, so they still don't like him, but they don't bully him too much.

Now the question.
I want to add more surgeons. I have a list of those I like. Yellow and Achilles I am not considering yet because they are expensive. Of what I am considering
Blue Powder
Naso
Sohal
Clown
Should I add two thangs at the same time?
What size?
I don't have QT, so I think it is better to buy them not in LFS.
Thanks

The LFS had it completely backwards. The PBT should have been the last to add. They are tied in the top three most aggressive tangs. Purples are also in the top 10 aggressive tangs. Naso's tend to be among the most docile of Tangs. For the last year Naso tangs having been having a very poor survival rate for some reason. I would add Naso first and PBT last. I am not sure between the Sohal and Clown. Maybe add them both at the same time. You are better off trying to get them all the same size. I would say start with them young and SMALL. Also since you can't do QT purchase them from a QT fish vendor like Fish Hotel, Dr Reefs and Marine Collectors. They will be much more likely to survive and thrive.

 

[barrybaok]

I had 2 X 1.5" clowns, 1 X 2.5" blue tang, 1 X 3.5" gem tang in my Red Sea 300xl with a 65g display tank
It was a nightmare after adding 2 x 1.5" clowns
1 of the new clown died, 1 of the old female clown died, gem tang was bullying the blue tang and ick occurred and blue tang died soon after. The gem tang, 1 old male clown, and 1 new clown survived after treatment. The gem tang will scare the 2 clowns away during feeding, and it bite the rainbow hammer torch and bothers others during coral feeding. I'm gonna trade/sell it or transfer to the 20g tank after new tank cycle. I love how tangs eat algae on rocks but this gem tang is annoying. Planning on adding 2-3 blue tang or 1 of each blue/gem/yellow tang after

 

[TrottingReef]

Tangs are going to feel extremely cramped in a 65g tank and that leads to very aggressive behavior. Clowns are also very territorial. Even young tangs lash out and attack other fish when they are in tanks too small.

 

[125mph]

I have a 3.5" purple tang that is the boss of the tank... also have a yellow belly blue tang about 3" and he is pretty chill and just runs away from purple tang if chased..

Those tangs are existing in the DT... I just finished QT a 4" whitetail tang and a 3" achilles tang.. Introduced them together to the DT.. To my surprise, the whitetail is trying to be the boss, and chases every fish. Immediately the purple and the whitetail were sparring and both got injured. Fins are separated on the purple and the whitetail has some body gashes.. Now it seems they are laying off each other a bit with the occasional chase.

The achilles is doing best with no blemish on him though he does hold his grown when the purple or whitetail tries to bully him..

I'm hoping tthe whitetail and purple find their spot and stop sparring. However, it seems like the whitetail is so busy trying to defend his favorite rock from any fish that gets near it, he has stopped eating. I give lots of food and every fish eats and the whitetail is holding the rock position rather than eating.. How do I get him to eat or it will happen on its own? He ate fine in QT.

Also I gave the tank nori multiple times but none of the tangs are interested. I tied it to a small rock and the wrasse eat it but the tangs dont care for it. Tried regular nori and tried purple nori. After a while it starts flying around in the water column, the purple gave it a try and then spit it out lol. I know feeding nori suppose to help with the aggression but none of them care for it.

 

[TrottingReef]

What size of tank you putting them all in.

 

[125mph]

What size of tank you putting them all in.

It's a 180G (64x29x22).

Finally got the whitetail to eat.. Threw in a few pinches of Formula Two Pellets and he chased it, ate pellets, and went back to his rock to hold it again lol.

 

[OnePuffMan]

I'm looking to add a Scopas tang with either an Orange Stripe or Blue Eye Spotted Kole Tang. Would this be OK if added at the same time? Would one be better than the other?

 

[LiquidSpace]

@vetteguy53081

Question for you: Would it be better to try and quarantine all four tangs together in a 40 gallon or do two at a time? The plan is blue hippo, black mimic, gem and orange shoulder.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081

Question for you: Would it be better to try and quarantine all four tangs together in a 40 gallon or do two at a time? The plan is blue hippo, black mimic, gem and orange shoulder.

Four in a 40 gallon is pushing it but all together may help with behavior

 

[Digitalfirex]

@vetteguy53081

Question for you: Would it be better to try and quarantine all four tangs together in a 40 gallon or do two at a time? The plan is blue hippo, black mimic, gem and orange shoulder.

I'd say it might depend on the size of the fish... if they are like 3 in fish they might be cool.... if they are like 5-6" you might want to reconsider. Imo. 5-6" fish might be hardier and qt at the same time will reduce over all aggression when adding them to dt at the same time... so it would be worth setting up two tanks at the same time lol.

 

[LiquidSpace]

Thanks guys. I’m thinking no more than about 3” max, or so that’s the plan so long as I can get them at that size.

Maybe I do three in the 40 gallon and one in a 20 long at the same time? Then they all go into a 200 gallon at the same time. Sheesh, these fish.

 

[4FordFamily]

@vetteguy53081

Question for you: Would it be better to try and quarantine all four tangs together in a 40 gallon or do two at a time? The plan is blue hippo, black mimic, gem and orange shoulder.

I would say it depends on the size of the fish and how frequently yoh do water changes. For aggression this might be ideal - in theory.

 

[LiquidSpace]

I would say it depends on the size of the fish and how frequently yoh do water changes. For aggression this might be ideal - in theory.

Okay, so at the time they go in the tank will have the following:
- 4” rabbitfish
- 4” Swallowtail Angelfish x1
- Orchid Dottyback
- Yellow Assessor
- Harptail blenny
- Smith’s blenny
- 2” Lamarcks Angel

6 ft 200 gallon aquarium. If you were doing this would you do all 4 in QT at once or do 2 at a time? I know there’s risks both ways but curious what you’d suggest.

 

[mdrobc13]

I would say it depends on the size of the fish and how frequently yoh do water changes. For aggression this might be ideal - in theory.

I'd probably go for a bigger QT tank. I have a 55 gal which is great size for most fish especially juveniles. So if you do 4 juve tangs as described would be fine in that it gives each fish ability to "see" and get used to the others with some escape space esp if you put in a few PVC pieces to hide in.