Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[4FordFamily]

I will be setting up a 180G 6ft tank soon. I currently have small 4ft tank with 3 tangs. A mid size yellow, mid size white tail and a 3 inch tomini. They all get along well and have been together for over a year. I recently bought a small PBT and QT'ed it. It's currently in another tank temporarily with 2 clowns and other small fish and getting along well with them. I am still debating whether to add them all in at once or add the PBT last. I know adding the PBT last will cause the other 3 tangs to gang up on it initially.

I can test by adding the PBT into the existing 4ft tank prior to prior to doing the move and see how they treat him

I’d probably add together but adding a PBT to 3 establishes tangs is risky to the PBT in the short term. Since they’re moving to a new tank you may be OK!

 

[mdrobc13]

I will be setting up a 180G 6ft tank soon. I currently have small 4ft tank with 3 tangs. A mid size yellow, mid size white tail and a 3 inch tomini. They all get along well and have been together for over a year. I recently bought a small PBT and QT'ed it. It's currently in another tank temporarily with 2 clowns and other small fish and getting along well with them. I am still debating whether to add them all in at once or add the PBT last. I know adding the PBT last will cause the other 3 tangs to gang up on it initially.

I can test by adding the PBT into the existing 4ft tank prior to prior to doing the move and see how they treat him

PBT should be last to add but depending on the size of the PBT i would consider putting them together in an acclimation box or divider in a QT setup. In any event the PBT should be QT's anyway to ensure its free of ich and well fed and eating to prevent aggression and stress once added also. Since the tomini and yellow and white tail are mostly different tangs than the PBT that will help also. I currently have 6 tangs in my 300gal and all do well togther....1 blue hippo, 1 yellow, 1 purple tang, 1 freckle face, 1 yellow mimic, and a tomini also...with an achilles in QT now.

I did just rehome my Sohal tang however as it went after my purple tang with a vengeance in QT and so had to separate them. Now as my sohal got bigger he got more aggressive so I know that wouldn't work now and rather than mess up my current equilibrium in my tank and tangs I had to let him go back to my LFS and to a new home. Sometimes you have to know the various disposition and temperment of each fish and what sizes you can mix and what you cannot and then also when...they you can make moves and who to put together and when and how that's all. Then even its luck too sometimes.

 

[vetteguy53081]

PBT,,,, the absolute worst tang and sohal and clown tangs are other caution tangs. Powder Blue is the LAST fish you want to add to a tang although it often wont make much of a difference