Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[Squidward]

Yeah, they are rare enough that I don't think people how much of a terror the achilies can be. He is easily half the size of the new fowleri.

I'll grab beer and you bring your nets over and we can catch him :)

Sorry for your loss and the terror your Fowleri is going through. My first tang in my 300g was a Fowleri. Added the Powder Blue and Achilles last. They were like half the size of the Fowleri and now they're almost the same size and they both bully the Fowleri here and there. But nothing serious. Eventually the Fowleri will outgrow them two and things should be better.

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Is it common for a 2nd tang to be introduced and then the 1st tang go on a rampage killing everyone else?

I got a small yellow tang about a month and a half ago, he's growing fast, about 3.5 inches now. A few days ago, I added a tiny sailfin, about 1 inch in size. The yellow and sailfin seem to be best buddies, swimming around the tank side by side, but the yellow has started attacking other fish now. A 5 inch fairy wrasse and a 3 inch anthias. I think the anthias now has a spinal injury, and the wrasse has gone into hiding. Other than the yellow tang, the wrasse and the anthias were the strongest and the weakest fish in the tank in my opinion. Is it strategic or coincidence?

 

[4FordFamily]

Is it common for a 2nd tang to be introduced and then the 1st tang go on a rampage killing everyone else?

I got a small yellow tang about a month and a half ago, he's growing fast, about 3.5 inches now. A few days ago, I added a tiny sailfin, about 1 inch in size. The yellow and sailfin seem to be best buddies, swimming around the tank side by side, but the yellow has started attacking other fish now. A 5 inch fairy wrasse and a 3 inch anthias. I think the anthias now has a spinal injury, and the wrasse has gone into hiding. Other than the yellow tang, the wrasse and the anthias were the strongest and the weakest fish in the tank in my opinion. Is it strategic or coincidence?

This is not common, no. This would not be strategic, perhaps another tang caused it to become more territorial but it's intimidated enough from the new arrival that it focuses energy on other tankmates but this is pretty uncommon.

If the fish were otherwise weak or "not thriving", fish are very much opportunists. They relentlessly attack the weak. It makes biological sense -- kick them when they're down so the predators eat them, instead of you. Less competition for resources. Fish will badger and kill a fish showing weakness-- even fish that are typically model citizens will join in at times.

 

[Wen]

I purchased a juvenile Caribbean blue off DD out of sympathy and need your advice on whether to keep it or move it along.

I have 2 tanks going now (150 dt and 30 observation) and a 280 coming in March. 150 is leaving.

What’s your opinion on housing together:
Whitetail bristletooth 4”
Caribbean blue 3”
Convict tang trio? or 1? (On purchase list)
Bellus 4”
Copper band 4”

(Clowns, bundoon blennys, flame hawk, chalk basslet)

New set up is 280 gal peninsula 64” x 30” x 34” height, 3 rock islands for fish to easily circle.

Thank you.

 

[4FordFamily]

I purchased a juvenile Caribbean blue off DD out of sympathy and need your advice on whether to keep it or move it along.

I have 2 tanks going now (150 dt and 30 observation) and a 280 coming in March. 150 is leaving.

What’s your opinion on housing together:
Whitetail bristletooth 4”
Caribbean blue 3”
Convict tang trio? or 1? (On purchase list)
Bellus 4”
Copper band 4”

(Clowns, bundoon blennys, flame hawk, chalk basslet)

New set up is 280 gal peninsula 64” x 30” x 34” height, 3 rock islands for fish to easily circle.

Thank you.

It can be done, my only concern is Caribbean blue are fast growers, get quite large very quickly, and can be pretty aggressive. I still think you’ll be OK but it may not tolerate convict tangs, so if you have an issue that would be it.

 

[Bruce17]

I currently have 2 yellow tangs, blue hippo, and naso along with a MI and FF. I wanted to add a purple tang or white cheek. Is it doable?

What size is your tank?

 

[Katrina71]

You guys have experience with tangs. We are upgrading to a 93 cube. Is there a Tang that would be compatible with a tailspot and small gobies? Always had a peaceful tank. We'd like to keep it that way.

 

[4FordFamily]

I personally wouldn’t keep a tang in a 93 cube but a juvenile flame fin might be OK for a very short time if you planned to upgrade later. Tail spot don’t generally tangle with tangs :)

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Scopas tang is also pretty small and chill

 

[litenyaup]

Great info thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[OrionN]

Scopas tang is also pretty small and chill

Scopas Tang is one of the larger Zebrasoma. Larger than Yellow or Purple.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

While this is true, they are also some of the slowest growing tangs.

 

[Baldguy]

I have a long established yellow and am considering adding a convict tang. This is in a 120 gallon tank. I would use an acclimation box. What are the chances of this working? Get a small convict?

 

[mcbdz]

Just need some thoughts and advice. I have a 240gal DT.
Stock already in tank: @ clowns, 1 royal gramma, 1 bi-color blenny, 1 redline wrasse, 1 rubyheaded wrasse, 3 green chromis, 1 7" foxface, 1 2 1/2" Naso tang, 1 2" yellow tang and 1- 1 1/2 sailfin tang.
I have 1- 3" yellow eyed kole tang and 1- 4-5" banner butterfly in a qt and 1- 1 1/2" hippo in another. next week they are done with qt and plan to add all the 3 at one time. At first had the 3 qt fish together but there was a lot of aggression between the kole and butterfly fish. the hippo stayed hidden. I had to put a divider in the tank and moved the hippo to it's own tank to make sure it ate well and got use to me. after a week the kole and butterfly worked out their differences. The little hippo has been eating like a pig and comes right up to the glass when I feed.
Does my plan soud ok to add them all at once to the large tank. No big issues with aggression in there. the foxface is the boss at the moment and only bumps the tangs when they get in his path. No one is activily bulleying anyone except between the clowns. it has been almost 2 months since I added the 3 tangs to the DT.
My main concern it my hippo since it is so small. but not planning on adding anymore so feel I need to add with this batch as a group.

 

[joey123]

@4FordFamily

Great thread! I used your tactic of the zebrasoma trio and it worked great. Bit of chasing the first few days but they're all good now. Loving the tank. Currently have 6 tangs(in order of newest to oldest): purple, yellow, desjardinii, yellow eye kole, tomini, and naso. Other fish to consider that occasionally get wrapped up in tang business--foxface, lamarck angel. Naso is biggest, and gentlest, tomini is smallest but seems to be the one stirring things up if something is going on.

I was hoping to add a few more fish and was wondering your thoughts. Do you think the trio approach would work with athancurus as well? I would really like to add an A. Japonicus, a clown tang(still not sure if a good idea...thoughts?), and possibly a PBT. I'm also hoping to throw in a blue jaw trigger to round out the gang. What are your thoughts on that? All would be QT'd and treated, but do you think that stock would be doable? I'm thinking I'd have to do another all-at-once introduction. With that many tangs, do you think the clown will be alright being introduced so late? I could also see just doing two Acanthurus and the bluejaw, perhaps?

Thanks a ton!

 

[4FordFamily]

I have a long established yellow and am considering adding a convict tang. This is in a 120 gallon tank. I would use an acclimation box. What are the chances of this working? Get a small convict?

Adding a single tang to an existing tang is perhaps worst-case scenario. The yellow is likely to be VERY territorial. It could work, but it might not. In a 120 I don't know that adding other tangs with it is advised. They're different enough it MAY work but I could see the yellow really not accepting his new tankmate. Zebrasoma tangs (such as yellow) often are really nasty for 2-7 days and then let up... but with only two tangs and one new tang being his primary focus a lot of damage can be done and that period may be longer. Too many factors to be sure, but that's not a low risk proposition. "Sumping" the yellow when you add the convict may help, as might an acclimation box as you said.

Just need some thoughts and advice. I have a 240gal DT.
Stock already in tank: @ clowns, 1 royal gramma, 1 bi-color blenny, 1 redline wrasse, 1 rubyheaded wrasse, 3 green chromis, 1 7" foxface, 1 2 1/2" Naso tang, 1 2" yellow tang and 1- 1 1/2 sailfin tang.
I have 1- 3" yellow eyed kole tang and 1- 4-5" banner butterfly in a qt and 1- 1 1/2" hippo in another. next week they are done with qt and plan to add all the 3 at one time. At first had the 3 qt fish together but there was a lot of aggression between the kole and butterfly fish. the hippo stayed hidden. I had to put a divider in the tank and moved the hippo to it's own tank to make sure it ate well and got use to me. after a week the kole and butterfly worked out their differences. The little hippo has been eating like a pig and comes right up to the glass when I feed.
Does my plan soud ok to add them all at once to the large tank. No big issues with aggression in there. the foxface is the boss at the moment and only bumps the tangs when they get in his path. No one is activily bulleying anyone except between the clowns. it has been almost 2 months since I added the 3 tangs to the DT.
My main concern it my hippo since it is so small. but not planning on adding anymore so feel I need to add with this batch as a group.

I think it'll work well as a group. Tiny hippo are very good at hiding and for some reason seem immune to bullying in addition by other tangs. It seems no one goes after them in most cases, not sure why.

Hey im thinking of adding some new fish. I have a 9 inch panther grouper. What is a good fish that he wont eat? Hes also with an adult yellow tang and an 11" orange spot rabbitfish.

Anything that won't fit in his mouth-- panther aren't very aggressive but things that don't look they'll fit in his mouth, will.

@4FordFamily

Great thread! I used your tactic of the zebrasoma trio and it worked great. Bit of chasing the first few days but they're all good now. Loving the tank. Currently have 6 tangs(in order of newest to oldest): purple, yellow, desjardinii, yellow eye kole, tomini, and naso. Other fish to consider that occasionally get wrapped up in tang business--foxface, lamarck angel. Naso is biggest, and gentlest, tomini is smallest but seems to be the one stirring things up if something is going on.

I was hoping to add a few more fish and was wondering your thoughts. Do you think the trio approach would work with athancurus as well? I would really like to add an A. Japonicus, a clown tang(still not sure if a good idea...thoughts?), and possibly a PBT. I'm also hoping to throw in a blue jaw trigger to round out the gang. What are your thoughts on that? All would be QT'd and treated, but do you think that stock would be doable? I'm thinking I'd have to do another all-at-once introduction. With that many tangs, do you think the clown will be alright being introduced so late? I could also see just doing two Acanthurus and the bluejaw, perhaps?

Thanks a ton!

I am glad it helped! Thanks for the kind words.

As long as you have the real estate for all of those fish (IMO an 8 foot tank) I think it could work. Adding trios of acanthurus works better than 2, and 4 works better than 3. It's not AS effective, but it can still be quite effective depending on species. Clown and powder blue are both very aggressive but different enough in shape I've mixed them successfully before.

I'd select smaller clown tang, and a powder blue just slightly larger, and make sure the Naso (I assume "tank boss") is considerably larger than they are. They act as nice referees when they can intimidate by size, as Naso are quite passive in nature -- typically.

 

[mfollen]

How would a small clown tang do being introduced to an existing 200 gallon system with three established zebrasoma 3-4”?

I know clowns can be terrors, but in this scenario is it not a bad idea? Or is it best to stay away from clowns?

 

[4FordFamily]

How would a small clown tang do being introduced to an existing 200 gallon system with three established zebrasoma 3-4”?

I know clowns can be terrors, but in this scenario is it not a bad idea? Or is it best to stay away from clowns?

They grow so large and somewhat quickly, aggression seemingly exponentially growing as they grow inch by inch. A small one might be OK for a while but the incumbent tangs will have only one target which is a risk for the new tang.

 

[mfollen]

Thank you

 

[joey123]

I am glad it helped! Thanks for the kind words.

As long as you have the real estate for all of those fish (IMO an 8 foot tank) I think it could work. Adding trios of acanthurus works better than 2, and 4 works better than 3. It's not AS effective, but it can still be quite effective depending on species. Clown and powder blue are both very aggressive but different enough in shape I've mixed them successfully before.

I'd select smaller clown tang, and a powder blue just slightly larger, and make sure the Naso (I assume "tank boss") is considerably larger than they are. They act as nice referees when they can intimidate by size, as Naso are quite passive in nature -- typically.

So what would you think then? Let's say I keep the powder brown (japonicus) and trigger. Do you think I'd be best off adding other acanthurus with those two? Maybe just a powder brown and powder blue, or powder brown and clown? Sounds like the PBT and clown combo may concern you?

Also, FYI--its a 220 gallon which is set up with a lot of swimming room. So, only 6 foot, if that substantially affects your opinion.

Thanks again for your time and help!