Tang Help

Seascapes · Oct 24, 2024

I purchased some tangs on line and I received them they are tiny. How do I put them in my existing setup with 4 tangs, purple, orange striped, chocolate and golden rim. They are 4 inches or larger. The tangs I want to add are: half black, convict, and tomi. I'm afraid my existing tangs will tear them apart. I thought my new tangs would be larger. They are the size a little larger than a silver dollar. Right now the small tangs are in a 20gallon quarantine tank. I contacted one lfs and he stated he did not need any more tangs to do a trade. Right now i have a mirror on the tank because i got a copper band. Hes picking at the rocks, this is his second day. The existing tangs nip at him but they are starting to leave the Copperband alone after they fight with themselves in the mirror. Contact another lfs? This is frustrating.

fishguy242 · Oct 24, 2024

acclimation box ?

Tamberav · Oct 24, 2024

Large acclimation box (can make your own out of egg crate) or divide the tank in half with egg crate trapping the tangs to one side and copperband probably on the other side where you add the tiny guys. The tiny guys will need to eat OFTEN at this size to not starve.

LPS Bum · Oct 24, 2024

If you can remove the current Tangs for a few weeks while you give the new ones a chance to settle in, that would be ideal.

Failing that, build a large acclimation box out of egg crate and zip ties. Keep the new Tangs in there for at least 2 weeks and leave the open box in the aquarium after you release them (so the new Tangs can run back in if they are harassed).

The mirror trick and rearranging the rock work can help too. Lots of nori daily as well.

Seascapes · Oct 24, 2024

Tamberav said:
Large acclimation box (can make your own out of egg crate) or divide the tank in half with egg crate trapping the tangs to one side and copperband probably on the other side where you add the tiny guys. The tiny guys will need to eat OFTEN at this size to not starve.

Thank you for the info. I'm going to trade them at a lfs. The tangs so far picking on the butterfly less and less. The new flasher wrasse has been hiding but still alive. Again thank you!

Seascapes · Oct 24, 2024

LPS Bum said:
If you can remove the current Tangs for a few weeks while you give the new ones a chance to settle in, that would be ideal.

Failing that, build a large acclimation box out of egg crate and zip ties. Keep the new Tangs in there for at least 2 weeks and leave the open box in the aquarium after you release them (so the new Tangs can run back in if they are harassed).

The mirror trick and rearranging the rock work can help too. Lots of nori daily as well.

Thank you but the rocks have coral on them and coral and the rocks cannot be changed around. I got a lfs to take the babies. I may try again with larger Tangs. But after this I'm thinking twice.

Seascapes · Oct 24, 2024

LPS Bum said:
If you can remove the current Tangs for a few weeks while you give the new ones a chance to settle in, that would be ideal.

Failing that, build a large acclimation box out of egg crate and zip ties. Keep the new Tangs in there for at least 2 weeks and leave the open box in the aquarium after you release them (so the new Tangs can run back in if they are harassed).

The mirror trick and rearranging the rock work can help too. Lots of nori daily as well.

Thank you, I'll try this next time. So done with this. Taking the babies to a lfs for trade

Seascapes · Oct 25, 2024

LPS Bum said:
If you can remove the current Tangs for a few weeks while you give the new ones a chance to settle in, that would be ideal.

Failing that, build a large acclimation box out of egg crate and zip ties. Keep the new Tangs in there for at least 2 weeks and leave the open box in the aquarium after you release them (so the new Tangs can run back in if they are harassed).

The mirror trick and rearranging the rock work can help too. Lots of nori daily as well.

Getting 2 replacements, tomi and convict, much, larger of course, and will put them in a acclimation box or put them in the dark for a few days. Keeping the half black one as he is rarely seen to grow him out. Thanks again everyone!

Seascapes · Oct 25, 2024

Seascapes said:
I purchased some tangs on line and I received them they are tiny. How do I put them in my existing setup with 4 tangs, purple, orange striped, chocolate and golden rim. They are 4 inches or larger. The tangs I want to add are: half black, convict, and tomi. I'm afraid my existing tangs will tear them apart. I thought my new tangs would be larger. They are the size a little larger than a silver dollar. Right now the small tangs are in a 20gallon quarantine tank. I contacted one lfs and he stated he did not need any more tangs to do a trade. Right now i have a mirror on the tank because i got a copper band. Hes picking at the rocks, this is his second day. The existing tangs nip at him but they are starting to leave the Copperband alone after they fight with themselves in the mirror. Contact another lfs? This is frustrating.

Getting 2 replacements, tomi and convict, much larger of course, and will put them in a acclimation box or put them in the dark for a few days. Also thinking about dividing the tank separating the new and old tangs. Don't know how i can do that though without tearing up the tank. Keeping the half black one as he is rarely seen to grow him out. Thanks again everyone!

Glenner’sreef · Oct 25, 2024

Seascapes said:
Getting 2 replacements, tomi and convict, much larger of course, and will put them in a acclimation box or put them in the dark for a few days. Also thinking about dividing the tank separating the new and old tangs. Don't know how i can do that though without tearing up the tank. Keeping the half black one as he is rarely seen to grow him out. Thanks again everyone!

Remember there’s two types of fish aggression. One is like a physical “pushing around” if you will. Not so dangerous just territorial aggression. Banishing a fish to a certain area of the tank for days or a week or two. And then there’s ripping off fins. Not at all good. Years ago my Yellow tang pushed around my new Copperband. No damage done. I still have both fish today.

Seascapes · Oct 25, 2024

Glenner’sreef said:
Remember there’s two types of fish aggression. One is like a physical “pushing around” if you will. Not so dangerous just territorial aggression. Banishing a fish to a certain area of the tank for days or a week or two. And then there’s ripping off fins. Not at all good. Years ago my Yellow tang pushed around my new Copperband. No damage done. I still have both fish today.1

Thanks, I'll keep a eye on the tangs and copperband. So far it's the pushing around, no killer instincts (smile)

Seascapes · Nov 1, 2024

UPDATE : Added all the replacements (tomi, convict and half black tangs the half black and convict are swiming around but the tomi is hiding (about 4 inches). My other tangs don't really care about the convict (3 1/2inches or half black (baby size) accept for the orange striped tang who chases everyone smaller than him. I have a trap coming. Maybe I should try to catch the striped tang? Or coax out the tomi? The butterfly is eating black worms mysis and pods. (All fish are now leaving the butterfly alone) But not eating from the butterfly feeder. I added them all with the lights out for 2 1/2 days. It's going much better than expected, fingers crossed. I still have a mirror on the side of the tank. I have a swallowtail that breaks out with popeye that goes away when I treat it with kanaplex. I don't know why this fish keeps getting popeye periodically (it's a male) other fish do not have any signs of disease.

Seascapes · Nov 2, 2024

Thank you all for your help

Merge_595 · Nov 2, 2024

Seascapes said:
I purchased some tangs on line and I received them they are tiny. How do I put them in my existing setup with 4 tangs, purple, orange striped, chocolate and golden rim. They are 4 inches or larger. The tangs I want to add are: half black, convict, and tomi. I'm afraid my existing tangs will tear them apart. I thought my new tangs would be larger. They are the size a little larger than a silver dollar. Right now the small tangs are in a 20gallon quarantine tank. I contacted one lfs and he stated he did not need any more tangs to do a trade. Right now i have a mirror on the tank because i got a copper band. Hes picking at the rocks, this is his second day. The existing tangs nip at him but they are starting to leave the Copperband alone after they fight with themselves in the mirror. Contact another lfs? This is frustrating.

I always split the tank in half when adding a new tang with egg crate for a few weeks. Been doing this years always works