What would you do, i.e.? What should I do?

[larrysaltisfun]

So I started a 70 gallon 3 foot tank. I had three fish in quarantine scheduled to go in a coral beauty , a flame angel, and a yellow eyed Kole Tang. It’s the only species of tang I would have put in this tank .

In quarantine The flame was mildly chasing the coral beauty but nothing serious. The quarantine tank is a 50 gallon four foot tank with about eight pieces of rock in it definitely enough hiding spots. …… so I thought.

Eight days into the quarantining, I found the coral beauty dead stuck to the powerhead, frayed fans, clear signs of aggression. I chalked it up to the flame angel and just figured it was my bad decision to put two dwarfs in the same tank although I’ve done that successfully before .. this aggression by the flame seemed strange to me because the flame angel (very timid ) had to be pulled out of a 210 gallon tank and placed into the quarantine tank (with the coral beauty and Kole tang). when a pygmy angel was threatening to kill it by death by 1000 cuts.

Three days ago, the flame Angel had terribly frayed pectoral. fins and dorsal fin
So he was pulled out of the quarantine tank and is now living in the new 70 gallon 3 foot cube tank. I literally bought this tank for him when he had to be pulled out of the 210 because my wife thought he was the cutest thing.

So now I have the realization that the aggressor was probably the Kole tang as both the coral beauty (which was killed ) and the flame angel nearly killed, showed clear signs of being battered.

I have an opportunity to take the Kole back and take a 50% loss on him at my LFS

I also could place him in the 210 gallon tank which already has five different species of tangs , a fox face my killer Pygmy dwarf angel an eibli angel and a Watanabe angel he would be the last addition.
He would be the smallest tang in there he is always hiding in the quarantine tank and acts like a freaked out maniac when I come near the tank.

It seems when I’ve quarantined tangs they get stressed out for a period and then when they are put into the larger display tank, they calm down and do great. This includes my powder brown scopas sailfin purple and hippo.

Query: return him and take a 50% loss or put him into the display tank. Does anyone have experience with these tangs ? I thought they were fairly timid and not very aggressive towards other fish.


Thanks

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Bump

 

[exnisstech]

Mine was peaceful tho I have heard of some kole tangs being aggressive but I've found pretty much any fish can turn aggressive depending on conditions. I keep all new additions in observation for a minimum of 30 days but I typically don't mix fish in observation and only do one at a time. I then use an acclimation box when adding them to the DT.b
Personally I wouldn't even worry about losing money returning the fish If that is your decision. I would just consider the loss of $ the price of a learning experience. The fish may be a perfect angel in the 210 but there's no way to know for sure unless you try. First thing I would consider is how hard will it be to remove it if needed?
I have 9 tangs in a 330g and it is a very peaceful tank. The 9th tang added is a hippo that I kept in observation/ grow out for a year because I was so nervous about adding it and upsetting the harmony in the tank. It turned out fine and no one even pays attention to the Hippo.
As far as the angels I tried a flame and coral beauty and they were fine for over a year then one day the coral beauty decided a 7ft 330g tank wasn't big enough for them both and started attacking the flame. I was able to catch it but it later died from the injuries.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Mine was peaceful tho I have heard of some kole tangs being aggressive but I've found pretty much any fish can turn aggressive depending on conditions. I keep all new additions in observation for a minimum of 30 days but I typically don't mix fish in observation and only do one at a time. I then use an acclimation box when adding them to the DT.b
Personally I wouldn't even worry about losing money returning the fish If that is your decision. I would just consider the loss of $ the price of a learning experience. The fish may be a perfect angel in the 210 but there's no way to know for sure unless you try. First thing I would consider is how hard will it be to remove it if needed?
I have 9 tangs in a 330g and it is a very peaceful tank. The 9th tang added is a hippo that I kept in observation/ grow out for a year because I was so nervous about adding it and upsetting the harmony in the tank. It turned out fine and no one even pays attention to the Hippo.
As far as the angels I tried a flame and coral beauty and they were fine for over a year then one day the coral beauty decided a 7ft 330g tank wasn't big enough for them both and started attacking the flame. I was able to catch it but it later died from the injuries.

Thank you. Totally logical answer and you’re right about the money. My powder Brown was returned to the LFS by the previous owner because he was picking on a yellow tang in a smaller tank. He’s a perfect citizen now . it is a matter of taking the risk, but like you said any fish can turn aggressive or may be aggressive because he is in quarantine. Sounds like you’ve got the ultimate tang gang

 

[exnisstech]

Ya my gang is pretty chill. The hippo was my last edition I think. I probably wouldn't have added it but I lost mine after 5 years and missed it so I grew a little one out. Other than one if the big boys doing a quick lap to flex a little muscle I have no aggression.

This is my gang.

 

[BryanM]

I am so paranoid now at adding any new fish even though my tank can clearly support it... But one bad actor, with my rock scape and amount of corals glued to it, catching fish is a nightmare.

I am planning to add a group of anthias when my trusted supplier gets them back in, and that will be the last fish I introduce.

 

[Michael Hughes]

I am planning to add a group of anthias when my trusted supplier gets them back in, and that will be the last fish I introduce.

Do you mind me asking who your trusted supplier is for anthias? I'm looking to add some lyretails to my tank too, but probably not for another year or so. I've heard the east African sourced anthias have much fewer (to no) issues with Uronema.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Ya my gang is pretty chill. The hippo was my last edition I think. I probably wouldn't have added it but I lost mine after 5 years and missed it so I grew a little one out. Other than one if the big boys doing a quick lap to flex a little muscle I have no aggression.

This is my gang.

That’s right, you’re the guy with one wild and three biota yellow tangs. You’ve got about 36 gallons per tang (330/9) and that’s about what I have now with six tangs in a 210. I went ahead and added the Kole a little while ago. And I think it was a good sign, but my two dwarf angels were pushing him around a little bit, but he wasn’t frantic either like he was in the quarantine tank. My bigger tangs totally ignored him. Hoping to keep my nitrates under control with the added fish load they’re running about 30 to 32 and I don’t want them going any higher.

 

[exnisstech]

My NO3 has settled in around 20 - 40 but I don't think I would do anything if they rose as long as the tank looks good. I find myself testing less and less as time goes on.