Yellow Tang Needs Attitude Ajustment?

[capdippe]

Hi, I have a large yellow tang that's roughly 10-11 years old, he beat out the coral beauty for food, and then the cleaning crew got the best of the beauty. Today I took a gamble and bought a small blue tang thinking it would be ok. It seems that the yellow tang pulls up along side of the blue tang, raises his dorsal fin, and thrashes his tail against the blue tang. I have a large fairy wrasse, fire goby, 2 clowns, and he leaves them alone. What do I do? I feel bad taking him into a store cause he's been in this thank for 10 years, but I would like to have some nice fish too. Here's a pic of the dude we call him Cartmen (after South Park). The crew at Barrier did give me fair warning, total "my bad".

 

[ac7av]

Maybe before putting another fish in the tank you put the yellow into a time out in another tank for a week or two. This will give the new fish time to claim some space. Then try and put the yellow back in. Aside from that, there may be little you can do. Yellows can have an attitude.

 

[capdippe]

When you have another tank for times like this, is it a complete set up with a skimmer, power head, heater, lights. How do you do this withought breaking the bank?

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

What ac said, you may also try rescaping so as to un-familiarize the yellow tang with it's surroundings, maybe a combination of the two will do the trick.

 

[NC2WA]

IF you have another tank availabe, try to catch the yellow tang and put him in it while the new fish get acclimated...

I have even placed a fish net in for a couple of hours..anything that is different to change the scenery should work.

 

[TJL]

Having another tank, ie; QT is a great thing to have other than just the obvious, such as what Erik stated for switching out teritorial fish such as Tangs and Angels after new fish has gone through quarantene period. I recently received a Kole Tang From Wet Pets Hawaii and after quarantene period I caught my Yellow Tang by hand and put him 'Time Out' for a week to give the Kole a chance to settle in without harassment and when I put the Yellow back in he held his ground pretty well, 1/2 hour or so of tail slapping and now they are buds. My QT is a simple 15g acrylic with HOB power filter w/ sponge & carbon. For deco I have a resin ornament and some plastic plants I siliconed marbles to for ballast.

 

[capdippe]

do fish go through a "break in period" with the other fish? is there a chance the two will get over it and move on, or do I have a real problem.

 

[pblutang]

Just curious. What size tank do you have?

 

[NC2WA]

yes there is an acclimiation period usually last about 2-3 days....for example, I added a regal angelfish to my tank recently...i have a purple tang that IS the bully of the tank and is the only fish that gives a cermemonial welcome to the tank (if you know what i mean)..the bullying last about 2 days, and now after a week in the tank they are swimming together and for the most part doesn't even know it is there...

give it time, but it is always nice to have another tank up and running in case you need to swoop in there and quickly remove the offending fish.

 

[capdippe]

I have a 100gal acrylic tank with a 30gal sump, 100lbs rock 20 different corals and 6 fish.

 

[capdippe]

Thanks for all the help, I hope these two can get along my fiance' says the tank needs more colorfull fish.

 

[Ichthys]

tank shot

Wow! what a nice tank, love the coloration on the rock, it really pops! Very Nice.

I have a 100gal acrylic tank with a 30gal sump, 100lbs rock 20 different corals and 6 fish.

 

[SpecialTang]

When you have had a tang in a tank that long and want to add more you should aquascape it again so neither of the fish have rights to claim.

if this is not an option take both out and put in another tank at the same time for a couple days.

 

[pblutang]

That is a REALLY nice set up!!