Troublesome yello tang - the killer =O(

fezza101 · 09/03/2007, 01:30 PM

Hi guys,

My tank has been set up for around 4 months now, i reckon all in its around 120g with around 60kgs LR at the latest count.

I 'rescued' a yellow tang from a LFS about a month ago as it was in with triggers/volantis lionfish and puffers and seemed ragged and not looking good.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, he has been fine with all the fish in the tank (2 sebae clowns, 4 chromis, 2 file fish, striped blennie). Yesterday, i decided to buy a small foxface (love em!) and a medium sized coral beauty. Anyway...

I put them in after about 2hrs of acclimatization and everything seemed fine...until the yellow tang cornered the foxface. He thrashed his spikes at it and the poor lad didnt stand a chance so went and hid. Then the tang started on the coral beauty. All seemed fine an hour later, everyone seemed to be getting on.

Came down this morning, coral beauty was dead. Slash marks/puntures all over it. Think foxface has had revenge as there is a small puncture on the tang. Now they just ignore each other, which is fine...

What do i do????? I knew they can be territorial but this is ridiculous! Can anyone recommend an angel that would be ok? Is it gonna do this with all new fish???

What a nightmare!

fezza101 · 09/03/2007, 01:32 PM

P.s. yellow tang recovered from LFS and is stunning now (proud of my good deed!), just troublesome!

g_langley · 09/03/2007, 01:43 PM

That's very sad about your Coral Beauty

They are territorial and he/she probably went all out to defend it.

ShannHell · 09/03/2007, 02:35 PM

I had the same issue when I introduced a coral beauty into my tank that already had a yellow tang. They duked it out, but the angel just took a chunk out of the tangs face and after that they were the best of friends. Maybe just try to see if you can get fish that are similar in size, or possibly an angel (coral beauty or otherwise) that is slightly larger. IDK if that would work though

fezza101 · 09/03/2007, 02:56 PM

Trouble is, i dont think my 120g will be enough for my tang and a 'big' (non dwarf) angel would it???

Love the blue face (or so the LFS called them) angels but i think they grow quite big?

rickytikki · 09/03/2007, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fezza101
Trouble is, i dont think my 120g will be enough for my tang and a 'big' (non dwarf) angel would it???

Love the blue face (or so the LFS called them) angels but i think they grow quite big?

blue faces are pretty hard to keep and don't handle aggressive fish well at all, I would stay away from them. Imperators can hold their own pretty well and one of those would be fine in a 120 for a loooooooong time.

fezza101 · 09/03/2007, 03:16 PM

whats an imperator? Big angel or dwarf size?

fezza101 · 09/03/2007, 03:19 PM

Found a pic, also known as emperor angel yeah? Dont they eat corals?

Thanks for all your help thusfar!

ShannHell · 09/03/2007, 05:16 PM

How large is the tang?

DrBegalke · 09/03/2007, 07:09 PM

The tang will do that with any fish it perceives as competing with it for food or space. If it killed a coral beauty, it will attack an emperor.

fezza101 · 09/04/2007, 11:35 AM

Shanhell - he is about 3 inches or so, probably just under.

DrBegalke - Does this mean that i cannot add any more fish to the tank? The coral beauty was a fair bit smaller than the tang, as is the foxface...

The tang is still chasing the foxface and raising his fins occasionally at it but doesn't seem intent on killing it anymore (touch wood).

Aquarist007 · 09/04/2007, 12:05 PM

that tang has been very stressed out from its previous home and probably conditioned to be on the defensive.

I learned this lesson the hardway-----every purchase--corals or fish should do time in your quarantine tank(4 to six weeks).
This settles them in takes away stress and helps get difficult fish to feed.

I empathize with you for doing a good deed but I am sure the rest of the residents of the tank don't share the same sentiments.

and when you think of it ---that tang must have been placed in that situation for a reason. I have donated damsels to the LFS before only to find they have placed them back in a tank with other fish and they are for resale----no one has a clue of their behaviour in my tank or the "fun" they are in for when they take it home.

09/03/2007, 01:30 PM	#1
fezza101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ipswich Posts: 44	Troublesome yello tang - the killer =O( Hi guys, My tank has been set up for around 4 months now, i reckon all in its around 120g with around 60kgs LR at the latest count. I 'rescued' a yellow tang from a LFS about a month ago as it was in with triggers/volantis lionfish and puffers and seemed ragged and not looking good. Anyway, to cut a long story short, he has been fine with all the fish in the tank (2 sebae clowns, 4 chromis, 2 file fish, striped blennie). Yesterday, i decided to buy a small foxface (love em!) and a medium sized coral beauty. Anyway... I put them in after about 2hrs of acclimatization and everything seemed fine...until the yellow tang cornered the foxface. He thrashed his spikes at it and the poor lad didnt stand a chance so went and hid. Then the tang started on the coral beauty. All seemed fine an hour later, everyone seemed to be getting on. Came down this morning, coral beauty was dead. Slash marks/puntures all over it. Think foxface has had revenge as there is a small puncture on the tang. Now they just ignore each other, which is fine... What do i do????? I knew they can be territorial but this is ridiculous! Can anyone recommend an angel that would be ok? Is it gonna do this with all new fish??? What a nightmare!

09/03/2007, 01:43 PM	#3
g_langley Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 398	That's very sad about your Coral Beauty They are territorial and he/she probably went all out to defend it. __________________ Skull Islands

09/03/2007, 02:35 PM	#4
ShannHell Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Rogers Park, Chicago Posts: 416	I had the same issue when I introduced a coral beauty into my tank that already had a yellow tang. They duked it out, but the angel just took a chunk out of the tangs face and after that they were the best of friends. Maybe just try to see if you can get fish that are similar in size, or possibly an angel (coral beauty or otherwise) that is slightly larger. IDK if that would work though __________________ Yes, my last name is Hell Current Tank Info: 125 gallon dual overflow mixed reef

09/03/2007, 05:16 PM	#9
ShannHell Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Rogers Park, Chicago Posts: 416	How large is the tang? __________________ Yes, my last name is Hell Current Tank Info: 125 gallon dual overflow mixed reef

09/03/2007, 07:09 PM	#10
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	The tang will do that with any fish it perceives as competing with it for food or space. If it killed a coral beauty, it will attack an emperor. __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

09/03/2007, 01:32 PM	#2
fezza101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ipswich Posts: 44	P.s. yellow tang recovered from LFS and is stunning now (proud of my good deed!), just troublesome!

09/03/2007, 02:56 PM	#5
fezza101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ipswich Posts: 44	Trouble is, i dont think my 120g will be enough for my tang and a 'big' (non dwarf) angel would it??? Love the blue face (or so the LFS called them) angels but i think they grow quite big?

09/03/2007, 03:16 PM	#7
fezza101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ipswich Posts: 44	whats an imperator? Big angel or dwarf size?

09/03/2007, 03:19 PM	#8
fezza101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ipswich Posts: 44	Found a pic, also known as emperor angel yeah? Dont they eat corals? Thanks for all your help thusfar!

09/04/2007, 11:35 AM	#11
fezza101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ipswich Posts: 44	Shanhell - he is about 3 inches or so, probably just under. DrBegalke - Does this mean that i cannot add any more fish to the tank? The coral beauty was a fair bit smaller than the tang, as is the foxface... The tang is still chasing the foxface and raising his fins occasionally at it but doesn't seem intent on killing it anymore (touch wood).

09/04/2007, 12:05 PM	#12
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	that tang has been very stressed out from its previous home and probably conditioned to be on the defensive. I learned this lesson the hardway-----every purchase--corals or fish should do time in your quarantine tank(4 to six weeks). This settles them in takes away stress and helps get difficult fish to feed. I empathize with you for doing a good deed but I am sure the rest of the residents of the tank don't share the same sentiments. and when you think of it ---that tang must have been placed in that situation for a reason. I have donated damsels to the LFS before only to find they have placed them back in a tank with other fish and they are for resale----no one has a clue of their behaviour in my tank or the "fun" they are in for when they take it home. __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock