Dwarf Angelfish and Tangs?

jacqueline1989

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I have a 125g with 4 clowns, yellow watchman, powder blue tang, and a purple tang. I just added a multicolor angelfish about less than an hour ago and it's getting picked on by both tangs. I've had a dwarf angelfish and tangs together before, but this never happened. I turned on the blue light and that has seemed lessen the aggression, but the PBT is still picking on the angelfish. I just looked closer at the angelfish and it looks like he has some slight tears in his fins and is staying in one of the top corners of the tank.

Does anyone have any advice for this? Would it be smart to remove the angelfish and take it back?
 

DCR

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Placing a mirror on the front of the tank to distract them works really well for me with my purple tang. He will attack and flash his image for days on end and ignore the newcomer.

Edit: long term they should be able to get along if there are enough hiding places in the rocks for the smaller angelfish.
 

Seansea

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Placing a mirror on the front of the tank to distract them works really well for me with my purple tang. He will attack and flash his image for days on end and ignore the newcomer.

Edit: long term they should be able to get along if there are enough hiding places in the rocks for the smaller angelfish.


This 100%
 

littlefoxx

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I have a 125g with 4 clowns, yellow watchman, powder blue tang, and a purple tang. I just added a multicolor angelfish about less than an hour ago and it's getting picked on by both tangs. I've had a dwarf angelfish and tangs together before, but this never happened. I turned on the blue light and that has seemed lessen the aggression, but the PBT is still picking on the angelfish. I just looked closer at the angelfish and it looks like he has some slight tears in his fins and is staying in one of the top corners of the tank.

Does anyone have any advice for this? Would it be smart to remove the angelfish and take it back?
Pbt and purple are pretty aggressive tangs. My purple will chase new fish for a few days then go back to her normal routine. Same with my regal angel and yellow tang. Make sure you have spots those two can’t get to, and try the mirror tactic. You could also turn off the lights for 24 hours, I’ve done this before and it worked, never tried the mirror trick but heard it works!
 

vetteguy53081

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I have many tangs along with coral beauty, flame angel and potters angel. No issues
 

i cant think

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I have a 125g with 4 clowns, yellow watchman, powder blue tang, and a purple tang. I just added a multicolor angelfish about less than an hour ago and it's getting picked on by both tangs. I've had a dwarf angelfish and tangs together before, but this never happened. I turned on the blue light and that has seemed lessen the aggression, but the PBT is still picking on the angelfish. I just looked closer at the angelfish and it looks like he has some slight tears in his fins and is staying in one of the top corners of the tank.

Does anyone have any advice for this? Would it be smart to remove the angelfish and take it back?
If it starts to settle in the next 1-2 days I’d say it should be fine however if it doesn’t settle and gets worse, I’d remove the tangs personally. The tangs will be hell for any new fish you add to that tank.
 

vetteguy53081

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Yes but you have a 400 gallon tank! Very important info you are missing lol.
The question is - Can they be in same tank - Its Yes. I had them at my LFS in a 40 breeder (salifin, coral beauty and hepatus again with no issues. Provide hiding and use common sense, not adding an aggressive tang such as sohal or powder blue- yes you can
Here is another example- My past 93 cube. . . yellow tang, flame angel and pyramid butterfly:

93 cube 7.30a.jpg
 

am3gross

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To deal with the beginning stages of aggression what I do is shut the lights out or early for the night. If that does not work I will re arrange or add some rock to the tank to make them think the established occupants think they are in new territory.

I just added a foxface, 2 yellows and an white tail kole to my tank, and the purple and scopas was making life hell for them, I did the above procedure over 2 days and now they are all swimming together. Worth a shot.
 

nereefpat

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You might try an acclimation box for the new angel too.

Powder blues can be really nasty. So can a purple, for that matter. It's possible that it won't allow another laterally compressed fish (angel, tang, rabbit, butterfly).

Chasing and ''play fighting" to establish dominance is almost always part of it. Once there is actual damage, I don't like the odds.

The question is - Can they be in same tank - Its Yes. I had them at my LFS in a 40 breeder (salifin, coral beauty and hepatus again with no issues. Provide hiding and use common sense, not adding an aggressive tang such as sohal or powder blue- yes you can
Lol. We're talking about a powder blue here.
 

vetteguy53081

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You might try an acclimation box for the new angel too.

Powder blues can be really nasty. So can a purple, for that matter. It's possible that it won't allow another laterally compressed fish (angel, tang, rabbit, butterfly).

Chasing and ''play fighting" to establish dominance is almost always part of it. Once there is actual damage, I don't like the odds.


Lol. We're talking about a powder blue here.
I realize that why mentioned.
 

vetteguy53081

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I have a 125g with 4 clowns, yellow watchman, powder blue tang, and a purple tang. I just added a multicolor angelfish about less than an hour ago and it's getting picked on by both tangs. I've had a dwarf angelfish and tangs together before, but this never happened. I turned on the blue light and that has seemed lessen the aggression, but the PBT is still picking on the angelfish. I just looked closer at the angelfish and it looks like he has some slight tears in his fins and is staying in one of the top corners of the tank.

Does anyone have any advice for this? Would it be smart to remove the angelfish and take it back?
I will add - Avoid with dwarfs:
Powder blue
Sohal tang
clown tang
Lavender tang
Yellow is hit and miss
 

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