Gem Tang

[vetteguy53081]

Yellow and Chevron were Jerks toward my gem when I introduced it

 

[SurfTrack]

If you are going to try them together the Gem needs to stay in the acc box for a few days. You need to be sure there is no aggression. An acc box would prevent injury or worse.

If you mean using a small PVC instead of an acc box, no it won't substitute. If things go south the yellow could kill the Gem
before it escaped to the PVC. Also you never want to release a fish where is has to stay hidden & stressed. One fish simply would need to be rehomed.

If you mean the scenario where the fish get along well (no aggression) after using an acc box, then a small PVC would be fine.

TBH putting them together (despite the fact the Gem is a baby) would be too risky for me. Especially because of the size of the tank, 2 Zebrasomas** & the Gem is too tiny to defend itself. **Same species tangs are usually tried in odd #s to try to curb aggression (so they don't focus on 1 on 1 sparring).

Whenever members post warnings & cautions, just keep in mind it is because they have been through a bad situation themselves. I had a Whitetail Bristletooth in a 300 gal that turned murderous after it matured & it was not with any other Ctenochaetus tangs. Tangs are territorial by nature. So if you are going to try them together use the acc box & let us know how it worked. I had a Gem Tang & it had a great temperament.

If you are going to try them together the Gem needs to stay in the acc box for a few days. You need to be sure there is no aggression. An acc box would prevent injury or worse.

If you mean using a small PVC instead of an acc box, no it won't substitute. If things go south the yellow could kill the Gem
before it escaped to the PVC. Also you never want to release a fish where is has to stay hidden & stressed. One fish simply would need to be rehomed.

If you mean the scenario where the fish get along well (no aggression) after using an acc box, then a small PVC would be fine.

TBH putting them together (despite the fact the Gem is a baby) would be too risky for me. Especially because of the size of the tank, 2 Zebrasomas** & the Gem is too tiny to defend itself. **Same species tangs are usually tried in odd #s to try to curb aggression (so they don't focus on 1 on 1 sparring).

Whenever members post warnings & cautions, just keep in mind it is because they have been through a bad situation themselves. I had a Whitetail Bristletooth in a 300 gal that turned murderous after it matured & it was not with any other Ctenochaetus tangs. Tangs are territorial by nature. So if you are going to try them together use the acc box & let us know how it worked. I had a Gem Tang & it had a great temperament.

I'm either going to go pick up an acclimation box or make a DIY one. But I would have the PVC in the acclimation box and supposing there was no aggression between the fish, I would then add the fish and the pvc pipe to the tank inside of the rockwork.

Thank you so much for your reply, very thoughtful. I will be letting yall know what happens so wish me luck. My backup plan is putting the gem tang in the refugium temporarily (it has rockwork and a light and is about 15 gallons) and it would just stay in there until I found a new home.

 

[Drendo]

Im just hoping that doesn't happen, but we'll just have to wait and see

I'm horrible at catching Tangs. If you have those skills, then you can always give it a shot, knowing you can remove the yellow Tang. I am bummed that I will never have a Gem Tang as long as I hav the Zebra. Gem Tangs are magnificent.

 

[SurfTrack]

I'm horrible at catching Tangs. If you have those skills, then you can always give it a shot, knowing you can remove the yellow Tang. I am bummed that I will never have a Gem Tang as long as I hav the Zebra. Gem Tangs are magnificent.

I hate catching tangs but I have found the only way I am able to do it is to section off a small part of the tank with egg crates where I know the tang is and next take as many rocks as I can out in the small section. Even then, its difficult but I can do it in 45 minutes.

 

[ca1ore]

Absolutely use an acclimation box. Useful though not foolproof. Sometimes resident fish ignore the newcomer in the box only to beat it senseless upon release.

 

[SurfTrack]

Absolutely use an acclimation box. Useful though not foolproof. Sometimes resident fish ignore the newcomer in the box only to beat it senseless upon release.

Im really hoping that doesn't happen. I can only speak in my experience. With any new bigger addition my yellow tang almost always flares and chases the newcomer for a couple minutes then decides its just not worth the fight or the energy. I just hope that's what happens after I release him. Thanks for your reply I will keep you all updated

 

[watchguy123]

Tangs can be aggressive to newcomers and it is very difficult to predict fish behavior. Adding fish simultaneously at the start of a tank is perhaps the easiest since all the territory is strange to each fish and it takes some time to claim territory.

However the reality is, most of us add a new fish every once in a while and aggressiveness, territorial behavior and just ruthlessness are all possibilities. So you have to try to be prepared to intercede if necessary and if possible.

I recently (couple months ago) added a smallish gem tang to my 180 display (2-21/2 inches). First I had it in my frag tank to make sure it was eating and acting appropriately for some time. He ate with gusto from the get go and then I added him to the display. ( I don’t really know if it is a him or her)

My display has a blonde naso probably 5 or 6 inches long, a powder brown about 3 inches and four yellow tangs about 3 inches, a purple tang about 3 inches, similar sized sail fin and pacific blue. The boss of the tank is the powder brown. The purple tang gets punked by the yellow tangs occasionally but he doesn’t back down. Initially the powder brown was unkind to the gem but not awful and within days well accepted.

I think one never really knows what to expect initially in terms of behavior. But obviously there is potential for violence and sadly sometimes a murderous, venomous assault. If you’ve ever had the misfortune to witness it, it’s awful. Most pets that we possibly own, we can intercede if there is a problem. However, fish can be a nightmare to try to recapture. Witnessing mortal combat in a fish tank is something no one wants to see or experience.

 

[SurfTrack]

UPDATE: Gem tang ate within 5 minutes of adding it and my yellow tang showed aggression for about half an hour (flares only). But now they are treating each other like any other fish.

 

[REEF_TO_KEEP]

UPDATE: Gem tang ate within 5 minutes of adding it and my yellow tang showed aggression for about half an hour (flares only). But now they are treating each other like any other fish.

Can you please provide an update of Yellow and Gem Tang living together after two years? I am planning to add a Gem tang in a 120 gallon with a Yellow Tang as well. Thanks

 

[SurfTrack]

Can you please provide an update of Yellow and Gem Tang living together after two years? I am planning to add a Gem tang in a 120 gallon with a Yellow Tang as well. Thanks

Did not end well. I would suggest against it. Get a Kole Tang instead or get rid of the yellow and get the gem by itself.

 

[REEF_TO_KEEP]

Did not end well. I would suggest against it. Get a Kole Tang instead or get rid of the yellow and get the gem by itself.

sorry I had to come back this topic. Who was the aggressor when Gem Tang was added?