Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

Casey-Reef · Mar 24, 2018

Great info!

4FordFamily · Mar 24, 2018

Casey-Reef said:
Great info!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Fringe09 · Mar 25, 2018

Hi fellow reefers. I followed the advice of many on the best way to deal with aggression and added three tangs at the same time to my 200 gallon tank almost three weeks ago. kole yellow eye, desjardini sailfin, and two spot bristletooth. All are around 2" and none of them ever bother each other.

I now want to add two or three more tangs. You think adding them at the same time is asking for trouble with the current three?

4FordFamily · Mar 25, 2018

Fringe09 said:
Hi fellow reefers. I followed the advice of many on the best way to deal with aggression and added three tangs at the same time to my 200 gallon tank almost three weeks ago. kole yellow eye, desjardini sailfin, and two spot bristletooth. All are around 2" and none of them ever bother each other.

I now want to add two or three more tangs. You think adding them at the same time is asking for trouble with the current three?

Hello,

It’s always a risk adding tangs to tangs but adding more than one at a time helps your odds for sure!

DancingShark · Mar 25, 2018

The best time to add the second group is together. That way if any aggression happens it will be disperse between the new ones.

Fringe09 · Mar 25, 2018

Thank you both. In regards to species of tang. Yes/No on adding three yellow tangs at the same time? Goal is to buy three small ones from Live Aquaria, quarantine them, and then introduce to DT.

DancingShark · Mar 25, 2018

I would. I plan on doing a 8 feet 400g and buying about 4 in hope that they school. Good luck.

@4FordFamily how big is your tank out of curiosity.

4FordFamily · Mar 25, 2018

DancingShark said:
I would. I plan on doing a 8 feet 400g and buying about 4 in hope that they school. Good luck.

@4FordFamily how big is your tank out of curiosity.

My tang tank is a 180. I’m currently sourcing materials for a 10-12 foot tank.

I used to have a 180 angel tank and 125 wrasse tank as well.

Ento-Reefer · Mar 25, 2018

Well it looks like I am going to be finding out how my resident two tangs, Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus, and a Scopas , will accept a couple of new tangs sooner than I planned. A friend of mine is taking a job out of the country and is taking her tank down. She called me today and said the homes she had found for her powder blue and convict tangs as well as a trio of lyretail anthias fell through, and would I take them. I had never considered a convict or anthias for my tank, but these fish are qt and established so I decided it was too good an offer to pass up. These fish have only been in her tank for about 2 months. They were her final group of fish added the middle of January. She will be bringing them to me on Tuesday afternoon and I just wanted to check in with the resident tang experts since I don't know much about convict tangs. I am figuring this has a good chance of working out because her tangs are different enough from mine.

DancingShark · Mar 25, 2018

Huge bioload to think about. How big is your tank and and your other question how much to you trust your friends QT process.

Ento-Reefer · Mar 25, 2018

DancingShark said:
Huge bioload to think about. How big is your tank and and your other question how much to you trust your friends QT process.

Good questions!!

I have a 180g with a 50g sump. I currently have 11 fish, 2 of which are medium tangs. I do trust her qt process and I have actually learned a ton from her and consider her an advanced hobbyist with excellent qt procedures. She qt everything wet for 60 days which is something I have been considering. I currently just dip my corals, but I would hate to have something slip in with a coral addition.

Ento-Reefer · Mar 25, 2018

DancingShark said:
Huge bioload to think about.

Would 16 fish be considered a huge bioload for a 180g tank? Even with 4 tangs it would seem to me that it would be more of a medium load especially if I didn't add anymore fish. I did want to add a couple of wrasse, but I won't if I think it is going to be too much for my tank.

DancingShark · Mar 25, 2018

I have trust issues

Second one is depends on your filtration I guess.

Ento-Reefer · Mar 25, 2018

DancingShark said:
I have trust issues
Second one is depends on your filtration I guess.

I understand.

I think my export is good. My skimmer is rated for a 400g tank and my fuge is producing huge amounts of chaeto. I haven't been able to register a nitrate reading yet and phosphates have been very low .003. I have a 36 w UV and I run ozone for 3.5 hours every night. I like a clean tank

deedubz · Mar 25, 2018

I'm having a 180 built that'll be here in May. There's going to be a fair number of fairy wrasses, several Randall's anthias, and a handful of other small fish. The dimensions are 60x30(deep)x24(tall). I'd love to get your opinion on a couple tangs that may work for me. The tangs would likely be the last livestock added .I do know longer tanks are generally recommended. If my tank is too short I'll be bummed, but this is about their well being...not mine.
Thank you!

Brew12 · Mar 26, 2018

dwwataz said:
I'm having a 180 built that'll be here in May. There's going to be a fair number of fairy wrasses, several Randall's anthias, and a handful of other small fish. The dimensions are 60x30(deep)x24(tall). I'd love to get your opinion on a couple tangs that may work for me. The tangs would likely be the last livestock added .I do know longer tanks are generally recommended. If my tank is too short I'll be bummed, but this is about their well being...not mine.
Thank you!

My tank is a 187g with those same dimensions. I have a few tangs in it and they do just fine. Much better than in my old 72"x18"x20".

I wouldn't put a Naso, Clown or Sailfin tang in it. I have a Hippo, Kole, Convict, and 2 Yellows in mine.

deedubz · Mar 26, 2018

Brew12 said:
My tank is a 187g with those same dimensions. I have a few tangs in it and they do just fine. Much better than in my old 72"x18"x20".

I wouldn't put a Naso, Clown or Sailfin tang in it. I have a Hippo, Kole, Convict, and 2 Yellows in mine.

I was thinking about another kole. I had mine about a year until I got velvet from some snails/hermits. Just not sure what else. I'm thinking 2-3 max. The wrasses will be the "show stoppers" but I love the idea of a couple of the more peaceful tangs in there

Ento-Reefer · Mar 27, 2018

so the new fish have been in the tank for about an hour and a half. I had to drive about 2 hours to meet my friend half way to pick them up. I think they are doing pretty well thus far. My scopas is the only one giving them any grief and it isn't too bad. Just a little chasing here and there. I have a short video clip I just took and it would be great if the tang experts could let me know if the what I am seeing is just normal settling in type of chasing.. I'm not too concerned at this point because I have actually seen both of them eating from the clip already. Thanks.

DancingShark · Mar 27, 2018

@Ento-Reefer That's a beautiful tank

Your tang aggression is very minor. I have seen a lot worse in my own tank. To the point of death when my yellow tang would not submit to my kole tang.

Ento-Reefer · Mar 27, 2018

DancingShark said:
@Ento-Reefer That's a beautiful tank

Your tang aggression is very minor. I have seen a lot worse in my own tank. To the point of death when my yellow tang would not submit to my kole tang.

Thank you for the compliment and your opinion of The aggression. I was thinking the same.