Zebrasoma Introduction

[RDtrack]

Hi

So I have a specific question about Zebrasoma introduction.

I currently have one very unique and special Zebrasoma that I've had since it was a baby, so about a year and a half.

The tank is ~300 mixed reef. In addition to my special guy I have the following tangs.

Fowler
Naso
Regal
Powder Blue
Mimic
White Tail Bristletooth

So what I'm attempting to do is add 3 more zebrasomas.
Purple
Hawaiian Yellow
Desjardinii

This will finish my tang gang. All of the new Zebrasomas have completed qt and they are currently in the tank in acclimating boxes. The purple and desjardinii are in one box. They were QT'D together and the yellow is by itself. All three are smaller than the existing Zebrasoma.

I put the acclimating boxes in yesterday and figured I wouldn't release them until the existing Zebrasoma isn't paying them any attention. Currently he is paying them a lot of attention.

So I think my plan is correct but was wondering how long have others seen it take before a Zebrasoma won't pay attention to other Zebrasoma? Also once the attention has disappeared and you released them did you see a lot of aggression?

Thanks in advance. The combo is going to be killer if it works out. BTW my other tangs could care less. My Powder Blue I know will be a jerk for an hour or two but then he'll behave. Has to let everyone know it's his tank.

 

[littlefoxx]

What kind of zebrasoma is your special tang?

 

[RDtrack]

What kind of zebrasoma is your special tang?

This dude.

 

[Tidal Gardens]

There is no sure way to avoid the aggression but we have tried just about everything. If you have one very aggressive tang, your best bet is to remove it for a week while you introduce the others. Then put it back in the tank.
If you cannot do that then we also have printed out pictures of the fish and taped them to the tank. It sounds crazy but it does keep the aggression spread out more.
Feed a lot the first few days to keep them happy. Re-arrange the rock and add additional rock to shake up the territory.

 

[littlefoxx]

This dude.

Ah! I think I follow you on instagram actually, love that guy! I have a purple and a yellow together. The purple was in first, the yellow was a baby (biota) when I got him. They do fine together. Before that I had a different purple and added an adult yellow and he was super mad and chased and struck the yellow for a few days then stopped. If youre going to add those I would do it all together

 

[RDtrack]

There is no sure way to avoid the aggression but we have tried just about everything. If you have one very aggressive tang, your best bet is to remove it for a week while you introduce the others. Then put it back in the tank.
If you cannot do that then we also have printed out pictures of the fish and taped them to the tank. It sounds crazy but it does keep the aggression spread out more.
Feed a lot the first few days to keep them happy. Re-arrange the rock and add additional rock to shake up the territory.

So all three are in acclimating boxes now. My plan is to wait until I see his aggression or paying attention goes away, be that 2/3/4/ be however many days.

What I'm wondering is if he stops paying attention to them is that a sign that he probably won't pay attention to them when they are released? Have you experienced that.

Thought is releasing all three at the same time would help spread it out too.

You'd think being captive bred he'd be clueless, guess he still has mother nature in him.

 

[RDtrack]

Ah! I think I follow you on instagram actually, love that guy! I have a purple and a yellow together. The purple was in first, the yellow was a baby (biota) when I got him. They do fine together. Before that I had a different purple and added an adult yellow and he was super mad and chased and struck the yellow for a few days then stopped. If youre going to add those I would do it all together

Thanks for the kind words. I've been keeping a Instagram page for him to document his coloring and let others enjoy.

I'm really hoping this works....it will be cool to see both parent species and him swimming together.

They are all going in together...it's more about when.

 

[littlefoxx]

Thanks for the kind words. I've been keeping a Instagram page for him to document his coloring and let others enjoy.

I'm really hoping this works....it will be cool to see both parent species and him swimming together.

They are all going in together...it's more about when.

Ah Ive put tangs in the no no box as I call it. My purple goes in when I add a new fish to her tank. I leave her in there until she chills out. They make 3D printed yellow and purple tang decoys that you can put in the tank and see if you can re direct aggression

 

[dwest]

I would

1. Wait a day or two
2. Let them out just before lights out
3. Feed the tank as you are letting them out
4. Tape a few mirrors on the tank walls just before letting them out.

Good luck!

 

[RDtrack]

So just wanted to provide an update. Released all three on Saturday evening looked like everything was going to work out.

Some minor chasing from my Powder Blue and nothing from the Yurple.

Feed the tank before and after release. Had several mirrors up and put nori out. I released them about half an hour before my lights went out.

So everything is good. Sunday morning no noticeable aggression the mirrors though were causing issues with everyone. So I removed them. Fed the tank more nori.

I then left for a few hours. Came back and unfortunately the Yurple decided he didn't like the desarjini one bit. Actually poor guy had fins shredded in a corner. I immediately removed him and he is currently in another tank by himself.

However the Yurple pays really no attention to the other 2 maybe a tail shake if they swim by too close. Other than that nothing.

I'll definitely live with that. Really wanted the yellow and purple to work out. The desarjini is fine and I'm fine not having it in the tank. Was more adding 3 rather that 2 to break things up.

So fingers crossed but the 3 are doing great.

Thanks for all the advice.