Clownfish Bullying of YE Kole Tang

[jharding08]

I got my YE Kole Tang about 4 months ago. He was really small. So small that when I put him in the display, the clownfish and flame angel picked on him...bad. He was smaller than the clown and the angel. I eventually put him in another tank by himself to grow.

Now he is bigger, bigger than the clown, bigger than the angel. He is outgrowing the small tank, so i put him back in the display and the clown is still picking on him.

Will the tang eventually fight back and put the clown in his place or do I have to remove the clown to the smaller tank?

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Yes the tang will fight back and will probably rule the tank eventually, depending on what kind of clownish you have.

 

[jharding08]

Yeah, it looks like its fighting back and the clown left it alone. Its a Misbar Clown.

I don't think he'll be running the tank though, the huge sailfin tang will do that, although I dont think the sailfin even noticed the YE kole is there.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Its a Misbar Clown.

Almost any clown could be a misbar. Misbar ocellaris or misbar Maroon, etc? Big difference between the two.

 

[nuxx]

Clowns are mean...

If even our Crosshatch Triggers get near his Frogspawn, he'll chase them off.

 

[ThRoewer]

Clowns are mean...

If even our Crosshatch Triggers get near his Frogspawn, he'll chase them off.

That's not being mean but just being protective of their home and nesting site.
For all they know a trigger may be out to eat their home or eggs - it doesn't matter if there are any or not, the protection reflex is always there.

There are actually very few fish I would call outright mean - usually they are just kept in the wrong or too small environment or with the wrong tank mates.

 

[nuxx]

That's not being mean but just being protective of their home and nesting site.

Ok tough

Would you call Maroons mean?

 

[ThRoewer]

It all depends on how you keep them. In the right environment with the right tankmates they are no worse than any other fish. The problem is that most people don't ask the clowns who they would like as tank mates and then they complain if the clowns disagree. It's their tank by all means.
I mean, what would you do if the government tells you to take on roommates you don't like...

 

[nuxx]

I mean, what would you do if the government tells you to take on roommates you don't like...

Haha well put :beer:

 

[jharding08]

Looks like everyone in the tank is happy now. THe tang is still kind of skittish, but that is probably a good thing until he gets the lay of the land