current fish being aggressive to new fish

[Bcsader]

So for the last six months or so I have had the following fish and they got along great. Two clowns, a blue damsel, a yellow tang, and a bicolor angel. Today I added a regal blue tang, and an auriga butterfly. The yellow tang and the bicolor angel are being very aggressive towards the butterfly and chasing it all over the tank. Should I try to remove it or hope it all works itself out. the compatibility chart shows that they should be ok together. Any thoughts?

Thanks
Brian

 

[Sonicblast12]

Turn off the lights, and eggcrate the tank with the aggressors on one side and the butterfly on the other. After a couple of days looking at each other through the crate you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[TitanTV]

Yellow Tangs can have a mean streak. I had one a very long time ago that used to almost always swim backwards because he was trying to hook someone else with his tail spine.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Being comparable and being added to an established tank are two different things. Many fish become territorial and resent any newcomer; but after the pecking order is established, things often settle down. Yellow Tangs are notorious for attacking newcomers; they will often kill another tangs of the same genus, but usually come around with most other fish. However, it is quite common for a YT to refuse to accept any newcomer. It isn't a territorial thing with them, just their nature. If you can put the YT in your QT for a few days, it may help when he's returned. IMO & IME Yellow Tangs may be the most aggressive fish that isn't really considered as aggressive by most sources.

 

[alex_bayarea]

Here is my experience with the yellow tang in a 150G FOWLR tank:

1. I had a Flame angel in the tank first

2. I quarantined the yellow tang and lemon peel together in a 29G QT for two weeks and because of that they get along well - even swim together.

3. When I put the YT and LP into the DT the flame started going after the LP in the first few days but the YT will come over and break them up. Very interesting.

4. I then added the Blue Tang into the DT which not surprisingly the YT left it alone given the BT was bigger.

5. I then added the bi-color dwarf angel and the YT went after it the first few days. Now a week in they are "ok"

In short, in my experience yes the YT can be aggressive but it really depends on the stocking order as it will not go after fish that came before or the same time, but only the smaller ones of similar color or species that come after wards.

 

[happyjack]

put a mirror up against the tank