How long to wait for a tang...

[niter]

We recently added a MacNeil's Blue Acessor to our tank and after the better part of a week he is out and about daily. He does hide a bit during the middle of the "day" (the middle of the time the halides are on) as expected. There has been discussion of adding a tang but I do not want the little guy to be scared out of coming out. I read that they are shy, dislike bright light (I'm surprised he comes out at all when the halides are on), and dislike larger fish.

He's still pretty tiny. Does anyone have any insight with this fish. Will he ever be comfortable with a tang in the tank?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Oh! He's tiny. What size tank do you have?

 

[niter]

We have a 150 gallon with the 120 foot print and the deeper water column. I am comfortable with a smaller tang but now we have "little blue." We have rocks to hide in and he has picked out a cave in the left rock formation.

Here's a really bad photo of the tank to get an idea.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Unless you plan on all tiny fish, I'd put the tang in whenever you want. Either the assessor is going to get used to it or he isn't. Just curious: If you read "that they are shy, dislike bright light, and dislike larger fish.", why did you get him?

 

[niter]

Unless you plan on all tiny fish, I'd put the tang in whenever you want. Either the assessor is going to get used to it or he isn't. Just curious: If you read "that they are shy, dislike bright light, and dislike larger fish.", why did you get him?

Well, shy in the sense of a royal gramma. I would consider that a shy fish. However, I would not worry about a royal gramma with a tang as I have had experience with them.

I could do without a tang. The little blue fish stays. Just trying to be a nice spouse if possible being that it is his tank and all :love1:

ETA: I got him because when I saw one on Divers Den and loved the color I started reading up on them. There is a lot of positives out there: friendly, gorgeous, eats well, hardy, brings in a blue color against the anthias (and he is out most of the time just not 1-2 hours in the evening), and many others. It just seemed like a great addition to the tank and has been so far. We are enamored by this little blue fish, his swimming patterns and more. We do not get to enjoy the tank on the weekdays but every night after the kids go to bed, he is out front and center doing his thing and it is great to watch.

 

[kingfisherflesh]

Not that good of a tank anyways for a tang. Hard to keep one happy in a 4' footprint. 6' is bare minimum for all but the smallest ones...and a 180g is really needed.

Granted we break the rules now and then, and as long as the fish is healthy and happy then that is okay.

Good luck with the little guy.

If you do chose to get a tang, I find that the bristle mouths are usually quite peaceful, and some can be found that stay a reasonable size for a tank like yours.

 

[MrTuskfish]

IME & IMO, tangs, even the more aggressive rarely bother small fish. They are not a threat and readily have a place to dive into if needed. I think this applies to most larger, aggressive, non-predatory fish that don't see the small fish as lunch. I've kept many of the more aggressive tangs & angels with much smaller fish with no problems at all. I have a blackcap basslet in with a sohal tang now; the tang doesn't even notice the basslet (my harlequin tusk sure wants to get at him, but can't) and I can't get the little guy out. (Using my usual catching tricks, but a friend is making a custom slurp-gun. I can't wait to try it.)

 

[snorvich]

Unless you plan on all tiny fish, I'd put the tang in whenever you want. Either the assessor is going to get used to it or he isn't. Just curious: If you read "that they are shy, dislike bright light, and dislike larger fish.", why did you get him?

These fish are cryptic and do not come out and about except perhaps during feeding time. The fish is simply acting as it would be described by any reliable vendor.

 

[niter]

These fish are cryptic and do not come out and about except perhaps during feeding time. The fish is simply acting as it would be described by any reliable vendor.

Yes, I was expecting something similar to our previous royal gramma (perhaps a touch more shy) so I was thrilled to see how social ours is being. He spent all of yesterday evening out, front and center, regardless of of the light level and the ruckus from the children and dogs. :bounce1:

 

[MrTuskfish]

These fish are cryptic and do not come out and about except perhaps during feeding time. The fish is simply acting as it would be described by any reliable vendor.

Its really unfortunate, but I think "reliable vendor" is becoming an oxymoron. With a few welcome exceptions, of course.