How to tame aggression from Yellow Tang

[DanangMonkey]

Just had a yellow tang pass QT after 6 weeks. Tang is small-medium size.

DT is 75 Gal/W 20G sump. Tank is established (7 months) with live rock along back wall. Water parameters are stellar. Only DT residents are three small yellow-tail damsels, CUC, and one small-medium Saddleback clown. All DT residents have been in the tank peacefully for 6 months.

Introduced the Yellow tang into DT and everything was good for first day. Damsels are oblivious, Tang and SB Clown actually scared of each other. Second day: both the SB Clown and Yellow tang out and swimming and passing each other without any aggression/fear, actually seemed liek they were friends. Day three: Yellow Tang starting to crowd the SB clown into the back of the tank, no biting/spearing, just using his size to corral. Day four- Tang wont let the clown go anywhere in the tank, still no biting/spearing.. Whenever the clown appears anywhere outside the rock caves the tang will run to that spot and corral him back inside. The clown occasionally escapes to the back of the rock ledge and the SOB tang will follow him back there to send a message. Obviously this cant be tolerated long term, the SB Clown has shown submission but the Tang seems to want to drive him completely from the tank.

Will this subside? Any tips?? I feel bad for the clown who is afraid to move without having the tang in his face.

 

[schatzi]

The general Reef Central opinion is that a 75g is too small for a yellow tang. So with the aggression and tank size you have two reasons to remove the tang and try another fish.

 

[hollister]

Lights out for 2 days or so also re arranging rockscape. And adding stock from least aggressive to most.
Lights out works well.GL...

 

[DanangMonkey]

The general Reef Central opinion is that a 75g is too small for a yellow tang. So with the aggression and tank size you have two reasons to remove the tang and try another fish.

It wouldnt matter if this is a 75Gal or 750 Gal tank...the Tang is actively seeking out the clown to harrass him, its not a tank size issue.

I tend to pay attention to those members in these forum with considerable and tested experience, not general Reef Central Opinion (which most of the time is just repeated 3rd hand without any actual experience with the problem being described)

 

[DanangMonkey]

Lights out for 2 days or so also re arranging rockscape. And adding stock from least aggressive to most.
Lights out works well.GL...

Re-arranged rockscape already, fish were added least aggresive to most.

Will try the lights out, Thanks!!!

 

[mgrmax]

It wouldnt matter if this is a 75Gal or 750 Gal tank...the Tang is actively seeking out the clown to harrass him, its not a tank size issue.

I tend to pay attention to those members in these forum with considerable and tested experience, not general Reef Central Opinion (which most of the time is just repeated 3rd hand without any actual experience with the problem being described)

Haha! You had to know a tang cop was going to show up at some point.

I had a beautiful fish that no matter what I did, the darn thing harassed everything new to the tank. I finally got fed up, pulled the rock scape apart to catch it, and promptly sold it my LFS with a warning. Wasn't worth the hassle.

 

[FTDelta]

The general Reef Central opinion is that a 75g is too small for a yellow tang. So with the aggression and tank size you have two reasons to remove the tang and try another fish.

I agree. a 75G tank is too small. Yellow Tang recommends in tanks of 100 gallons minimum.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+43+392&pcatid=392

 

[christopherjudd]

try to get a different yellow tang if you can still return him to the store

 

[schatzi]

It wouldnt matter if this is a 75Gal or 750 Gal tank...the Tang is actively seeking out the clown to harrass him, its not a tank size issue.

Unless you speak fish you have no way to know this. Just trying to help. it's what you asked for.

 

[Mr. Bill]

It wouldnt matter if this is a 75Gal or 750 Gal tank...the Tang is actively seeking out the clown to harrass him, its not a tank size issue.

I tend to pay attention to those members in these forum with considerable and tested experience, not general Reef Central Opinion (which most of the time is just repeated 3rd hand without any actual experience with the problem being described)

My experience has always been, regardless of fish species, that if adequate space is not provided, they tend to be more aggressive. Also, turning off the lights will only work while the lights are off.

Fish are not dogs- they lack the mental capacity to be "trained". The only course of action that I've found to work consistently long-term is to remove the bully.

 

[DanangMonkey]

Haha! You had to know a tang cop was going to show up at some point.

I had a beautiful fish that no matter what I did, the darn thing harassed everything new to the tank. I finally got fed up, pulled the rock scape apart to catch it, and promptly sold it my LFS with a warning. Wasn't worth the hassle.

Thanks mgrmax, I completely agree that I simply purchased an aggresive fish. Probably not much to do except follow your advice. I placed a lot of time, money, and effort to bring him through QT (had to medicate) so kind of frustrating to have this happen.

I still call BS that a single 3" tang and a single 3" saddleback are crowded in 4' 75 Gal tank with some light rockwork. Perhaps if the Tang grew to a larger size, ya then it would be plausible. The clown's territory is a 3"x 3" small corner in the back of a rock, not even in the tangs swimming pattern. The tang fights his way though a small rock hole just to harrass the clown.

Yes, Yes, Liveaquaria "recommends" 100 Gals, So following that logic If I dump these same two fish in a 100 GAL the Yellow Tang will suddenly chill out and be happy? I doubt it.... In this case size DOESNT matter

 

[DanangMonkey]

Fish are not dogs- they lack the mental capacity to be "trained".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1106884/Three-second-memory-myth-Fish-remember-months.html


I've personally trained some of my fish to play the tenor sax, complete an IRS 1040 Long form, and play Monopoly. Just dont let them play the banker as they tend to cheat.

 

[chrisfont23]

Try a little seaweed or nori soaked in garlic guard.

 

[DanangMonkey]

Try a little seaweed or nori soaked in garlic guard.

Thanks Chris, worth a try at this point.

Also considering an Andy Warhol painting with a repetitive clownfish design to line the tank, or use multiple mirrors like in "Enter the Dragon"

 

[Sk8r]

Nothing you've said re the species present and the tank size is surprising. Everybody's following script.

 

[chrisfont23]

Tangs are notorious for grazing. So unless you are giving them nori, seaweed or some other veggie daily, they tend to get nippy. My BHT tore apart my trumpet corals, my wellso and my acans. Basically anything with short tentacles or teeth. I

 

[DanangMonkey]

Nothing you've said re the species present and the tank size is surprising. Everybody's following script.

Can you elaborate? I give more weight to your walk-the-walk response rather than those repeating scripts

 

[DanangMonkey]

Tangs are notorious for grazing. So unless you are giving them nori, seaweed or some other veggie daily, they tend to get nippy. My BHT tore apart my trumpet corals, my wellso and my acans. Basically anything with short tentacles or teeth. I

Ya Chris. it gets Nori on a daily basis on a clip and is well fed with regular feedings.

 

[chrisfont23]

Try garlic guard. My BHT was a pain and it really seemed to calm its aggression toward my Naso. It also worked for my Naso who was a picky eater. Go figure.

 

[Sk8r]

Just that if all participants had enough feeling of safe territory (and that's kind of hard-wired into them, regardless of the size they are yet) they'd be easier with each other. There's just one trick I can think of, which is to try to barrier-off a third of the tank for the clown (assuming he's at a far end) and put up a vertical barrier, a spire of rock, something that forms a 'border' that separates the clown and the tang in terms of territory...if that doesn't work, the clown, as the fiercest damsel you've got, and that tang, are going to continue until somebody gets seriously hurt, and it's likely to be the clown, once the tang gets his measure. If you can give 2/3 of the tank to the tang by that method (clowns are generally content with a little less territory, unless they've got the notion they own it all...) You could also try withdrawing the clown AND the tang for a cooldown period, and starting them both again---but that's likely more hassle than you want to get into. Try to 'fold space' by rock arrangement and see if that works.