Kole Tang Bullying Coral Beauty

[Blizzard 123]

So my blue eyes kole tang has started to attacking my new coral beauty which I just added to my 90 gallon tank. He will charge at him and try to stick him with his spine blade. The CB is scared and staying near the top corners of the tank to defend himself.

After a few hours of watching him do this I decided to step in and put a mirror to distract him, which did work.

My question is will this aggression die off? Or willI need to re-home the CB?

Thanks in advance, Blizzard


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[Half Vaped]

How long has the CB been in the tank? Kole Tangs are usually one of the more docile Tang species, so I would think the bullying should dissipate in a few short days, but you could have an overly aggressive individual.

You could try pulling the Tang out of the tank for a while to let the CB get comfortable or maybe put the CB in an acclimation box so the Tang can get used to seeing the CB while it strengthens up in the box.

 

[Blizzard 123]

CB was added today about 6 hours ago.

I have a acclimation box but didn't think to use wasn't suspecting tang to do this never showed aggression to any other fish added after him.

I am hopping aggression will settle from what I read it seems after a few days the tang will settle down and let the CB out more.

I was just worried never seen tang aggression before and was worried for CB.

Thanks for the help, lights go out soon so I will see where things are tomorrow or in the next few days and if it doesn't improve I will try one of your suggestions either moving tang for a few days or putting CB in acclimation box.

Thanks for help I hope this works out, CB one of my favorite fish so hopping to keep him.


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[mike61289]

The kole tang I kept years ago was a jerk to any newcomers. I would normally turn out the lights for a day or two to allow the new fish to settle. It reduced the territoriality a lot, but there was always some tension in the beginning.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Yeah that's sounds like a good idea tomorrow I will try that and leave lights off all day. Thanks for the suggestion.


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[McPuff]

I have a scopas tang that behaves the same way to new additions. The acclimation box should help quite a bit.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Kole Tang Bullying Coral Beauty

I have a scopas tang that behaves the same way to new additions. The acclimation box should help quite a bit.

I will probably use the acclimation box if aggression doesn't die down, thanks for the suggestion.


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[Blizzard 123]

Well I decoded to put the CB in a acclimation box. My question is how long do I leave him there? I plan on at least keeping until he starts eating again.


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[Half Vaped]

I would leave it in the box until it eats like a pig and the Kole Tang completely ignores it, hopefully it takes no longer than five days or so.

Just be careful when you release it; the Kole could turn aggressive again once it realizes the CB is no longer protected in the box. Maybe release the CB at night while the Kole is asleep.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Yeah that's sounds like a good plan. I will wait until he's eating. Hopefully if I realest at night he will be able to adjust without the kole harassing him constantly.

Thanks for the help hopefully they they will eventually get along.



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[McPuff]

I would leave it in the box until it eats like a pig and the Kole Tang completely ignores it, hopefully it takes no longer than five days or so.

Just be careful when you release it; the Kole could turn aggressive again once it realizes the CB is no longer protected in the box. Maybe release the CB at night while the Kole is asleep.

Probably a good plan here. I've got an angel in an acclimation box and my plan is to ensure that he eats without hesitation, remains out in the open more than in the PVC, and doesn't attract attention from the other fish. The last criteria has been met for a while and the first two are coming along nicely. Still thinking it might be a few more weeks until I can release him into the DT. Not sure if that helps you but maybe??

 

[Blizzard 123]

Probably a good plan here. I've got an angel in an acclimation box and my plan is to ensure that he eats without hesitation, remains out in the open more than in the PVC, and doesn't attract attention from the other fish. The last criteria has been met for a while and the first two are coming along nicely. Still thinking it might be a few more weeks until I can release him into the DT. Not sure if that helps you but maybe??

Definitely still helps, I now know what to wait for before I release and also know it can possibly take weeks for him to acclimate.

Thanks for the help.


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[shred5]

One thing I learned with 30 + years reef and longer saltwater is tangs are blank and the smaller the tank the worse it gets.

They can be nice one day with a fish and the next day turn.

The aggression is most towards other tangs especially and even more so if they are the same shape or species..

They also are more aggressive towards other algae eaters like angels because they are competition for food. Sometimes more food will help and sometimes they may kill the other fish.

Aggression towards new fish is common and especially in a smaller tank where there territory is almost the whole tank. i watched a kole terrorize almost every fish in a 90 and would have killed a few I did not remove them. Sometimes it goes away with some fish and others not. Some fish no issues with at all...

 

[Blizzard 123]

Oh geez that is a little worrisome, the kole I currently have hasn't bothered a fish yet and is best friends with a foxface, who is very similar in shape to him. That is why I thought the angel would be ok.

I guess I will see what happens and hope the aggression dies down, if not I will probably remove the CB.

Thanks for the advice.


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[shred5]

Oh geez that is a little worrisome, the kole I currently have hasn’t bothered a fish yet and is best friends with a foxface, who is very similar in shape to him. That is why I thought the angel would be ok.

I guess I will see what happens and hope the aggression dies down, if not I will probably remove the CB.

Thanks for the advice.


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Fish are weird sometimes.. I actually have this tiny captive bred hippo tang and he hangs around with this tiny dwarf angel. That may change someday once he grows. Angels can be aggressive too sometimes though.

Sometimes two fish do not get along and all of a sudden things are ok or vise versa.

My kole once almost killed a Banggai cardinalfish in about 15 minutes. I could literally pick the Banggai out with my hands. He survived though in another tank.

 

[Blizzard 123]

Kole Tang Bullying Coral Beauty

Wow sounds like that kole was quite the handful, I assume it was the same one in the 90. I always thought koles were some of the more passive tangs, guess it depend on the individual.


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[shred5]

Wow sounds like that kole was quite the handful, I assume it was the same one in the 90. I always thought koles were some of the more passive tangs, guess it depend on the individual.


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Compared to a white cheek, powder brown or powder blue they are more passive.

I had a powder brown kill a Atlantic tang in a day. The PB was 2/3 the size of the Atlantic and was put in at the same time. He then turned on my kole so I yanked him and took him back to the store.

Kole was not bad compared to others. I do think it also depends on individual, size of tank, tank mates and size of tank mates etc..