Red sea sail fin tang

[emperior911]

I just bought a 3 inch red sea sail fin tang. I own a 210 gallon tank with a sump, and a 30 gallon tank connected with just live rock. I had a problem when the sailfin entered the tank. my stupid 6 inch purple tang wouldn't leave it alone so i ended up puting the sailfin inside the 30 gallon tang with live rock. I plan on setting up a tank just for the sailfin and maybe some other fish. But won't be able to do that for a couple months. Will a 3" inch red sea sailfin tang be ok for a few months in a 30 gallon? i am considering buying a 75 gallon for the sailfin. When the sailfin hits 6+ inches i will drop him back in with the 210 hoping he'll be able to last with the purple.

 

[ReefDoberman]

I would suggest putting him in qt and getting him very heathy and aclimated to the water type used in your 210. I've had the same problem in my 265 however if you let it go for about 2 days or so they will calm down. It is a territorial thing that tangs do to establish dominance. I currently have a sailfin, red sea purple, and a yellow together peacefully - they even school now. however at first it was an all out war.

good luck

 

[steveo32]

wow this tread is right up my alley. <sfauth> I was thinking of putting that same red sea salfin in my 125 and I have a purple tang. do you guys think that would be unwise of me ?

 

[originalozzyo]

I've also got a purple tang and i added a small kole tang one day. The minute the purple tang saw the new tang it was as if he marked him for death. Good thing the kole tang is small so he could hide in the rocks. After a week the purple tang didnt even raise his fin at him. Guess you just have to give it time. The hippo tang i have couldn't give a damn about either tang.

 

[onereefnotenuf]

i would take the purple tang out, put the sailfin in(the 210) move some rocks around and a few days later re-introduce the purple.
the terrritory will have changed and it might not be as aggressive since it no longer"owns" the tank.

 

[Doubledown]

The idea to put the sailfin in another tanka nd wait until he is 6+ inches won't work - in the time it takes the sailfin to get to 6 inches, the purple will have grown to 8 and still bully him.

You may have some success adding this tang if you first re-arrange your rockwork. As mentioned above, the purple has made the entire tank it's own. By moving things around you throw off the defense of established territory.

 

[steveo32]

what about re-arrangeing the rock and adding him w/ the lights off