Replacing yellow tang...too shy

[Megatrev62]

Selling my yellow tang because it is too shy. Fat and healthy but has been shy and behind rock since pretty well day one.Not what I want ofcourse.
I want opinions on tangs I'm looking at:
1.Yellow eye kole tang
2.Tomini tang
3. Chocolate tang
The tank is 90 gallons and wanting to keep the appropriate size tang and want input from those who previously kept them or have them at present.

Need help making up my mind. Thanks

 

[RayL]

I have a yellow eye kole and he is always cleaning something, visible about 75% of the time the lights are on.
I have heard tominis are very similar to the kole, and in your size tank, the tomini might be a better fit.

 

[arc eye]

Are there any other active fish in the tank? If not you may want to consider getting a few. sometimes it helps draw or shy fish.

Never had a problem with my yellow tang in the past, but my kole was really shy until other fish were added.

 

[Megatrev62]

Yes,anthias, chromis all smallish fish. Just a dang shy tang.

 

[mayjong]

kole will be shy at first, but should stay in the open after that.
but then again, so should the yellow...

 

[Dmorty217]

There must be something going on in the tank to make the tang shy. Just because you get rid of the yellow and get one of the others you mentioned isn't a guarantee for a non shy fish. My guess is a underlying issue of why the tang is always hiding

 

[Megatrev62]

Hiding now for 18 months.........???? Intimidated by who knows..but he's going.

 

[Dmorty217]

Hiding now for 18 months.........???? Intimidated by who knows..but he's going.

I have and have had all sorts of tangs and never have had one hide for more than a day. Don't take offense to what I said about a underlying issue, but there would be hundreds of threads on here about tangs hiding if it was a common occurrence. Hence why I said there must be something you aren't thinking about that is causing the tang to hide. Good luck with the next one

 

[Megatrev62]

No offence at all , and hope you didn't feel offended. The tang is a beaut and has just been a hider for whatever reason. I see no aggression and if anything this tang is boss and one would imagine he would be aggressive. I was thinking of going another tang for some time and now I'm going for it. I have never seen a tang shy like this one. Frutrated enough lol.

 

[rfgonzo]

Why not just give him back to a LFS and get another yellow one not so shy?

 

[Yodeling]

Tangs are so melodramatic. :crazy1:

 

[slgcmg]

Try a nice size foxface

 

[Megatrev62]

Thanks but despise foxface.

 

[HumbleFish]

There must be something going on in the tank to make the tang shy. Just because you get rid of the yellow and get one of the others you mentioned isn't a guarantee for a non shy fish. My guess is a underlying issue of why the tang is always hiding

+1 Never seen a shy YT. They are one of the most aggressive Zebrasoma. Always out, trying to kick somebody's a--.

 

[Megatrev62]

TY. Still looking for opinions on the three mentioned.
Try to figure it out if you like. Here's what's in the tank:
6 chromis (green)
3 anthias(lyretail)
bicolor blenny
royal gramma
yellow tail damsel
springer damsel
2 percs
randells goby

Lost a coral beauty, flame angel and a lamarks after a blackout. The tang has always been shy on approach of tank and never ever bullied by anything. Unless I psycologically fooled with his head I don't see why he is shy? Have a buyer and hopefully he'll become bolder.

 

[Rea17]

Of the three you listed, I'd go with the tomini. Koles are notoriously shy, and the chocolate would get much too large for your setup.

 

[Shaummy]

I know it wasn't on your list, but I have a Chevron tang that is always out picking at the live rock etc.. Similar in size/activity/temperament as the ones you listed.

 

[Marshall O]

My Kole is out all of the time in my 125. Very, very active fish. When I first got it, it went into my 46BF QT. For the first few weeks, definitely a shy fish. Took about two weeks before it would really start to eat prepared foods (I have plenty of LR in the QT, so I wasn't worried). After that, it was very active in that tank, and even more so now in the 125. I do think Kole Tangs should go through a proper QT where they can go through their shy phase and get them eating. Once this is done, you should not have a problem with it being shy.

 

[snorvich]

I know it wasn't on your list, but I have a Chevron tang that is always out picking at the live rock etc.. Similar in size/activity/temperament as the ones you listed.

Yes, they are excellent.

 

[snorvich]

My Kole is out all of the time in my 125. Very, very active fish. When I first got it, it went into my 46BF QT. For the first few weeks, definitely a shy fish. Took about two weeks before it would really start to eat prepared foods (I have plenty of LR in the QT, so I wasn't worried). After that, it was very active in that tank, and even more so now in the 125. I do think Kole Tangs should go through a proper QT where they can go through their shy phase and get them eating. Once this is done, you should not have a problem with it being shy.

and some good advice here!