Tang and Blenny

[Buddy55]

I am one to do lots of research but I missed something. I added a tang and some other fish from qt to my tank.

Well clear as day the starry Benny was biting the tang. I know now that they are not compatible. I would most likely need a large fat tang to work. I got the tang out and put it in the refugium but I think I'm to late. This morning he was not doing much but breathing. The Benny took a perfect circle of scaled from both sides.

I have not been home enough to observe this untill now a week after adding. I'm saddened by it. Lesson learned.
This thread should help serve newer hobbyist to be careful mixing some tangs with algae blennies.

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[Moort82]

Which tang was it? I've seen several times bristletooth and blennies don't get on due to their close natural diet but not heard as big a problem with other species of tang.

 

[scooter31707]

I have experience this twice myself, but it was the other way around. Both times it was a Kole Tang attacking a Lawnmower Blenny which was in the tank about 8 months before the Koles. Three other Tangs had no issue with the LMB. My only theory is that they possess the same eating habitats and food sources. Maybe some experts will chime in.

 

[Buddy55]

Acanthurus pyroferus. They're not really known to be an aggressive Tang.

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[scooter31707]

Acanthurus pyroferus. They're not really known to be an aggressive Tang.

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A Kole isn't neither. On that note I also have a Lemonpeel Mimic Tang and the does chase the LMB when Nori is added to the clip inside the tank. If the LMB comes close the Mimic will chase it away, but the Kole would chase it constantly, everytime the LMB would come out of the rocks.

 

[Buddy55]

Well there is a light. The tang went from floating around like a leaf and barely breathe to swimming today when I got home. I still can't confirm if he has eaten. I put the nori clip plus the film algae plus the macro algae.

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[Buddy55]

I may remove the Benny temporary or permanently if I can catch him because the mimic tang is a gorgeous fish imo when older. If I can get the tang to recover. I have to work almost double shifts again this week so home time is limited.

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[RDtrack]

I would remove the blenny. Good luck catching it. I used a trap to catch mine.

Sometimes it doesn't matter what type of fish it is a blenny will attack it. Of all the fish I've ever kept a starry takes the cake as the biggest problem child.

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[Buddy55]

I don't think the tang will pull through. Won't eat a single offering I have. Is not longer really swimming. It would be my first loss in a year

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