Tang and Butterfly not getting along!

[GXPKY]

I have a yellow tang and introduced a copperband butterfly today to help take care of my aptasia issues that I've been fighting for a while now. The yellow tang is the bully in this scenario. What is the best way to get the tang to behave? Rearranging the rockwork is not really an option.

If I remove the yellow tang overnight and then return him to the DT, would that help? It's gonna be near impossible to catch the yellow tang so I definitely don't wanna return him to the DT just to have the same issues tomorrow if and when I finally catch him.

 

[falconut]

I believe that many people have experenced this typical behavior with these fish. It's usually recommended to add the CBB first, but since it's done. I'd imagine you'd have to leave the Tang out longer than a day. Maybe pull him out and reintroduce him a month later.

I added a CBB to my 90 after having a Yellow Tang for a few years and experienced not issues. But my Tang never showed any aggresion to any new fish. Good Luck

 

[Fibinotchi]

The butterfly will probably not survive without removing the tang and may not survive at that with the stress it has already gone through in being attacked from the get go. It also may not eat your aiptasia.

 

[a.stebel]

I would get rid of the yellow tang, and just get a new one. This way the CBB is now introduced before the yellow.

 

[GXPKY]

I know the LFS people and they had been moving LR into the tank that had aptasia on it, the cbb had totally cleaned all of the rocks they had placed in that tank so I know it has an appetite for it, I have also seen it nipping at it when the yellow tang gives it a chance. He defends himself pretty well and the yellow tang has probably damaged himself more than the CBB by swinging his tail into the CBB's huge dorsal spines. Just curious if moving the yellow tang for a period of time will reset his idea of what "his" territory is.

 

[GXPKY]

Good idea, may see if the LFS here will let me trade out mine for theirs.

 

[GXPKY]

Trying the mirror method right now, seems to be keeping the YT distracted. Hope it works.

 

[snorvich]

The butterfly will probably not survive without removing the tang and may not survive at that with the stress it has already gone through in being attacked from the get go. It also may not eat your aiptasia.

Agreed. Once they get stressed out, they are difficult to acclimate. But if it is a proven aiptasia eater (not all are), it is worth the trouble to remove the yellow tang and trade it to the LFS.

 

[GXPKY]

Finally got the Yellow Tang out of my DT, the CBB is eating now, don't think he stressed too badly, he didn't stand down to the Yellow Tang's agression much, so hopefully it didn't tick him off too much.

May just keep him out of the display for a few weeks and return him and hopefully he'll be done causing issues.

 

[JamesJR]

CBB's are very tough to keep even without being bullied. I would keep some live blackworms handy in case it goes on a hunger strike. Good luck.

 

[GXPKY]

Thanks James, I'll check into it. He was picking rock immediately after I introduced him, even in between the bullying. He seemed like he was shrugging it off pretty well, and actually the tang probably hurt himself more than he hurt the CBB, the CBB's dorsal spines were there waiting for the tail smack.

 

[tcoral]

Had the same problem with a yellow tang bullying my CBB and the CBB was in there first. The tang was outta there! Have no problems with any other tang, just the yellow. I have a sailfin, a purple, orange shoulder, royal and a bristletooth and they leave the butterfly alone.

 

[GXPKY]

May just get rid of the yellow tang all together for another fish, I'm far from his biggest fan right now.

 

[BlueCorn]

I went through that a few years ago. I ended up putting an egg-crate partition in the center of the tank to keep them separate. It took over 6 months for the tang to settle down.