Tang Compatibility Question

[cwschoon]

I have a mixed 120 gallon with a great deal of live rock, lots of crevices and hiding spots. My Yellow Tang is 4 years old and I am thinking of adding a very small Purple Tang. My question is:do you think the little guy will stand a chance? Am thinking with so much rock and hiding places, there is a good chance that the answer is yes.
Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[Dmorty217]

I have a mixed 120 gallon with a great deal of live rock, lots of crevices and hiding spots. My Yellow Tang is 4 years old and I am thinking of adding a very small Purple Tang. My question is:do you think the little guy will stand a chance? Am thinking with so much rock and hiding places, there is a good chance that the answer is yes.
Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

If you rearrange the rock work to break up the yellows territory it shouldn’t be issue. Add the purple after lights go off.

 

[OrionN]

You may want to have a mirror handy to distract the yellow tang. Also QT the purple tang and make sure he eats well and know how to eat nori on a clip. Sometime new smaller tang have to stay in the rock works for weeks. If he knows how to eat from a clip, you can put the clip on a stick and direct it to him.
I often use the methods above to add new tangs into a tank full of establish tangs. It works well for me.

 

[cwschoon]

I have used the mirror with this Tang, as well as Angels. I know the safe way is not to add the Purple and having slept on it, probably will not, not because of cost but because I do not want to mistreat a living creature.

 

[OrionN]

.......but because I do not want to mistreat a living creature.

LOL.
Not if you take good care of them. I immagine if you take good care of a small tang, the chance that he have along life in your tank is much better than he would in the wild. It is a Fish eat Fish world out there.

 

[cwschoon]

Agreed but you have not met my Yellow! Even with all of the rock work and tiny crevices, my concern is that the Yellow will never let the Purple alone.

 

[five.five-six]

You never can tell. This tank is about twice the size of yours and I think I got really really lucky. Had to use the mirror trick for about 10 days.