Trouble with Tangs

PirateToast

PirateToast

New member
Hi all-

180 gallon tank. Powder brown tang established in the tank. I just added a desjardini tang yesterday. The powder brown tang went crazy as soon as the desjardini was added. He's harassed him non-stop.

I put a mirror next to the tank yesterday and the powder brown got distracted by that. However, I can clearly tell that the powder brown tang was getting extremely stressed out by the mirror after a few hours of attacking (I'm afraid this fish will have a heart attack). So today I had to take the mirror away.

However, coming home from work this evening, they are still going at it. The desjardini's fins look a bit abused. I honestly think the powder brown will kill this fish.

What can I try? I've got them separated with egg crate in the tank. Rearranging rocks and moving the tang are not options. Will they ever settle down? Do I have to return this desjardini so he can survive? Is there any tang compatible with a powder brown?
 
Honestly pull the powder brown and finish adding your other fish before you put it back in. This is the reason to add fish from least aggressive to most aggressive last to our tanks.
 
Dkuhlmann said:
Honestly pull the powder brown and finish adding your other fish before you put it back in. This is the reason to add fish from least aggressive to most aggressive last to our tanks.
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As stated, pulling isn't an option. The sequence thing is always overblown. It would probably work, but fish come and go, eventually conditions won't be ideal.

Not to mention, half the advice I've seen said powder browns were relatively peaceful. There are many threads saying they are much more docile than powder blues.
 
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I'd say pull it and never put it back. If he is a bully now he will not go soft later but rather cause you constant trouble.

As for the right sequence - it can make a big difference with some fish.

Also fish do not come and go - the majority of them simply have not the anatomy to do that.
 
PirateToast said:
As stated, pulling isn't an option. The sequence thing is always overblown. It would probably work, but fish come and go, eventually conditions won't be ideal.

Not to mention, half the advice I've seen said powder browns were relatively peaceful. There are many threads saying they are much more docile than powder blues.
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It's best to try to follow the sequence as much as you can, but I agree, we all lose fish here and there, and will often run into a fish at a LFS we hadn't previously considered during the original stocking, so it can definitely feel like a crap shoot at times. As far as the powder browns being more docile, this is generally the case it seems, in this "powder complex" if you could call it that, the goldrim/white cheek is typically noted as being the hardiest, as well as the least aggressive, followed by the powder brown, and finally the notorious powder blue. Of course all fish are individuals, but this is a general rule of thumb. Good luck :fish2:
 
i adding 2 small yellows tangs to a much larger, established purple tang with great success; however it took 6 weeks in an isolation box and when i finally released the yellows it was very dicey at first. my advice is keep them apart but visible to each other and maybe they will accept each other.

here is the thread for reference: http://http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2487327
 
My recommendation would be to remove the powder brown, at the very least until the desjardini establishes. Personally, I much prefer the desjardini - nicer looking IMO, hardier, more peaceful and much more effective at algae control. I'd definitely remove one of them though, otherwise that poor desjardini is destined to be hermit chow :blown: What I use to trap nuisance fish is I simply sink a plastic fish bowl ($5), to the bottom of the tank, and allow the fish to become used to it and comfortable around it (may take several days). I inject food into the bowl with a turkey baster or syringe and eventually every fish will venture in to grab a bite. Whenever your target fish wanders far enough in, you can slap a net over their exit, and BOOM you've got your fish. I'm in the process of trying to lure a Springer's damsel into my trap as we speak :headwally:. In the past I've had to trap several fish, including a Hoeven's wrasse, that was posessed by satan himself. Again, good luck :beer:
 
Trouble with Tangs

PirateToast said:
Regarding all the advice, I am not removing the powder brown. The desjardini would be returned before that. Which may have to be the case. I'm going to try the eggcrate method for a few days.

Any suggestions on tangs that the powder brown wont care about?

Ha, just found this: http://www.marinecompatibilityguide.com/acanthurusjaponicus
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No. Now that he is established he will likely pester any new additions.

An acclimation box will increase chances of success but by no means will it make it a certainty

My powder brown has started harassing a regal blue tang after four years together. Also messes with a much larger foxface. My A. Japonicus has become a major pia
 
SoloChromis said:
It's best to try to follow the sequence as much as you can, but I agree, we all lose fish here and there, and will often run into a fish at a LFS we hadn't previously considered during the original stocking, so it can definitely feel like a crap shoot at times. As far as the powder browns being more docile, this is generally the case it seems, in this "powder complex" if you could call it that, the goldrim/white cheek is typically noted as being the hardiest, as well as the least aggressive, followed by the powder brown, and finally the notorious powder blue. Of course all fish are individuals, but this is a general rule of thumb. Good luck :fish2:
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You are incorrect. The hardiest and most docile is the white face, Acanthurus japonicus. The gold rim/ white cheek is not regarded as hardy, being closer to the powder blue than the powder brown in that regard.
 
twon8 said:
You are incorrect. The hardiest and most docile is the white face, Acanthurus japonicus. The gold rim/ white cheek is not regarded as hardy, being closer to the powder blue than the powder brown in that regard.
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Acanthurus japonicus *is* a powder brown, mate :debi: I've always heard the goldrim/white cheek (Acanthurus nigricans) was the hardiest, both from books (Scott Michael etc.) and just talking with people, but were splitting hairs at this point, all 3 are very similar
 
Maybe try removing the sailfin and keeping him in the sump/ QT to heal up for a couple weeks and then reintroduce him to the tank with some other new fish to spread out the PB's aggression.
 
scooter31707 said:
Well since you are not following any advice, good luck. You won't have any more fish in your tank because the PB won't allow it!
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I'm not following advice that's already been prefaced as not an option (i.e. removing the PBT) or is useless (i.e. sequence, since what's done is done).

Also, the PBT is fine with many other fish, there are a few others that have been added without problem. Please just move along if you have nothing to contribute.
 
The issue is any of the tangs that would put that in its place will have to be a lot bigger and will outgrow your system.

If you have a sump move the problem one to the sump for a week add the fish you want then put him back it will calm it down.

I've been lucky as I have tang wise

Gold rim
Sailfin
Kole
Yellow
Jewel

They are all laid back the thing is every tang is different and has it own personality I use to have a big Regal as well but one day it woke up and decided it wanted to nip chunks out of my acans and throw them round the tank so it was removed yet it had been fine for a long time fish can and do suddenly change.
 
PirateToast said:
Does anyone have any suggestions on tangs that are more likely to be compatible with an aggressive powder brown tang?
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Maybe one of the bristletooths, the tomini, squaretail (C. truncatus), and whitetail (C. flavicauda) are my 3 favorites, although the whitetail is by far the most expensive and possibly most sought after, next to chevrons. I'm nearly positive the powder brown will still hassle it, at least at first. Good luck :dance:
 
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