Yellow Tang from 'Hell'

[Ed1942]

I've tried unsucessfully to introduce new fish to my established tank with the same results. My tank is stocked with a Yellow Tank, sixline wrasse, coral beauty, green chromis, lawnmower blenny, royal gramma, and two percula clowns.
The first try was with a powder brown tang. The fish acclimated well but, was picked on by the yellow tang (tank owner). After a couple days things settled down. But, the powder brown died after a week.
Now, I've lost a foureye butterfly under the same circumstances.
Is it the yellow tang? How can I introduce any fish without him killing them?

 

[DoubleM 10]

I've tried unsucessfully to introduce new fish to my established tank with the same results. My tank is stocked with a Yellow Tank, sixline wrasse, coral beauty, green chromis, lawnmower blenny, royal gramma, and two percula clowns.
The first try was with a powder brown tang. The fish acclimated well but, was picked on by the yellow tang (tank owner). After a couple days things settled down. But, the powder brown died after a week.
Now, I've lost a foureye butterfly under the same circumstances.
Is it the yellow tang? How can I introduce any fish without him killing them?

well how large is the tank?

generally speaking u need to add the most agressive fish last

 

[Ed1942]

75 gal FOWLR

 

[KafudaFish]

You are full to past max. then.


Sorry.

 

[DoubleM 10]

You are full to past max. then.


Sorry.

+1

yellow tangs are for a 100g or larger if im not mistaken.

your yellow tang is obviously very teritorial.

so the only way to get this to stop happening is to remove the problem

 

[Wolverine]

I agree with Mike, I wouldn't add any more. There are some fish the YT may tolerate, but it's likely to go after any similarly laterally compressed fish.

 

[PhilBobb]

If you remove the yellow tang, your aquarium would be stocked perfect. Yellow tangs can be territorial especially in a tank that small. I wouldnt put one in a tank smaller than a 120.

 

[Mental1]

My yellow tang was added last, got speared when he tried to take on the established chevron tang -- even months later, and now regularly spars with his own reflection in the glass. Silly yellow tang.

 

[Sonicblast12]

They are silly. Mine stays in the same spot all day swimming full blast into the current from a powerhead, occasionally turning to nip a rock. Only moves to eat or sleep. And very territorial towards new additions.

 

[K916]

Mine killed a beautiful Longfin Banner

Hate him for that

He was also very violent towards a Yellow Wrasse but the wrasse used to run rings around him. Doesnt bother him these days.

 

[namxas]

FWIW, a nasty yellow tang is the only fish I've ever seen a volitans lion "go offensive" on. The tang was returned to the LFS by a customer for being excessively nasty, so the LFS figured it wouldn't bother a full-grown volitans.

The tang had more nastiness than brains and the lion finally had enuff and repeatedly rammed it with its dorsal spines. The outcome? A peaceful lion and a dead tang.

 

[wgood33]

I have one, he is a jerk. My tank is 150, barely big enough.

 

[Ed1942]

Thanks to all. Just as I suspected; the YT has to go if I wish to add anything else to the tank.
He's a beautiful specimen and I have grown attached to him. Decisions, decisions...

 

[computeaholic]

I have a YT in a 75 that is happy as can be. Half grown. I do plan on getting a 150 in re next year though. As a general rule unless you have a very big tank you can only have one tang per tank. Some can get lucky and have a couple of tangs. But they are generally aggressive fish. The best way to be able to have more than one is add them at the same time.

 

[fish stalker]

Sorry about your fish loss, tangs IME and IMO won't let up without damage to themselves or others, my resident powder blue bosses the triggers and everything else in a 210. I only have 6 fish in there so everyone has room to do their thing :spin3: I would not be able to add anything to this tank without major reshuffling and effort to prevent bloodshed due to the tang so guess you would have to make a choice with your tang. Hope it works out.

 

[bruce 1]

I have one also that is a beast he fights everything.

 

[rocking]

i have more than one in a tank but the tank is 400g and some time it get reather crazy
but not sens i took the bigest one out of the tank
i have 1 m 2f so there happy

 

[reeffinatic]

yellow tangs are a pain I love mines but between him and my sailfin tang they assasinated 2 chevron tangs at two different times but I couldnt break my whole tank down to get the 2 of them out it would have taken me days to break my 210 down. Needless to say I wont add any other tangs in there with a remotely close body shape

 

[TampaReefer79]

I'd be interested to know your acclimation procedures, as it sounds like this might be a problem with losing fish. Are these new fish being qt'd? Qt'ing would help acclimate the fish to aquarium life and will allow it to start feeding without competition. Plus the stress level will be low and there will be no harrassment from competitors.

All that said, I wouldn't go trying a good qt/acclimation procedure to add more big fish to your 75. That isn't the answer. You have enough fish as it is, and could probably lose the yellow and have a very happy tank. Good luck!

 

[canoen15]

I as well have a pretty aggressive YT i am lucky enough to have my peaceful tank on the same system setup right next to my 180. I wanted to get a sailfin to add to the tank so i put him in the peaceful tank for a bit so him and the YT could see each other through the glass.This helped to let him get some size. After about a month or so the SF was just a touch bigger then the YT so i moved it into the tank with the YT and now they chase each other and act like they are best friends and swim around together all day long. i would like to think the time looking at each other through the glass helped. i am very surprised i have had no troubles.
I wish i would have done this with my other fish the tang picked on.
Though i still feel your pain i have a honeydew which i wish i never bought and as soon as i can catch him he goes back to the store... he is just a jack arse