Zebrasoma v.

Notathumpa

Notathumpa

New member
I bought a beautiful 3" Sailfin for my first fish in my 120 reef. The tank has 110lbs LR stretched essentially the length of the tank, some spots reaching near the surface, some spots a few inches higher than the substrate, with swimming room the whole length in front of the LR reef. This is a beauty, but I bought it at the recommendation of my LFS( note that this is an LFS of exceptional reputation!). Now my question! It was told(by another LFS) that I might have a problem when I begin to introduce other fish? The Tangs only competition for food right now are 4 Lysmata wurdemanni, and they wait their turn! At least one exhibits cleaning behavior, so the Tang probably cuts them some slack! Should I be overly cautious when the tankmates are added?
 
It's kind of hit or miss with sailfins. They are generally passive, but may be aggressive in varying degrees to new fish.
 
i went through 3, every single one was aggressive! especially since it is your first fish, i am willing to be that when you add a lerger fish, not smaller ones, he will be aggressive. Like when you add an angel or butterfly or foxface, etc, he will chase them and be aggressive. Just my opinion, i went through 3, i kept returning them and swapping them out at the lfs and every one did the same thing.. maybe yours wont though!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13269560#post13269560 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mhills16
i went through 3, every single one was aggressive! especially since it is your first fish, i am willing to be that when you add a lerger fish, not smaller ones, he will be aggressive. Like when you add an angel or butterfly or foxface, etc, he will chase them and be aggressive. Just my opinion, i went through 3, i kept returning them and swapping them out at the lfs and every one did the same thing.. maybe yours wont though!
Click to expand...

So your Sailfin chased non-congeners which were added after?
 
well, i had a sailfin that was added last, then i added two butterflies, he chased them, so, i decided i would take him to the lfs becasue he was a nice sized example, and exhanged him for one about half the size, that one chased the butterflies too, so, took him back and got another, same thing, then decided to get a juvenile koran angel instead, only about an inch long!
 
Wow, ....and my understanding was the were one of the least agressive of the Zebrasomas. Although Butterflies are very passive, so I guess that's why?
 
mine is about 9 - 10 inches and he was ok with new additions until i added the powder blue tang.. the sailfin was ok with the powder blue but follows the powder blues lead on harassing new fish to the point that fish that are intended for that tank are being bought and kept in another tank until my house hold move in the near future
 
Wow! I will definitely be Xtra cautious when introducing new fish. I was planning to stock with a shoaling species. Would love Anthias, but don't have the experience yet. The tang was planned to be the largest fish on my reef, though I have considered a safe Dwarf Angel in the future. Any thoughts on the shoaling species? I would also like a couple detritus/algae feeders(fish)?
 
Since I got my big Sailfin, I added three Bartlett's Anthias, a Diamond Goby, and a Bannerfish, and the only one he bothered was the Bannerfish. I had to keep chasing him away from poor David Bannerfish. The next day, all was well.
 
I'm scratchin' my head on that one, zemuron114?? I am a true plebecite in reef care, but seems like everything I read cautions against combining Sailfins? Maybe I'm missing something. What has your experience been?
FORDDNA...How do you like that Gobie?
 
forddna...How about the SandPeople? Does your gobie go deep or just ruffle the surface layer? I've read that some decimate the critter population in the sand....don't want that!
 
Just the surface, or however deep his mouth goes from the surface. He doesn't dig, per sae, just takes a mouthfull and filters it out. Sand comes back out his gills. :)
 
Thanks so much for the help. I'm doing a little research on the Gobies now......think I'll get one. I do have an active sand bed so a Diamond should do well. Many other attractive Gobies, as well!
I do hope my Sailfin behaves cause it's a beauty!
 
BTW, mine is full grown, so what I have seen is from a full sized one. I recently noticed mine looking a little skinny - he doesn't really come up for flake or pellets, but I just got some Rod's this weekend, and he comes up to get some! So just keep that in mind...once he runs out of things to eat in the sandbed, he'll need to be fed.
 
i thought they were talking about adding a new sailfin to a tank ? I must have missed something... lol

i keep sailfins together in large vats. they seem to be pretty tolerant of each other in holding scenarios (no experience with reef settings)
 
Thanks to all repliers! You're help is greatly appreciated. Right now I'm in extreme bummer mode cuase my 120 blew out and all my stuff is in styrofoam coolers and plastic vats! Now I need a new(bigger) tank. Wish me luck.
 
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