yellow tangs

[weizer896]

I was just wondering why yellow tangs are so aggressive toward some other tangs. I just got a powder blue...powder brown and a foxface. A couple of the yellow tangs are being mean toward the powder blue and foxface. I also recently put in two hippos and some kind of (assorted) tang,they haven't bothered them at all. What can I do to keep the yellows from messing with the powder blue? Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Anita

I forgot to add...this is a 380 gal

[GaryP]

Because they are bullies. Next question?

I'm sure there is a long, drawn out, scientific explanation involving teritoriality and stuff like that, but they are still bullies.

[SGTDirk]

i heard if you take out all of the fish and re-arange your live rock. then after that is done put the fish back into the tank and i would put the yellow tangs in last. this way everyone has to pick new spots to hang out. i hope this will help you.

[jc]

I just added a semilarvatus butterfly and a powder blue to my tank today. My 2" yellow tang is harrassing the butterfly. I guess it's because he is mostly yellow. I was surprised because the butterfly is at least 4". My purple tang is less aggresive than the yellow. I turned off the lights on the tank and covered it with a blanket to give the new fish time to relax. If that tang does not behave than his $20 behind is going into the sump.

[Enigma13]

I agree w/ Gary, they are just mean. Mine has given the other fish a hard time each time I added a fish, but he usually calms down after about 4-5 days. He put a nice little gash in my Pyramid Butterfly when I added him, but luckly he recovered. When I added my Scribbled Rabbitfish he went beserk and killed 2 chromis as collateral damage. Short of catching the yellow tangs and restricting them to the sump for a couple of days I would just turn down the lights and hope for the best.

[brewercm]

Just plain mean old SOBs. I had one that picked on a purple tang when I added the purple, they finally stopped but it took a day or two.

[brieman]

They are starting to calm down a little, the powder brown and fox face are paying them no mind. The powder blue is still kind of cowaring in the rocks.

[GaryP]

Keep a close eye on the Powder Blue. They are notorious for breaking out in Ich when they are stressed. Just shipping and introducing them to a new tank is often enough. Being harassed by another fish is just more stress. Make sure it's eating well.

[jc]

I caught my yellow tang and moved him into the sump. Do they eat cheato? He is in the cheato section of the sump because that is the only place with enough room for him. My options are leave him where he is, trade him in, or move him to my reef tank. I was excited to get a shipment in yesterday and by the end of the day I was bummed out because so many fish were fighting. I added a saddleback anemones and a small ocellaris to my reef tank. I read that you could add a new clownfish to an existing one if the other has been in the tank for many months. The idea being that the younger one will change sex to pair up with the older one. My original clownfish is picking on the smaller one and the smaller one just keeps following him around. They seem to be better today. Hopefully they will use the anemones soon.

[GaryP]

Yellow tangs will not eat chaeto. Foxface are the only fish I have seen that will eat it. Its about like chewing on a brillo pad. There's not much a foxface won't eat.

[Jeff]

my yellow, regal tangs, fox face, and banded sleeper goby eat cheato. i also had a naso that wouldeat it.

[PUMA]

Yellow tangs are mean little buggers. I had a 6" hippo tang chased right out of the tank by one. RIP. When I introduce new fish in that setup, I move around some rocks, turn off the lights for a day. This confuses the yellow ******* enough. Oh, I also give them plenty of nori.

[seamonkey2]

agree with Jeff, every time I have extra cheato, I put it in a clip and they all love it

Jose

[GaryP]

Hmmmmm...

I stand corrected.

[saltcreepette]

jc, maybe if you wait a few days and let the other fish establish their territories, you can add the yellow back in. Im sure he will calm down eventually (well of course I am not SURE, but chances are good.) Especially if he wasnt too hard to catch, then if it didnt work out you can remove him again. My yellow has bullied new additions but hasnt killed anyone and has settled down within 48 hours.

My particular yellow wont eat chaeto, and neither will the foxface. I guess each fish like each human has different tastes!

[brieman]

Everyone has calmed down and seem to be getting along a lot better now. The powder brown follows the powder blue everywhere like a little puppy.

[jc]

It took me 1 hour and a very wet floor to catch that yellow demon. He has been in the sump since yesterday. Everyone else is just chillin now. The clownfish are swimming together also but they still ignore the anemone. How long do I keep the tang seperated.