Purple tang is getting wrecked by my yellow tang...

[Mr Cob]

75 gallon regular tank with an Established Yellow tang.

Just added the Purple about two hours ago and he is getting worked by the Yellow. Yellow will not let him anywhere near the "reef" or rock work...

Purple's fins are getting torn. Both fish are the same size.

Should I wait it out?
Remove the Purple and put him in the sump?
Yellow is not coming out...he's smart, I already tried.

[aquasport24]

do you have any eggcrate to use as a divider to separate them out for a while?

[jc]

I've had this happen before. What I did was turn off the tank lights and cover the tank with a sheet. I forced them to sit in total darkness for 24 hours. When the lights come back on they don't seem to be as aggressive. Just the occasional skirmish.

[Gseclipse02]

just let them be ... ours fought real bad for the first 3 days than after about a week they got along real well .... i just added a mimic tang (SP) and they let it in like it was there child lol

but if u want to sell it ill take you to micky D's for it and you can order any thing that's under a dollar (ps you have a ten dollar limit) lmk via pm lol

[BA]

LOL that sounds like a good deal

[Mr Cob]

It's funny, the purple has been forced to the upper left corner of the tank but he is starting to defend it now...so I'm hopeful.

I like the idea of turning the lights out and may do that if he loses his footing on the corner.

It's been exciting to watch these dudes.

Julian... I'll give you the shreds from his tail. LOL!

[Mr Cob]

Okay, using Jacob's idea... lights out... the Yellow is getting too crazy.

[Kristy]

The egg crate dividing the tank worked great for us. We added our purple into our 100g maybe three months after the yellow tang, who was very sure he was boss of the tank by then. They scrapped pretty badly. Had to move a couple of pieces of rock in order to get the egg crate in there, then left it for a week. When we finally pulled it out, there was peace on earth.

Funny enough, we could not wedge the egg crate perfectly no matter how hard we tried, there was always a tiny gap somewhere. Every other fish in that tank found its way between the two sides, but the tangs could not, so they were the only ones really on restriction.

[Henny]

Okay, using Jacob's idea... lights out... the Yellow is getting too crazy.

I did the same thing when I introduced a Naso, my Powder Blue was really going at him. So I turned the lights out a few hours and the next day the Powder Blue wasn't as aggressive. I also put extra Nori in the tank because I read somewhere that if they're well fed they tend to be less aggressive as well. Worked so far. Good Luck!

[hilltopperpete]

One thing I've read about a number of places is that rearranging some of the rockwork when adding new fish helps decrease aggression because you essentially give the established fish a new territory to scout out rather dumping a new fish in when the old fish has an territory to defend.

[g-ray]

I would try to remove the yellow for awhile so the purple can settle in. Put the yellow back in and put a small mirror up on the side of the tank the yellow stays in so he will attack him self instead of the purple.

[Mr Cob]

Yeah, I always move stuff around or add a new rock when I add a new fish.

If they are still going at it tonight when I turn the lights back on, I'm going to implement the egg crate idea. I have an unused piece that I need to cut. I'm almost certain I will not be able to get it to fit tight enough though but we'll see.

Thanks for the replies...I'll post an update later. The things we do for our tangs...LOL!

[g-ray]

try just using the mirror first but try to have him notice it and follow it

[Mr Cob]

I would try to remove the yellow for awhile so the purple can settle in. Put the yellow back in and put a small mirror up on the side of the tank the yellow stays in so he will attack him self instead of the purple.

LOL...I like the mirror idea...that's funny...who would have ever thought of that!?!

BUT...the Yellow is not coming out! He's been tagged as "Uncatchable without removing everything first", and I don't want to go there.

[g-ray]

yeah just try the mirror alone then it has worked for me in the past. If it doesnt work try to catch him and put him back in. Easy way to catch a tang is to turn all the lights in the house off all of them! lol and they come out in the dark, put the net in the tank where he usually hangs out and have your wife turn on the lights real quick, and swoop him up because he will get freaked out by light

[addboy]

I'd have to agree with putting another fish in....a really agressive one.

[Mr Cob]

"Lights-out" worked. The Yellow has established his dominance, purple is being allowed to live, the aggression is down to short chases but no nipping and knife fights.

[txav8r]

Glad to hear they are coexisting. It looked pretty rough Tuesday.

[The Butcher]

yeah just try the mirror alone then it has worked for me in the past. If it doesnt work try to catch him and put him back in. Easy way to catch a tang is to turn all the lights in the house off all of them! lol and they come out in the dark, put the net in the tank where he usually hangs out and have your wife turn on the lights real quick, and swoop him up because he will get freaked out by light

Gary knows this trick first hand. When I purchased a Tang from him, his apartment was pitch black, he kept mumbling something like "The light,the light, turn off your phone, he can see the light, the light :lightbulb:" I was puzzled at first, especially when Gary slithered across his floor towards the tank, he told me it was so the Tang wouldn't see him. I'm still not sold on that part though, I really think he was trying out some new dance move he saw on Youtube. It was like some :ph34r: Ninja mission or something, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to stand perfectly still, or run like hell. Then all of a sudden, he dives into his tank (Gary is somewhat untall, but has a great personality and a Big heart :wub: for those that don't know him.) Gary then comes back to the surface with the Tang in a rear-naked choke headlock, when all of a sudden the Tang tapped out. Needless to say, I ended up with my Tang and a story to tell. Thanks Gary (G-Ray), you're the Best!!!:rofl:

p.s. Yes it all did happen, even if Gary doesn't admit it. :innocent2::angel:

[g-ray]

LOL!!! Yup it did hahaha I had to bust out the ninja shadow dance on that tang haha... Thats super funny I cought that tang quick though like 10 min.

[Mr Cob]

Well, I'll definitely try it should I need to catch a tang. Pretty cool idea. Gary, you are too funny maen'

[Pennies2Cents]

One thing I've read about a number of places is that rearranging some of the rockwork when adding new fish helps decrease aggression because you essentially give the established fish a new territory to scout out rather dumping a new fish in when the old fish has an territory to defend.

Rob, the above request is exactly what Ross & I did when we got our Sohal. The purple was just tearing him up. And everything after our arrangement went just fine... :)

[moe]

Gary knows this trick first hand. When I purchased a Tang from him, his apartment was pitch black, he kept mumbling something like "The light,the light, turn off your phone, he can see the light, the light :lightbulb:" I was puzzled at first, especially when Gary slithered across his floor towards the tank, he told me it was so the Tang wouldn't see him. I'm still not sold on that part though, I really think he was trying out some new dance move he saw on Youtube. It was like some :ph34r: Ninja mission or something, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to stand perfectly still, or run like hell. Then all of a sudden, he dives into his tank (Gary is somewhat untall, but has a great personality and a Big heart :wub: for those that don't know him.) Gary then comes back to the surface with the Tang in a rear-naked choke headlock, when all of a sudden the Tang tapped out. Needless to say, I ended up with my Tang and a story to tell. Thanks Gary (G-Ray), you're the Best!!!:rofl:

p.s. Yes it all did happen, even if Gary doesn't admit it. :innocent2::angel:


lol I love this story

[g-ray]

Well, I'll definitely try it should I need to catch a tang. Pretty cool idea. Gary, you are too funny maen'


lol thanks rob :blushing: I am just crazy haha :what_smile:

[The Butcher]

lol I love this story
Moe, you have no idea!!!:bigsmile:

[Mr Cob]

Update on Purple tang.

He's doing great but definitely turned out to be sub dominant to the Yellow tang. He has a cave to one side of the tank that he stays close to and I used my mag float to hold seaweed right next to it and he comes out and munches frequently.

The Yellow drives by and gives him an occasional "stink eye" with a flooded chest just to keep him in check.