Adding blue/regal tang after yellow tang

[weekf]

Anyone has got any experience doing this? I have added a yellow tang 2 1.5 weeks ago he is now like a big boss in the tank. He wants to own the whole 132g 6 ft tank. That is unacceptable.

I got 10 chromis, 1 clown in the tank before added him. After that I added a bicolor blenny, a twin spot goby, a cleaner wrasse he doesn't seem to bother them. Then I thought well I am adding another naso tang 2 days ago. He kept on harrassing the naso using the side of his body to bump him. I since took the naso out and return to the LFS.

Now I want to add a blue tang, that is my ultimate goal, it is like a "must have" fish to me. Will this be a problem? What worse the size of the blue tang is half the body size of the yellow tang. How would you guys suggest me doing this?

I currently use an eggcrates to separate my tank in the middle part (done this last night) thinking of giving half of that for the blue tang to get use to the tank and let the yellow tang to forget about the rockworks of the other half of the tank. Currently the YT seems "lost" he dare not go near the middle of the tank where the egg crates is but will sure be fine in a day time I think.

I am getting the blue tang today and planning to get it to settle in the other half of the tank. Do you guys think this is a good idea? Or you have any other idea other than returning the YT to the LFS? I like this YT so much that I am not willing to let it go either as he is healthy and has got lots of personality.

Sorry for the lengthy post.

[Hara]

When you said you were going to add the yellow tang, a few of us told you that you will have this problem. The suggestion was that you should add it last and you didnt. YOU may plan on getting it to settle in the other half of the tank, but it doesnt work that way. Tangs use alot of swimming room, from one end of the tank to the other. Do you plan on removing the eggcrate at any time? If so, the aggression will start then. You saw it already when you added the naso.

I hope it works out for you, but I dont see it happening and don't really have any advice to give you other then rearranging rockwork or taking the yellow back. There is a reason we say the things we do.

[weekf]

Hmmmmmmm yeah I must admit you guys were right. I should have listened to you before I added the tang. The reason I add the yellow tang first is because I wasn't sure if I would add any blue tang later on because they are so prone to whitespot or ich.

Even when I add the YT I was kind of like not sure if I can keep it successfully. I finally decided to try it because it is the hardiest type of tang you can get. After I see the tang is so healthy and doing great that increase my confidence now that I want to try the blue tang, which is my ultimate dream. I love the blue so much if I would have to return the YT I would because come to think of the YT it is a bit too aggressive and I cannot add other tangs in future. Or may be I will add it last again in future.

What about temporarily move the yellow tang into my QT for 1 week? Then add the blue tang in the big tank. But this QT is only 20g and my tang is about 2 inches long. Will this small QT tank freak/stress him out? After one week I will move it back to the main tank with the blue tang already there? Will this work?

[ellisz]

Adding non-QT'd fish this close together is asking for trouble as well. Tangs are know to get stressed easily and blues are said to be Ich magnets under the right conditions. Did you not have an issue with Black Ich? I guess this was dealt with?

I feel for you though. I have hopes for a bigger tank to get another tang. Adding corals is so much easier. Just don't be in a hurry. 2 weeks is not all that much time. I would give the yellow more time. He will surely go after the blue. Definitely would have been better to add the yellow last.

[weekf]

I have decided to bring the yellow tang back to the LFS.

Say, even if I going to add a yellow tang in future after I have got all the tangs I want will the YT who comes in last still a bully to any other old tangs?

If YT is going to be a bully I am considering not adding it at all. No aggressions will be tolerated in my tank. Will he harrass other tangs even if I add the YT last?

Any experience is appreciated.

[2revup]

i have a blue and yellow in my tank, i did added the yellow after the blue had settled in (12 weeks) and these guys get on like best friends, however i do have problems with them ganging up on new arrivals. (small ones like blennies, dotty backs dot get bothered) this only lasts a few days if the other fish doesnt worry to much.


It can be done, just dont rush anything.
good luck

[melosu58]

I definitely agree with others. If you do decide to go with both and the yellow tang is only 2 inches long why not add a bigger blue tang and I dont mean a just barely bigger one. Needs to be double the size as the yellow tang. If there is any agression I always cut the lights out for a few hrs. As the others have stated it will not be easy.

[weekf]

Is YT always that aggressive? Does it really matter whether they come in first or last one in? Even they are last one going in I bet they are still going to be aggressive towards other tangs by the way I look at it. It has got this mean looks on its face...

[melosu58]

One thing I commend you for is your big tank. They have plenty of swimming room and you`ll need to not have the eggcrate in there. They`ll need every bit of that swimming room. Let us know how it goes.

[steveman]

I know this is an old forum but I just wanted to add that I have all tangs and the first one in the tank was the yellow tang. He seems to show who is boss for the first day and then he leaves the new fish alone. I have a kole tang, yellow tang, nasotang and just added the blue tang. so it is possible just keep an eye on them