How do I "toughen" up my Tang???

[carey]

Ok, so here is what's up. I have a baby naso tang in my 60g rimless currently. He started out smaller than a firefish but is now about 2 inches so I need to figure out where to put him as he is quickly outgrowing the 60g. His current tank mates are a firefish and a very recently added green blenny. That's it, some snails and hermits and coral but nothing too scary. The problem is the naso is very , very skittish. I had a contractor over today and he hid all day, didn't even come out to look at the food I fed several times already. He is still hiding and I expect him to continue to for a day or two at least. This happens all the time. lol He runs away if I get too close to the tank as well. I have had him for a few months and he still is a scaredy cat.

I only have two tanks that I can consider to place him in, one is a 90g which i am not too keen on adding him to due to the tank size and the 180g. The only issue is the fish in those tanks are WAYYYYY bigger than the naso and alot nastier. I know there will be fighting and the naso will come to an end like the 6 or so I have tried to add directly to the 180g.

How can I make him tougher? I need him to grow a set and become a normal fish. LOL I've been coddling him cause he was so tiny and cute but now that he is getting bigger he needs to have a forever home. I hate moving fish all over the place, I feel it just adds to the stress and potential for a dying fish is always there when stress is there.

Would adding a mean type of fish to the 60g work? The size is very limiting so not sure what i could add that might help him grow a thicker skin. The only fish I come up with are foxfaxes or rabbits and even then they arent known for being mean. I also have corals in there so no angels or coral eaters. hehe

Help, I am running out of time and really need to figure this all out before he becomes too too big for the 60g.

Thank you everyone!!!! Sorry it's so long, but as you mostly know already, I am very long winded.

 

[SeanMonster]

When I had a Naso in my 180g (back in the FO days) he was in with a Powder Blue, Volitan, Greenbird Wrasse and Banana Wrasse (nasty) among other fish. He never had a problem with any of them. It seemed no matter what issues the fish had with each other, everyone ignored the Naso. Maybe I got lucky, but that was my experience. Had him for 3 years in that scenario.


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[tonedogz]

I know its not exactly right but since he is only two inches and the other two fish are so small why don't you just leave him and let him get a little bigger so he will be able to handle himself better. I know you Carey you'll figure it out

 

[Gregcoyote]

How do I "toughen" up my Tang???

I have a similar problem, but reversed. I have a (now) 3" clown tang that thinks he's Mike Tyson. He attacks fish three times his size. Not sure what to do as he would disrupt the population in the reef if I add him. He's in a 6' long frag system for now.

My big hippo tang is skittish like yours. I built a overhang that is composed of a big piece of cap that provides a nice big roof. He loves to lurk there and comes out when the coast is clear. I agree that you shouldn't place him into a more stressful situation as you know what can happen then. Sometimes it's better to just provide the hiding space that will help them cope.

Sometimes all you can do is remember what not to do.


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[carey]

Yep, all good advice. I could add some rock to the 180g, I always have some laying around. lol That tank is due a rock redo anyways, the silly hippo tang is constantly trying to get into spots that he is like 3 times the size of. The other tangs ocassionally get some rock burns on their sides from jamming themselves in the rockwork.

i guess i am just a little scared since I have put in much much larger naso's into that tank and they havent fared well. And not from any aggression that i ever see either. I am like a hawk when I add a new fish and only sleep for a couple hours then check them again. I get super paranoid. lol But I never witnessed any fish bothering the other naso's yet they all died on me.
So not too sure what goes on in that tank at night. lol Though to be honest, I havent tried adding a tiny naso before, the previous ones were all huge. I mention this cause it seems I can add small fish like chromis and gobies and the tangs dont even notice. Its when I add a larger fish. sigh. lol.

 

[Gregcoyote]

How do I "toughen" up my Tang???

I assume you know how big they get and that they are very active because of where they feed? My clown tang is similar, they like to browse in surge zones so they are powerful swimmers. Not too hard to keep as long as in a adequately sized and laid out aquarium IMO.

You can also reduce the fright factor if the lights in the viewing room are significantly darker than in the tank. They can't see you then.

Some tang aggression is inevitable. Mine went 10 years without fighting now they hate each other. Go figure.

As always, you'll figure it out!

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[jeffaquarius]

I have 150 gal with yellow and blue tang aside from other smaller ones. I was not successful when I added a 4-inch naso which was about the size of the other tangs. There was no disease but he was not welcomed by the blue. He lasted only for about 2 months. I thought the powder blue is more aggressive than the blue.

 

[carey]

I'm not even sure which tang would be the culprit, they kinda travel in a pack lol. The last fish got grief from the blue hippo I have, and previously the tomini was a bully. The hippo is pretty big too, while the yellow, tomini and other mustard like tang are only like 4 5 inches. I just walked by the tank and since its before dawn its dark in there, the tang saw me and ran away but not before popping like 2 dozen white spots from the fear/stress. sigh I just don';t know what to do with this pansy tang lol

 

[Grizz]

give him a mirror or two, safety in numbers

 

[Swicicki]

You can take him out it the tank a few times a week and smack him around


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