Tang Aggression Diffusion

[macman7010]

I recently purchased a Clown Tang that will sooner or later be added to the tank we are setting up an our office - a 150 fish only tank. The tank is cycling far slower than I expected and since I dont advocate the recent trend in "quick cycling" products Ill stick it out for the long haul where cycling is concerned.

I have an 80 gallon reef (probably about 110 gallons of total system water with sump and refuge) that I would like to put the Clown Tang in for now. It has been in qt nearly a week, is eating dried norii well and seems ok. I have a lavender tang in my reef already who has staken most of the reef as his territory. The lavender is about 4 inches total and the Clown maybe two - 2.5. I am certain the Lavender will be of the offensive if I put the tang in the tank so I spoke to my friend who owns a fish shop about it.

He recommended netting the Lavender and placing him in the reservoir of my wet/dry filter and leaving him there for about 1 week. In the meantime introducing the Clown Tang to the reef and then at a later time re-introducing the Lavender. According to him this often times gives the Clown tang (the smaller of the two) time to stake out a claim and the Lavender will not bother him. He also suggested putting the Lavender in the reservoir now and introducing the two together.

Right now the clown is in a 20 gallon long qt and if anyone thinks this will under no circumstance work or has done it and had good or bad expierences let me know and Ill let the clown be until this tank cycles through.

 

[Hara]

a 2.5 inch fish in a 20 gallon is ok. I would not displace my own fish for the sake of one that isnt going to be there long. Besides, the clown needs to be in the quarantine tank.

 

[tripper]

macman, in a very recent post you asked this very question and were told that the two tangs would not get along well:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=63422

Unfortunately, it does not look like you "held off" like you said you would. That being said, your clown tang should stay in QT until your office tank is complete. It should be in QT for a minimum of 4-6 weeks and according to your last post, you office tank will be cycled by then and you can add it directly to that tank.

tripper

 

[Brenden]

I agree with Hara. I would not remove your current tang nor intro a new one that has been in QT for only a week. To much risk of stressing the fish and introducing something bad into your tank. If water changes etc. on your QT are taking a toll on you try putting a piece of rock from your main in your QT to help take care of your bio load.

 

[macman7010]

No I didnt hold off - I ended up getting the fish for 15 bucks and couldnt pass it off at that price. Ill just keep him in qt for the rest of the time period although I wondered if anyone had used this type of technique in the past to quell tang agression. The fact is often times two Tangs of the same sub species will get along fine. I have seen countless tanks with purple and yellow tangs together, as well as powderblue and brown tangs together. It is also known by many that tang aggression is often short lived, sometimes dying down in 24 hours or less so diffusion for that time period could equal a harmonious keeping of 2 tangs together.

 

[tripper]

I think you may be correct in your analysis of Tang aggression, but it certainly won't be true in a tank that small. If you were talking about a tank that was 150G or larger, you could easily have a couple different tangs and they could stake out their own territory. Unfortunately, in a tank that small I think you would have very bad aggression issues, and the Lavender would probably win due to its size.

tripper

 

[seaham358]

Ok answer this... What is a Lavender tang?? Agree with the others, why stress the Lavender? tang.

 

[Salttanker]

Here you go Seaham358. It is also known as the Spot-cheeked Surgeonfish.

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1445

Mike

 

[seaham358]

Thanks.. A Petco by me just had some of them and I have never seen them before. They did not have a name on the tank.

 

[lando]

Funny, I was at Petco today getting dog food and they had one of those tangs...no tag. I have never seen one before.

 

[dianeww]

I was at Petco today getting dog food

No fish, huh?
(Sorry, couldn't help myself! )

 

[i have crabs]

if you insist on putting them together i would rearange a bunch of the rocks to disturb where the the fist tangs turf is then both have to find a new home and it keeps a lot of agression from happining,if they are gonna fight though rearanging wont stop it but will make it not as bad.and then you might be lucky enought to have to take every rock out to catch him and put it back in the 20g anyway.