Acclimating a female Swallow Angel with a Powder Blue Tang

[Clown Monarch]

Any advice on this?

When we put her in last night, our Powder Blue got very aggressive. She seems to be doing very well although she just arrived at the LFS last night after a 3-day journey. She's not breathing hard or struggling and appears very comfortable except for the stress caused by the Powder Blue. I stood near the tank for about 3 hours with a wooden dowel-rod and chased the PBT away when he got too close to her.

He's circling her but appears to have settled down a little (he's not nearly as vicious as last night). I checked her several times throughout the night and she was resting comfortably.

I'm at work now and my wife is getting ready to leave and she's worried about leaving them alone together. Should I just leave the lights off until I get home?

[fishfirst]

I would, at least for now... you should have had the PBT as the last introduced instead of the first due to its aggression... but also rearranging the decore can help with some aggression also.

[austinsdad]

but also rearranging the decore can help with some aggression also.

Agreed.

[revhtree]

If there were anyway to devide the tank for a short time that would help. I purchased a devider from the lfs that was for my 75g. I am sure they make them for a 125.

[Clown Monarch]

I'm trying to avoid moving live rock, but will if I need to.

I have considered some sort of divider but stopped short of moving anything in the tank.

Thanks for the tips. I hope she does well - she's a really beautiful fish. I'll be babysitting them again tonight.

[JamesR]

My PBT is very territorial. Mine went in last and still chases the others around the tank sometimes. I hate to see it. I think that she will mellow out, but it may be a while. Mine's been in a month and still chased the auriga around at least a few times a day.

Don't know if this will help. But at feeding time, i would put food on both sides of the tank at the same time, so that they didn't have to eat in the same spot, the PBT got very greedy at feeding time.

Good luck, they are beautiful fish.
Jim

[Clown Monarch]

Well, as of of right now the Swallow and the PBT are getting along swimmingly, pun intended.

Alright, maybe not perfect harmony - the Swallow peeks her head out from behind the live rock and if she comes out too far, the PBT lunges at her. At least he's not attacking her anymore.

She's breathing normal and eating fine. It'll probably be awhile before Mr. Blue allows her to swim out front - but she really looks like she wants to.