Starter tank history and current issue

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kcj.marine

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
1
Location
South Africa
Hey All,

I started my tank about this time last year and I took my time by cycling the water at first for 2 months, added some live rock for a further month.
Then I bought a few snails to set up the cleaners in the tank and also obtained a mushroom rock and 2 Clown Fish.

I then added a Coral Reef Beauty, Yellow Tang and 2 Cleaner Shrimps.
All went well for quite a few months but then things got a little green.

Yes, the tank got attacked by the dreaded green string algae and many dust algae particles started forming on the glass of the tank.

During this time the tank was infested by a few bristleworm that soon started breeding as well as an abundance of amphipods (I actually thought they were going to destroy my tank) and the mushroom rock was dying, loosing colour and mushrooms were detaching (and disappearing)

Advisers from the local pet store suggested I get a Goby, which I did get but it didn't seem to really seem to be doing anything so the same store then suggested a 6 banded wrasse which also didn't seem to work. At the same time I decided to purchase this amazing blue/green mushroom rock that was dazzling in the store.

Anyway, finally sorted the algae problem out and starting to get control over the green string algae that started dominating my rock work by completely decreasing the light volume and length of time the lights were on (almost by half). The amphipods and bristleworm has definitely decreased. The brown mushroom rock had completely died out by now but the blue/green mushroom rock started to gain it's colour back - finally !!

It's now time to add a few soft corals. I've added assorted polyps and coral torch green. A few days later I added an urchin to help clean the green string algae off the rocks and an awesome Clam Boring.

Things are really looking up in the tank now and everything seems to be going great.

Current issue : My wife purchased a Purple tang this afternoon as a birthday present to herself, however, the Yellow tang just seems to be attacking it all the time and doesn't leave it alone for more than 10 seconds and surprisingly the Coral Reef Beauty is also nipping at the Purple tang's tail and the new addition is not having a good time with his new reef mates. Considering the price of the purple tang - I had to act quickly and partition the tank because it was definitely going to die.

The purple tang is slightly smaller than the Yellow tang and probably the same size of the Coral Reef Beauty.

Do I need to return the Purple Tang or will these guys eventually calm down and become happy reef mates before destroying each other ?
 
Hi there, thanks for joining!

What size is your tank? Sorry about your situation. Right now, I would suggest moving around your rock and completely changing it. That might help a little with territoriality issues.

Good luck!
 
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