Getting tangs to get along?

[jphendren]

This afternoon I added a small 3" clown tang to my tank. I already had a 4" desjardini sailfin in the tank, and she is not happy about the new addition. She has been flaring, and pursuing the clown for about an hour. Will this pass with time? I am watching closely to make sure they don't injure each other, it if come to fin damage, the clown will have to come out. So far both tangs have been bluff charging each other, but no biting yet. There are several caves that the clown can fit in that the desjardini cannot fit in, so it does have several places to hide at least.

Jared

[swooshjvm]

move some rocks around

[fishman]

I wish u luck my tank is 10 long 400 gallons with 1000 pounds of rock and my purple tang beat the c--- out of the yellow even though same size and yellow was in first. Has alot to do about grazing territory. I think i have to many tangs and i have 5. Keep a close eye out u might need to pull the clown.

[vegaskid]

I have 6 in a 300 gallon four of which I have had for 5 years.

[vegaskid]

They might settle down and get along ok with one becoming the dominant fish or the beatings may continue. Sometimes rock re-organization will help.

[vegaskid]

oh, I have a purple, two yellow, a hippo a sohal and a clown.

[jphendren]

Well, things seem to be working themselves out, it seems. Now the sailfin is keeping watch on the clown, not happy, but not charging as much. When they pass each other in the tank, her sails will stand up, and then go back down. The sailfin is larger, and has been in the tank longer, so she seems to be the dominant fish. The little clown is pretty tough though, he doesn't back down when she charges. Now I just have to figure out a way to get food to the clown without the sailfin taking it away.

Jared

[vegaskid]

i had three clowns initially thinking a grouping would be best and the first died within two weeks from sunken head bacterial infection. The second lived for 2 months with the same bacterial infection while also getting beat down by the sohal and died. The third is going strong now for nearly a year or so. Good luck :) They are great fish and super active.

[TheGreatAukSociety]

How big is the tank? In my 180 I have 2 tangs, a Yellow and a Powder Blue. They have come to a mutual conclusion over the past 2 years that they don't really like eachother.

Things that many people do to increase sucessful tang mixing
1. Large tank
2. Diffferent tangs
3. Plenty of food
4. Plenty of hiding places
5. Introducing the most agressive one last
6. Introducing the larger one last
7. Moving around the aquascape.
8. Luck

[jphendren]

Don't get mad, I know the tank is too small. It is a 55 gallon. I bought the tangs with full intentions to either upgrade to a 180 in the near future, or trap them when they get to large and trade them into Blue Reef, or another LFS.

The desjardini is supposedly a "semi aggressive" fish, while the clown is an aggressive" fish. My wife wanted the desjardini, so I bought it for her a few weeks ago, and now I am addicted to tangs LOL. I wanted the clown, so I picked that one up this afternoon. I fed the gang tonight, and everyone including my new clown ate well. I fed them seaweed and mysis soaked in garlic extreme. I am shopping for a 180 gallon aquarium, and am considering a Lee Mar or a Visio, so hopefully they will only have to live in the 55 for a short time. I am monitoring the situation very closely, if anything seems dangerous for either fish, out they go. I've created 4 or 5 caves in the rock work, so that should provide a safe place to help them de-stress. They don't seem to be fighting anymore, but they definitely are not "cool" with each other yet, watching each other closely.

Should I keep a couple seaweed clips up tomorrow to provide grazing material?

Jared

[RickMartin]

I have 6 in mine, initially the sailfin was very aggressive toward the rest. Once it established dominance and the others acknowledged it they all get along pretty good now and swim around together.

[iap]

I'm sure they will continue to fight until one is dead or beaten up really badly seeing how they are only in a 55g tank. Better get that upgrade quick or you will only have a few fish to transfer over when you finally get it up and running.

[craigvh]

Hows the clown?

[jphendren]

Still in the tank, and doing great. The Desjardini picked on him for a while, but backed off after a few days, no damage to either fish so far has been noted. Now the Clown will sometimes flare his fins when the two tangs are near each other, but only once in a while. They swim together all day, and usually don't mind each other's presence. I have a custom 225 gallon Lee-Mar Diamond Edge down at Aquatic Empires, just waiting for my cherry wood stand to come in. As soon as the new tank is up, the tangs will move into it.

Jared

[Aquatic Empires]

The stand is in. will deliver them on Tuesday as promised. Looks really really nice.

[JimmyC11]

I have five tangs two hippos, clown, purple, yellow and blonde naso and they all get along great :)