Lipstick Tang Versus Yellow Tang

[Nafe]

Hi guys.

I just brought home what im hoping will be my final fish purchase for my tank

It is a beautiful very tame and Placid Lip Stick tang. Unfortunately my Yellow tang has gone on a crusade against it and pretty much bashed the hell out of it at first but calmed down. I rearranged tha tank a bit to make sure the entrances to the Yellow tangs cave are primarily on one end of the tank while i created a new cave at the opposite end of the tank for the Lipstick Tang.

By the end of the day the yellow tang was still harrasing the lipstick tang but only threatening with it tail spine not actually cutting the other tang with it.

The good thing is that the lipstick tang took it all in its stride and kept on grazing the entire time this was going on.

Is there any hope that the yellow tang witll accept it? i have seen yellow tangs mixed with different species of tang in other tanks and my LFS who are usually pretty handy with advice didnt feel there would be a problem.

Could this just be an initial thing? or can i expect it to be hostile to the new tang permanently.

[Casey]

Well your store was wrong,mixing tangs is always risky in a tank they love to fight each other and can do damage with that tail spine,it sounds like you have done good by making the caves and rearanging just give it more time and he will get tired of harassing him good luck with him you picked a very nice tang

[Loverotties]

I have herd people have takin the yellow out for a couple hours and put them back.It's just like my Purple, seems that you need to put them in last.You could try a tank devider for a day or two then take it out.Good Luck!

[JennM]

It's usually easier if both are introduced at the same time. The yellow has established a territory and the Naso is a competitor.

Rearranging the rockwork is a good thing, leaving the lights off for a while is another good thing. As long as there isn't a big size difference, they should be able to work it out, provided your tank is large enough.

Tangs of like body shape are usually a no-no however the yellow and naso are different body types.

Keep a close eye but I'd bet they'll settle down.

Jenn

[skeety]

Originally Posted by Nafe

I just brought home what im hoping will be my final fish purchase for my tank

now THAT is funny!!!

[Hong Kongan]

My yellow fought with my white cheek they did the whole tail bashing thing. I think its all for show and they calm down after a while even though the yellow still chases the white cheek from his fav. grazing spot. Oh also the yellow was in the tank a month after the white cheek was placed in the tank.

[Nafe]

Thanks for the advice guys luckily they have calmed down.

I was also thinking about taking the Yellow tang out and putting it in a spare tank for a little while, but it seems that time and the rock work movement was a good idea.

I thought i had completely blocked off the yellow tangs caves entrance to the opposite end of the tank but there were a few little spots where it was still sneaking through and early this morning was still harrasing the new tang. I blocked them off and came home tonight to see them great together, they still come up next to each other now and then and do the whole lateral line vibration thing but thats it and they go about there business.

The only time the yellow tang is still aggresive is when the Naso tang is at the entrance of the yellow tangs cave. But otherwise i seemed to have created a neutral zone where they both graze and ignore each other which is good.

Im a bit worried about the stress the initial fighting caused, the naso really got a bad beating. Ive put some stuff in the tank that will improve the fishes "stress coat" and it seems to be grazing well ill just have to keep an eye on it.