Aggressive Powder Brown

After doing some research on this tang, I added him to the tank last week. No problems, eat right away and seemed to be fine.

Last night, I added a Sailfin tang. I had read that the powder can be aggressive sometimes, especially to tangs of similar body types. I had thought that because the sailfin was a different body type, I'd be ok.

I was wrong.

The poor little sailfin was immediately attacked. He's been hiding up in a corner of the tank now. I turned out all the lights and had hoped that would calm things down. Otherwise I setup my QT tank last night, for a move today if needed.

My question is, is there anything I can do to settle the powder blue down? I'm worried that any other new fish introduced might now have the same issue. What do you guys think?

 

If you can you could remove the powder blue or brown, what one do you have? Re-arrange your rocks and put him back in.

The salfin is the least aggresive of the tangs.
You might be ok with time by just leaving everything alone but this is also stressful. Your kinda in a tough spot.

 

I have a powder brown.

I could try to remove the powder brown, but of course he's choose the one cave that's inter weaved between all my rocks to use as his hiding spot. I would have to take all my rock work apart to get to him. Which again is going to stress out the entire tank.

If I don't remove him, but still move all the rocks around, could this have the same result?

 

They may settle down in a couple of days when pecking order are done. Just like a new kid at school. Just keep an eye on them for a few days.

 

What is the tank size?

 

Its a 6 foot, 125 gallon tank.

 

As word of advice, you should add the most aggressive fish in your tank last. As far as your current situation, as long as the aggression isn't too bad, I would wait it out a few days. Try to target feed the sailfin to make sure he's eating. If the powder brown is really giving it to the sailfin, then more drastic measure are required such as rearranging your rock work.

 

Thanks for the advice. The powder brown was a planned on fish, but not in the order he went in at. From what I had read, I didn't anticipate him being such a pain, being put in before alot of the other fish.

I'll have to see when I get home from work what condition the sailfin is in.

If I end up removing the powder brown for now, would he be ok in my 55 for a few weeks while I add the rest of my stock list?

 

Also make sure they are well fed for a while. When tangs go hungry they get aggressive. Put some broccoli or nori sheets in there for them to nibble on all day.

 

I noticed the same exact thing with my powder brown also in a 125. Everything I have read says there not too bad as far as aggression goes, but mine is a monster. I have a yellow tang thats maybe a half inch bigger than my PBT that is king of the tank, but any new additions swiftly get pummeled by the powder . . . go figure.

How big is your PBT, and how long are you planning on keeping him in a 55 gallon time-out tank? It might help if after he is removed you change the rock work around some so when he is re-introduced he wont recognize anything as his turf. Here is a thread I started a while ago with some good suggestions on how to deal with established tangs.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/established-tangs-nightmares-72707-2.html

~Will.