Need help with a bully PBT

Acro-Phobia · #1 10/19/2007, 11:22 AM

I've got a 125 Reef tank with 7 fish and 2 skunk shrimp. The biggest guy is a powder Blue Tang, which is about 4.5" to 5". I was able to get a little 1" Blue Regal Tang into the tank last month without a problem because he was small enough to hide where the PBT couldn't get to him.

Yesterday, I tried to introduce a Gold Rim Tang into the tank. He is about 3" long. The PBT just absolutely beat the crap out of him. Tore his dorsal fin in two places, and bit three holes in his tail fin before I could rescue the Gold Rim back to the quarantine tank. Man!!!

I need some good ideas of how to introduce this guy into the tank without the PBT killing him. Help!!!!

meschaefer · #2 10/19/2007, 12:49 PM

Yank the PBT out of the tank, and place him into QT until the Gold Rim has had a chance to acclimate to his new environment.

Acro-Phobia · #3 10/19/2007, 12:59 PM

Catching him may be a real challenge. I may try to introduce the Gold Rim in with a fish breeder setup and while the PBT is trying to get at him, I might be able to net him.

Ever heard if the mirror technique works with Tangs?

adambaron · #4 10/19/2007, 02:02 PM

Its supposed to. When i introduced my pbt my sailfin did the same. I turned out the lights for the night and by the next day the sailfin was much calmer and everybody started to get along.

jda · #5 10/19/2007, 02:14 PM

I have had excellent success with keeping multiple tangs. One of my few failures has been goldrim and PBT. In my case, the brand new goldrim chased by PBT for days and day. It never hurt it. My other fish that are normally happy-go-lucky and non-agressive would not come out in the open and were a bit nippy. I finially took the goldrim out. All was back to normal in about 2 minutes. I guess that the goldrim was not a fit with my other fish. I have since added other fish and they all get along fine.

The QT suggestion is good, but prepare for the chance that they might never get along. You could also try feeding the heck out of the BPT - nearly constantly. Some have had good success with mirrors on the side of the tank.

Acro-Phobia · #6 10/19/2007, 02:16 PM

I think my new Gold Rim is going to get to live in quarantine for a while longer till I am ready to try again. I hate to see one get beat up so bad.

jda · #7 10/19/2007, 02:18 PM

Probably a good idea. If nothing else, to let it heal and start agressively feeding.

Acro-Phobia · #8 10/19/2007, 02:32 PM

Just saw your earlier response. I had to laugh on the overfeeding idea. He is fat as a tic now. I was overfeeding the tank because I had a Goldflake Angel I was trying to keep happy and off my corals. That didn't work but did manage to create a real big turf algae bloom. So now, no angels, more tangs...at least that's the plan.

A time ago I thought Tangs were just a goofy bunch of grazers. I'm learning that's not so. I saw something really cool on Blue Planet on the discovery channel.. Three PBT's trying to defend their coral outcrop from a herd of a couple of hundred Convict Tangs. They weren't successful but they were definitely giving it their best shot. Very aggressive.

woz9683 · #9 10/19/2007, 04:42 PM

I saw that too, it was very cool.

Wrench · #10 10/19/2007, 06:56 PM

You're having problems because they are both Acanthurus. Tangs of the same genus can't be mixed. The general rule is that if you want to keep multiple tangs they should be from different genus'. For example you can keep one Zebrasoms sp. and one Acanthurus sp. but not two of the same. Take it back to the store. Gold Rims are supposedly difficult to keep too BTW. You would have better luck with Acanthurus Japonicus (Powder Brown Tang)

Acro-Phobia · #11 10/19/2007, 09:58 PM

Thanks for the counseling. I had a Powder Brown and he didn't fair well. Don't want to try that again.

I have the powder Blue and the little Hippo and they seem to be fine together. What would be another nice Tang candidate that should get along with the PBT?

Wrench · #12 10/20/2007, 01:42 PM

You could get a member of the Ctenochaetus sp. like a Tomini or a Kole or a Zebrasoma sp. like a Yellow or Purple. Neither of them would have a hard time holding their own against a PB

Both are great fish and are better suited for smaller tanks. They are BIG TIME rock pickers too so you shouldn't have much trouble with turf algae

Keep in mind though, that anything you add to the tank now WILL get bullied by the PB for the first day or so whether it's a tang or not. Be sure to get good healthy fish that are eating at the store and acclimate them very carefully to minimize any stress.

Cantonesefish · #13 10/20/2007, 06:37 PM

You really shouldn't add any more tangs, the ones you have are more than enough in my opinion.