sohal trying to kill kole

rcerulli · #1 01/09/2008, 11:37 AM

Hi All,

I have a 6" sohal tang that is trying to kill a kole tang i added last night. Kole is 2", eats, is pretty healthy. I added him with the lights out but the sohal has been trying to kill him since last night. I had to build a fort that the sohal couldnt get into to protect the kole. Any idea's on what to do? Typically the sohal has picked on new additions but the last time i added a fish he was 4 1/2". He has taken a big chunk of the top fin on the kole off.

Thanks!

Amazon4 · #2 01/09/2008, 12:28 PM

Can you remove the sohal for a while, move some rocks, and put him back? Can he go in a sump for a time-out?

Hormigaquatica · #3 01/09/2008, 12:47 PM

Thats pretty typical sohal behavior; its a nasty fish that just gets more aggressive with age. If you want relatively peaceful tankmates (like a kole tang) youre only real option long term is to remove the sohal. Ive seen them take out fish larger, and supposedly more aggressive, than themselves a number of times.

rcerulli · #4 01/09/2008, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hormigaquatica
Thats pretty typical sohal behavior; its a nasty fish that just gets more aggressive with age. If you want relatively peaceful tankmates (like a kole tang) youre only real option long term is to remove the sohal. Ive seen them take out fish larger, and supposedly more aggressive, than themselves a number of times.

I am seriously considering selling him. He tolerates my other fish but doesnt really ever get along with them.

rcerulli · #5 01/09/2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amazon4
Can you remove the sohal for a while, move some rocks, and put him back? Can he go in a sump for a time-out?

definitely an option. I might try that short term

AquaReeferMan · #6 01/09/2008, 01:28 PM

What size tank do you have them in? There aggression really comes out when they feel they are cramped.

jmaneyapanda · #7 01/09/2008, 03:39 PM

No offense, but what did you think would happen? You cant look somewhere without being told that sohals are ridiculously aggressive and should be the last fish added. Either be happy with your stock list, or lose the sohal.

mwood · #8 01/09/2008, 04:32 PM

Well said.

PS, is this in a 72 gallon bowfront?

rcerulli · #9 01/09/2008, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mwood
Well said.

PS, is this in a 72 gallon bowfront?

Yes

rcerulli · #10 01/09/2008, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jmaneyapanda
No offense, but what did you think would happen? You cant look somewhere without being told that sohals are ridiculously aggressive and should be the last fish added. Either be happy with your stock list, or lose the sohal.

The sohal was the second fish to be added, i have added 5 other fish AFTER the sohal and have had zero problems till now. Yes, hes ridiculously aggressive -NOW- but i havent added a fish in a few months and he has grown quite a bit.

So... What did i think was gonna happen? The sohal would be annoyed, but not try to maul the fish, just scare him as he has done in the past.

miwoodar · #11 01/09/2008, 07:09 PM

It's hard to imagine how mean a tang can be until you see it for yourself. Many people huff and puff but we too ignorred the advice and learned the same lesson the same way. In my case it was a yellow tang and a sailfin addition. Seeing that and extrapolating the aggression I saw keeps me away from sohals until I get a bigger tank and I can put it in as my last fish.

rcerulli · #12 01/09/2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by miwoodar
It's hard to imagine how mean a tang can be until you see it for yourself. Many people huff and puff but we too ignorred the advice and learned the same lesson the same way. In my case it was a yellow tang and a sailfin addition. Seeing that and extrapolating the aggression I saw keeps me away from sohals until I get a bigger tank and I can put it in as my last fish.

Sohal is currently in timeout in the sump, its amazing how quiet and calm my tank is without him in there... Its just... peaceful. I am going to contact the local aquarium and see if they take donations and i might donate him to them.

adtravels · #13 01/09/2008, 09:08 PM

It probably wont let up and the kole will most likely succome to a secondary infection as a result of the battering. Sad to see, clowns and sohals are real Karma destroyers.

REEFRHEAD · #14 01/09/2008, 09:41 PM

sohals are mean no matter how big a tank is they are the most dominent fish no matter their tank mates i had one for yrs in a 220 gallon tank and it dominated everything even harassed the eel a lil bit to the point it would tail smack him in the face over and over again. so i would say unless u have a really really large tank and completely aggressive tankmates i would stay away from them as mine killed off a few diff tank mates even after a few yrs of being in the tank with them .

rcerulli · #15 01/09/2008, 11:04 PM

my thinking was a big size difference between the tangs and the different families would make the sohal not feel a threat. I was grossly mistaken.

t5Nitro · #16 01/09/2008, 11:17 PM

As others have said, sohal tangs are very aggresive anyway. I'm really surprised you have gotten that fish to not bother the other tankmates being a 72 gallon and a 6" sohal at that. I think usually they say when they hit a 6" range they get a lot more aggresive, but I have never owned one. Good luck with your new addition.

rcerulli · #17 01/10/2008, 02:48 AM

any ideas on how long the sohal should stay in the sump? Hes pretty stressed. I put a nori clip in there so he has food to calm him down a bit.

mwood · #18 01/10/2008, 09:33 AM

Till you find him a new home. Understand, I have a big tank (300 gallons) with big aggressive fish (like a vlamingii and trigger), and he probably wouldn't work in my tank. He's less likely to work in a smaller tank with smaller less aggessive fish. He will not change his behavior because of a little time in the sump. That may work with other less aggressive tangs, but not likely with a sohal.

rcerulli · #19 01/10/2008, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mwood
Till you find him a new home. Understand, I have a big tank (300 gallons) with big aggressive fish (like a vlamingii and trigger), and he probably wouldn't work in my tank. He's less likely to work in a smaller tank with smaller less aggessive fish. He will not change his behavior because of a little time in the sump. That may work with other less aggressive tangs, but not likely with a sohal.

Stinks that my favorite fishes (tangs) have to be some of the meanest SOB's out there. But yes you are right, im going to contact the aquarium and see if i can donate him

mwood · #20 01/10/2008, 12:12 PM

Not all tangs are so mean, but sohals are.

01saleen · #21 01/10/2008, 01:57 PM

sohals are beautiful, but aggressive, i think you have a choice to keep the sohal or the kole.

rcerulli · #22 01/10/2008, 03:36 PM

anyone have any idea on how long i should keep the sohal in the sump to quell some of the aggression?

jmaneyapanda · #23 01/10/2008, 04:02 PM

I think it would be foolish to try to put it back in. I recommend you take it back to a LFS or other local hobbyist with a big tank and aggressive fish.

BrianD · #24 01/10/2008, 04:08 PM

Even if he was the only fish in the tank, he doesn't belong in the 72 gallon tank. Please listen to the advice given and find him the new home as you mentioned.

snorvich · #25 01/10/2008, 05:14 PM

A sohol needs an 8 foot tank. Some tangs can subsist in smaller tanks (75 to 100 gallons) but they will not do well long term as they are fish that need to swim.