mling February 13, 2013 February 13, 2013 Over the weekend I got a Desjardini Sailfin from BRK to replace my 4 year old Saifin that died. The new Sailfin is only about 2.5 to 3". My Powder Blue, about 4.5", is giving the new Sailfin a really hard time. Chasing it all over my 156G so much so that is just hangs around the area around the overflows. It just gets to move from one overflow top area to the other overflow top area. The good news is that the Sailfin is feeding, both flakes and pellet. I have been re arranging the live rock, hoping to change power's "territorial marks" and also make places for the Sailfin to hide. So far that has not helped. Question I have is would this aggressiveness by my powder get better over time or should I start looking for a new home for the Sailfin ?
smallreef February 13, 2013 February 13, 2013 Do you have a qt tank to be able to pull out the PBT and put him in time out?....then give it a week or 2 move the rock again a few days before you put him back in...this is my only suggestion...I think if it continues from there someone needs a new home...
mling February 13, 2013 Author February 13, 2013 Do you have a qt tank to be able to pull out the PBT and put him in time out?....then give it a week or 2 move the rock again a few days before you put him back in...this is my only suggestion...I think if it continues from there someone needs a new home... I had thought of that but my wife and daughter are very much against moving the powder, for fear of stressing it, causing ich, ..... I was going to move it to my 45G sump where I have a 2.5 fuzzy dawlf lion fish. The power would be too large for the lion to eat.
Coral Hind February 13, 2013 February 13, 2013 As long as there is no major cuts or extreme fin tearing, I would just leave it in there. The aggression normally slows down after a week once the PBT establishes dominance and also realizes that the sailfin is not going anywhere. As long as it is eating then it is not overly stressed.
Integral9 February 13, 2013 February 13, 2013 My powder brown is doing the same thing to my regal hippo. No fin tearing but a good amount of roshambo between the two. I've found that if I can keep an algae sheet in the tank (ie: the tangs don't eat it all in 24 hours) the aggression calms down. But if I miss a day, I'm likely to find the hippo hiding behind a return line or in the rocks and my powder brown being the bully.
Steve175 February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 Two algae clips each with a half sheet can help make sure he continues to eat. I would be ready with an in-tank acclimator (ideally for the PBT) if it get nasty. As above, likely will settle out within a week or so. I've got a PBT, Achilles, Yellow, and a Purple in a 250: thought the PBT (biggest) was going to need a time out the first few days after I added the Achilles, but they worker out their differences after about a week. "How did 1500G of saltwater cost THAT much?"
Incredible Corals February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 Two algae clips each with a half sheet can help make sure he continues to eat. I would be ready with an in-tank acclimator (ideally for the PBT) if it get nasty. As above, likely will settle out within a week or so. I've got a PBT, Achilles, Yellow, and a Purple in a 250: thought the PBT (biggest) was going to need a time out the first few days after I added the Achilles, but they worker out their differences after about a week. "How did 1500G of saltwater cost THAT much?" +1 I would put the sailfin in an intake acclimator if it gets worse. Something like a critter cage from petco will work or just zip tie some egg crate together. Another option is putting the PBT in the sump if you catch him for a week or so. If you go the sump route make sure you put a cover on the sump.
mling February 14, 2013 Author February 14, 2013 Thanks for all the advise. This Sailfin is still hunging around the overflow but it is eating well, flakes and pellet all find their way to the overflow so it does not have to venture out in to the "open sea' where that big blue guy is . But I think I will look into the egg crate route because I do know that a Sailfin should not be restricted to a small corner of a 156. The previous Sailfin would always do laps. ( my setup has LR in the middle of tank ) Now only the bully blue does. So where can I get egg crate ? Lowes ? What section ? Would it be under Lighting since I believe egg crates are used as light panels ?
MBVette February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 at lowes or HD go into the lighting section and find the diffuser for florescent lights.
CaptainRon February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 Quantum Reef had black egg crate in last time I was there.
Incredible Corals February 14, 2013 February 14, 2013 I think it's around $10 for a 3x2' sheet. Should be plenty and a good investment for future fish. Don't forget the zip ties too when you are there.
steveoutlaw February 15, 2013 February 15, 2013 My powder brown is doing the same thing to my regal hippo. No fin tearing but a good amount of roshambo between the two. I've found that if I can keep an algae sheet in the tank (ie: the tangs don't eat it all in 24 hours) the aggression calms down. But if I miss a day, I'm likely to find the hippo hiding behind a return line or in the rocks and my powder brown being the bully. Hahahahaha.......oh my darn! I caught this after a couple of cocktails. Nothing like a good "roshambo" between tangs!! Thanks for the laugh Integral!!
OldReefer February 16, 2013 February 16, 2013 I had a Powder Blue that killed everything I tried to put in the tank after it. I afraid this is pretty normal behavior, and it doesn't normally end well.
Steve175 February 16, 2013 February 16, 2013 I do believe in variability in fish personalities. I had a blue, a purple, and a yellow in a 250 to which I added an Achilles. The blue was (and has always been) a model citizen. The purple was relentless on the Achilles until I caught the purple and put him in time out in the sump for a month. Without interval aquascaping (but with the addition of several corals), all were good when I added him back. Tangs are pretty easy to catch with a rod, a barbless hook, and some krill IME (unlike the lemon angel that is terrorizing my SPS in my other tank).
zygote2k February 17, 2013 February 17, 2013 maybe you should not keep more than one tang in your tank- it's a better situation for the Sailfin to go to a less stressful situation. I can forsee a post in the near future about the tangs coming down with ick because of stress and then one or the other or both die from it. I have found that by introducing multiple tangs at the same time, that bullying doesn't really occur. My experience with this method is on the 9' tank, so this may not apply to your situation.
mling February 17, 2013 Author February 17, 2013 Well things seem to have settled down. The PBT does swim real close to the Sailfin like to scare it but does not try to hurt it by trying to bite. The sailfin is begining to wonder out of the overflow area to explore the rest of the tank but does retreat to the "safe" area when the PBT comes to close. So I have decided to hold off on the egg crate idea.
overklok February 17, 2013 February 17, 2013 The PBT will be in for a rude awakening, once the Sailfin has grown. I had a Sailfin that was harassed relentlessly by other tangs, until one day he turned the tables on everyone. The sea was angry that day...
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