fighting tangs

[gen]

I have an 85 gallon fo tank. 5 months ago I added a powder blue tang about 4". Then I purchased a Blonde Naso tang about 7". He was in the QT after I purchased Him and when I added him to my 85 today the powder blue attacked him. kept chasing the blonde around the tank that I thought he was going to have a heart attack. I called the lfs and they said you can either put 1 or 3 of the same species not 2. so I went to the lfs and purchased a lipstick tang a little smaller than the powder blue. I put him in right away did not QT him because I wanted the powder blue to leave the blonde alone. Well the powder blue chewed on the lipsticks fins, he is hurting. I finally got the powder blue out and put him in to the QT so he would get away from the others. I read on a post here that you add the powder blue last because he is aggressive. Has anyone ever had this problem? What else can I do? If I have to get rid of any it will be the powder blue. the blonde Naso is beautiful!
Any suggestions!!!
Thanks Gen

 

[mr . salty]

I'm afraid that you have already answered your own question...Get rid of the powder!!!!I had a very similar experience with one,He would not leave two other tangs I had alone.This kind of fighting will end up with one or more of your fish dying.Either from thier wounds,or from a stress induced ilness(ICH).This really could mess up your whole tank....I also am worried about your local fish store.They should NOT have sold you these fish..

 

[fixitdude2001]

I myself dont advise adding another fish to stop them from fighting, do you have LR or lots of hidding spots? If you want to try this I would quarintine the newest fish first, rearange your tank around and turn out the lights, this might help [confusion sometimes helps] If it does great; ....fixit

 

[gen]

Well , adding the blonde naso was my fault I did not tell them I had the blue tang. The lipstick tangs fins are all chewed up. I just looked in on them and he is swimming and eating. Will his fins heal on their own or should I treat it? I can not put him in the QT tank because thats where the powder blue is. I know I will not be adding any more tangs to this tank!!! When I called the lfs and told him what was going on he did say "take out the powder blue." I couldn't catch him. I went to a lfs that is closer to my home and told him what happened and he is the one who said 1, 3 or more. Not the lfs that I go to all the time. I had a yellow tang in there with the blue and they got along fine. but the yellow was there first. I had a problem and he died. but nothing to do with the blue tang. will the blonde and the lipstick be ok together since they were added only hours apart?
Thank you Gen

 

[flamehawk]

85 gallon is too small for 3 tangs, especially a naso and PB. In fact it's too big for one the size of sweetlips or naso. It w/b ok for a purple or yellow. The fins should recover if tang is eating and otherwise ok. The lipsick and naso will not do well together. What other fish do you have in the tank? I would not go back to an lfs who advised you add another tang to get rid of the agression of the PB. Not an lfs who has your best interest in mind.
[ October 28, 2001: Message edited by: flamehawk ]

 

[dasnake03]

A lipstick tang is the same as the blonde naso,and you should only have three tangs if they are the same species,not if they are all differant species.Get rid of the powder blue and the blonde naso,and keep the normal noso.A 7" blonde naso is way too big for a 85 gallon tank.

 

[gen]

my other fish are a maroon clown, dwarf lion.

 

[flamehawk]

85 g tank cannot hold one full grown sweetlips or naso. A dwarf lion along with maroon clown and one of the tangs s/b ok for a while until you'll need to upgrade because naso or sweetlips will outgrow tank even if they will not get to maximum ocean size in the tank.

 

[here fishy]

Personally I would keep the powder blue as they are beautiful fish..The naso's need much more room as most surgeons are more of free swimming fish out in the ocean.. I have never had much luck with the powders so If you are doing well with him-keep him. If you decide otherwise and keep a naso make sure you have a couple of current sources for him to swim against or with.....
Have a great day