Tang vs. Butterlfy. Round 1

[volitan]

I have a 75 gallon reef with nothing but a cleanup crew and a medium yellow tang in it. Today I bought a Copper banded buttlerfly fish to join the tank. My LFS told me that since the body shapes of the tang and the butterfly are similar I should make sure that the tang is overfed with seaweed and algae so that the new inhabitant can adjust to the tank and establish territory while the tang is preoccupied. I did everything they told me to, but apparently the fish have been fighting because the butterfly has a wound in it's side, and they seem to not care for each other too much! What do you guys recommend at this point? I understand that the wound is pretty serious, but what can I do to keep it from being fatal?

 

[promisetbg]

You should always quarantine new additions...is it possible for you to set one up?It may succomb to a bacterial infection..which could prove fatal.It should be treated in a hospital/QT tank,directions on how to set one up can be found in disease and treatment.In fact,I would suggest posting this in D+T,and Beth can give you advice on what to treat him with.Perhaps try rearranging your tank,this will make the tang think he has to reestablish a new territory,and may quell the aggression some.Good Luck!:nervous:

 

[mbowker]

set up another tank, remove the tang for a while and keep the butterfly in the tank, move a few rocks around so the boundry is unclear, after about a half hour or a little more put the tang back in . they should be fine after this, new territories will be made

 

[volitan]

I will try removing the tang for awhile and rearranging the rockwork. The both seem to be fairly active today, but they are not spending much time around each other.

 

[ross]

Completely rearrange the live rock and keep the lights off and completely dark for at least a day. This will be less stressful for the butterfly.

 

[ky reefer]

well i think that u should put the TANG in the QT and the butterfly in the tank. LET THE BUTTERFLY MAkE HIS OWN TERRITOYR.
it works

 

[volitan]

I don't have a quarantine tank, but I did keep the lights off all day yesterday. Today is the butterfly's first day with the sun up.

 

[rubberduck]

Originally posted by KY REEFER
well i think that u should put the TANG in the QT and the butterfly in the tank. LET THE BUTTERFLY MAkE HIS OWN TERRITOYR.
it works

actualy i said that

 

[rubberduck]

but since ur my cousin i will let it pass
jk, btw whats new with the tang/buttterfly

 

[rubberduck]

or how is he doing?:nope:

 

[volitan]

He seems to be doing ok. I'm a little worried about the wound, though. I'm about to rearrange the rockwork a little. I think I'll also try supplementing his food with garlic to try to boost his immune system. What do you guys think about that?

 

[ross]

sounds like a very good idea to me.

 

[mbowker]

thats garlic based, i havent used but but i heard its a good product for wounds