The Mirror Trick worked A++++..

[bill109]

hey everyone,
so after 3 stressful days of watching a tang and an angel duke it out i got the tang out, and tried a trick where i leave it in the bag so they get 1 on 1 contact without any fighting. didnt work.
he was left in the bag for almost a day. it was a 1 gal zip lock. not a tiny lfs bag~
i turned the lights on this morning and the tang, as usual, started to chase it around.
some suggested putting a mirror on the tank so the fish would be so distracted by their reflection that it would leave the angel alone.
IT WORKED!
i thought it was a crazy idea, but only after a few hours, the tang is the only one fighting with its relflection and now they both swim around the tank happily. it was like an on/off switch
so weird, but it worked..
i suggest this technique to anyone experiencing such a problem with fish compatability..
-bill

 

[t316]

Glad you were able to stop the fighting. I love my tangs, but this is yet more proof that tangs are not the sharpest tools in the shed

 

[jackri]

I'll second that about tangs lol. Mostly retarded but totally beautiful

 

[bill109]

hahaha for sure. almost as smart as a clownfish.
imo clownfish dont use their brains much.. lol

 

[eric b 125]

so the tang kept its cool even when the mirror was taken away?

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by Eric B 125
http:///forum/post/3179264
so the tang kept its cool even when the mirror was taken away?
suprisingly yes,
there has been no mirror on the tank for 2 days now, and there is ALMOST no aggression.
he will chase the angel like for a second when the angel is in the tangs cave.
othe than that no poblem.
idk what it did, but they can swim by each other without a problem..

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by bill109
http:///forum/post/3179459
suprisingly yes,
there has been no mirror on the tank for 2 days now, and there is ALMOST no aggression.
he will chase the angel like for a second when the angel is in the tangs cave.
othe than that no poblem.
idk what it did, but they can swim by each other without a problem..
What it did, was put the concept in the tang's mind, that there is another tang in the tank. Yes they are stupid, but they do have some memory, so he remembers this and is now always on the look out for this other guy. Tangs would much rather fight another tang, to keep him out of his territory, over the angel. He may not like the angel, but he knows that he already has dominance over him, and knows where to find him if need be. The "mystery" tang however, still eludes him. So you could throw the mirror back up there for about 5 mins. once every couple of weeks just to refresh his memory...and to have a little fun with him

 

[noah's nemo]

This is good to know.I will be adding an angel in the very near future(blueface or annularis),and i have a tang in my tank,My LFS did advise me that there may be trouble.He did not mention this trick though.How big of a mirror did you use?