Yellow Tang In 72 G, What Next

homebob

homebob

New Member
Last night I added a potter and yellow tang to my tank. The potter entered the tank stressed and the tang would not leave it alone. The potter passed this morning.
Because i purchased the fish at different stores i have heard different solutions. One says that yellow tangs should be added last because they are territorial, and the other says add some clown fish.
What do you guys think?
Can i begin adding fish to the tank? if yes, what fish are recommended?
Thanks
 
saltyjewell

saltyjewell

Member
I'm just new to this too but my Yellow Tang did bug the new fish I added for about 12 hours then it was fine. It's a big 170g with live rock for fish to hide so the new guys could get away from the Tang. My Sailfin Tang which is a monster in size didn't bother with the new fish at all.
I'd almost say added before the Tang gets a real territorie set up. Or get more places for fish to hide.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Yellow tangs are highly aggressive and in a tank that size, they are going to declare the entire tank their territory.
You could try adding new fish with the lights off, that may help, it may not, it's kind of up to the tang.
The other alternatives are to seriously rearrange the aquascape at the same time as you add the new fish, that may break up the territory enough, or you may need to remove the tang entirely to a QT/HT for a while after adding the new fish, then re-add it, but this is not very fair (or healthy) for the yellow.
You may have gotten yourself into a corner, you may need to remove the yellow entirely and sell/trade him, so you can keep other fish. Most would argue that a yellow shouldn't be kept in a tank this size anyway.
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
i dont know why someone would want a yellow,they are just too much of a bully towards almost all fish.
if he just put the two fish in on the same day and he went at him he will surely kill any new fish.
if you like yellow i would suggest a lemon peel angel.
although the size of the tank is iffy.
dont know what clowns would do to help.maybe the black and white percs cause they look like referees

if you really want the tang deffinitly put him in last but they grow pretty fast and once they get too big for the tank he will get aggressive again.
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
is this a new setup? if so, the potter angel most likely wouldnt make it either way. one should never ever add an angel unless the tank is well established and has plenty of lr.
 
plaidnstripes

plaidnstripes

New Member
That is what I did. Separate fishes. I found those little plastic boxes you can find to add to the side of the tank is perfect because the other fish sees the other and gets use to its presence. Eventually it left it alone
 
mpkev31b

mpkev31b

New Member
i put a yellow tang in my 75 gal and had no problems, he hangs around all my fish they all school together the blue hippo, my damsels and sometimes even the clowns all swim around together fine with no problems..
 
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