Purple tang aggression towards fairy wrasse

[ReefBeta]

I have been quarantining a purple tang and a pintail fairy wrasse. This morning I notice the purple tang start chasing the wrasse quite a lot and it's really bothering the wrasse.



After that, I put an egg crate to divide the tank up. I know the wrasse is capable of going through it, and should stop the purple tang. But to my surprise the tang managed to get through a tiny gap on the bottom to get to the other side, and continue to chase the wrasse



Gladly the wrasse later made it to the other side of the fence, and the tang has not been able to figure out how to get back there. So they're good for now.

I was not aware that tang will be aggressive towards wrasses, I thought it's only towards other tangs or at least other similar body shaped herbivores. Also is it normal for it to show aggression this small? Or it's just curious towards other wrasse?

 

[Billldg]

That's odd as I also QT'ed a Purple tang and a Pintail Fairy Wrasse with no issues. My tangs couldn't care less about the wrasses. @HotRocks, @4FordFamily , any experience with this?

 

[ReefBeta]

That's odd as I also QT'ed a Purple tang and a Pintail Fairy Wrasse with no issues. My tangs couldn't care less about the wrasses. @HotRocks, @4FordFamily , any experience with this?

From what I saw, it starts with the tang eat a bite of poop freshly out of the wrasse. Then it started going after the wrasses butt ... It looked like it really like the taste of the poop that it really want more of it. I hope it's just red herring. It's too gross. ;Vomit

 

[Billldg]

Are you putting some Nori in the tank for the tang to nibble on?

 

[ReefBeta]

Are you putting some Nori in the tank for the tang to nibble on?

Haven't tried nori yet. I should probably give it a try tonight. So far the favorites of the purple tang are frozen bloodworms, ON Formular 1 flakes, and Reef Nutrition ROE. Also tried LRS frenzy and Rod's original, but it didn't seem to like that a lot. The wrasse on the other hand ate all of those very well.

 

[Billldg]

Tangs will defend their food source, I would try Nori and see if the aggression lessons.

 

[ReefBeta]

Tangs will defend their food source, I would try Nori and see if the aggression lessons.

Do I need to worry about pollution from nori? I think I read on some of the posts from @Humblefish that nori is not recommended because it's usually messy. What kind of precaution I need about it?

 

[Billldg]

I use a full sheet of nori daily, I have never heard of pollution coming from nori. It’s the main source of food for tangs. I would rap a 1/4 sheet of nori on a pvc tube for each tang daily in QT.

 

[Jesterrace]

I have been quarantining a purple tang and a pintail fairy wrasse. This morning I notice the purple tang start chasing the wrasse quite a lot and it's really bothering the wrasse.



After that, I put an egg crate to divide the tank up. I know the wrasse is capable of going through it, and should stop the purple tang. But to my surprise the tang managed to get through a tiny gap on the bottom to get to the other side, and continue to chase the wrasse



Gladly the wrasse later made it to the other side of the fence, and the tang has not been able to figure out how to get back there. So they're good for now.

I was not aware that tang will be aggressive towards wrasses, I thought it's only towards other tangs or at least other similar body shaped herbivores. Also is it normal for it to show aggression this small? Or it's just curious towards other wrasse?

Zebrasoma Tangs (ie Purple, Yellow, Sailfin) can be pretty aggressive, especially if it's a fish they feel they can bully/intimidate. I had a Yellow that was a complete jerk to my Coral Beauty Dwarf Angel and tried shadow and intimidation behavior towards my Melanurus Wrasse (never tried to be completely dominant though as the wrasse was not afraid to bite it's tail if it got too pushy). Try the Nori first (a standard staple of their diet) and see if that improves things.

 

[Jesterrace]

From what I saw, it starts with the tang eat a bite of poop freshly out of the wrasse. Then it started going after the wrasses butt ... It looked like it really like the taste of the poop that it really want more of it. I hope it's just red herring. It's too gross. ;Vomit

My former Yellow Tang and current One Spot Foxface do that. Yes, it is gross.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Some ideas.

-add a mirror, let the tang attack that instead.

-add another fish or 2, on your wish list to the qt. Will spread the aggression out to another besides the fairy.

 

[ReefBeta]

Just tried nori tonight, the purple tang show 0 interest... They both love flake the best, so I feed them quite a lot. After that the purple tang seems a bit more relax towards the wrasse. So I guess just increase feeding for now?