Yellow Tang Lost the fight

[jason1985]

Woke up to my yellow tang laying on it's side at the bottom of the tank, still breathing but with a bruise like mark on it's side. He later died!

I think what might of happened was he lost his nightly battle during lights out.

[HomerJ]

Battle against?

[jason1985]

This guy

[kole18]

A friend of mind has 90g, he's got yellow,purple,hippo& Atlantic blue tang got no problem keeping them all together although sometimes just happened aggression to each other. Still no problem. I used to powder blue, powderbrown it ended up same problem found out my powderbrown got bitten so badly lost it's one eye gave to my friend a few months later foundout laying on sandbed dead. Having tang in a small tank chance killing each other although some small tank they managed them all together like my friend he's doing it.

[Greatewhite]

I have read that some people are successful in keeping multiple tangs if they are all put in the tank at the same time, in the dark.  That gives the fish the chance to find their own caves or safe zones in the rock work.  If you put a tang in with one who has already adopted a tank, it will defend itself - and someone is going to end up dead.

So yes, sometimes people get away with it.  BUT - I have read MORE stories like this where a fish dies.  I've read enough stories to know better than to attempt it, to be honest.  I like my fish... My yellow tang was only $50, but it's not the money that I'm concerned with losing...  I get hours of enjoyment, watching him fight with his own reflection and would miss that if he died.  (in corners, it's 2 on 1 fighting... VERY entertaining)

[jason1985]

What happened was the Yellow tang was in the tank first, he had his little man cave that he would hide out in at night or after ripping a large chuck of letuc he would go sit out and munch away, when the Larger purple was added to the tank the Purple took over the spot.

Little Yellow would follow Purple around the tank all day but I never witnessed any actual aggresion from either fish until I woke up to the yellow fish looking all beaten up. He almost looked paralised, he could breath and move his fins but his dorsal and anal fins would not move at all.

Maybe something else happened throughout the night? But looks to me like the yellow tang got hurt with that bloody looking spot on his back.

[az]

it was the purple tang, I would not have gone for 2 similar (shape) tangs in your tank, in a much bigger tank maybe.

[jason1985]

it was the purple tang, I would not have gone for 2 similar (shape) tangs in your tank, in a much bigger tank maybe.

Makes me even more excited to move into my new house in Novermber with my 60x36x24 three Sidded Starphire tank in the basement