Can a Kole Tang and Yellow Tang get along

LoJack · #1 10-31-2013, 02:54 AM

Yellow and Scopas will always be a disaster. Similar body shape. Its tough to make that combo work. You typically need a very large tank to house a Scopas, Yellow, Purple, or Longnose Black together ... They all hate eachother it seems lol

Reef Pilot · #2 10-31-2013, 03:44 AM

Thanks, everyone, for the great feedback. Am still on the fence, so not sure what I am going to do. I would really hate to see my Kole get hurt.

Taipan · #3 10-31-2013, 03:51 AM

Perhaps.....you can bring your Yellow Tang downstairs first; and introduce it into the system with the Kole Tang first. Let them become 'acquainted' in the Yellow Tang's NEW environment. Since the Kole is familiar with the surroundings; it may be less intimidated and the Yellow Tang is unfamiliar territory. Once (if) they 'get along'; bring them both upstairs to the 'new' environment. New environment; fewer territory issues. In theory. That is....also.....if your upstairs display can go a little while without an algae grazer. Good Luck.

Reef Pilot · #4 10-31-2013, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taipan

Perhaps.....you can bring your Yellow Tang downstairs first; and introduce it into the system with the Kole Tang first. Let them become 'acquainted' in the Yellow Tang's NEW environment. Since the Kole is familiar with the surroundings; it may be less intimidated and the Yellow Tang is unfamiliar territory. Once (if) they 'get along'; bring them both upstairs to the 'new' environment. New environment; fewer territory issues. In theory. That is....also.....if your upstairs display can go a little while without an algae grazer. Good Luck.

Yes, I thought of that, too, and agree that would be much better for the Kole. However, the problem would be in catching the Yellow. Then I would have to catch him again in the downstairs tank. It will be hard enough to catch the Kole, but I think I have a better chance with him because I have a feeder that he comes up to. Actually, that is how I caught the Foxface once before. And you can imagine how skittish a 6" Foxface can be.

Rice Reef · #5 10-31-2013, 04:55 PM

The yellow tang came first and kole followed after a few months. Had no major issues ... A few flashing moments between the two and now are best pals.

Tracey2 · #6 10-31-2013, 06:17 PM

I have both in a 150g, yellow first then kole, no issues.

Reef Pilot · #7 01-04-2014, 06:41 PM

Well, I finally moved my Kole Tang from my downstairs tank to my upstairs tank, along with a small Purple Tang and a Melanurus Wrasse that just completed their QT. I have a very bully, large Yellow Tang upstairs (has caused great havoc with other new fish in the past) and am hoping adding multiple new fish will divide his attention.

It took me a week or so to finally catch the Kole. I have a fish trap that I set up near where I feed, and kept putting some food inside. Eventually, he would go in, and today I let the trap door go down and caught him. Almost didn't get him, though, as he escaped once when the door came down too slowly. But he was dumb enough to go in again, and this time I had him.

They've been together in the upstairs tank for a couple hours now, and so far it hasn't been too bad. The Kole has not been bothered at all, as he seemed to be smart enough to find a place to hide, and stay out of sight of the Yellow.

Meanwhile the small Purple Tang seems to be having the roughest introduction. It's not from the Yellow Tang, though. But instead my Flame Dwarf Angel keeps going after him. The Purple seems to hang around one spot, and hasn't tried to hide. Instead he fights back with his tail slapping. If he would just go somewhere else, the Angel would probably leave him alone. The Yellow did come by a few times with a few tail threats. But again the Purple would fight right back (even though he is about 1/4 the size), and the Yellow would go away.

The Melanurus, of course, had no problems, and is already looking around the tank making himself right at home.