Adding copper banded butterfly w/ 5 established fish

[danimal]

I am suffering through an Aiptasia outbreak in my reef tank - totally out of control. I just did not take care of business when I should have. After reading writing listening I tried a couple of things.

After trying to learn the pros and cons of the copper banded butterfly I decided I wanted to give it a shot - I am not much of a fish person, but I have to admit this fish seemed to fit into my reef tank - so he's here now.....

Quarantined for two weeks he looks healthy and I added him to the main tank. I have a yellow tang ( he is the problem) , lawnmower blemmy, clown (happy in his anemone), pair of green chromis living in a montipora. The tang has been there since the beginning - the others since 05.

The tang is posturing and chasing the butterfly who is not huge. The butterfly seems to have carved out a "small space" where the tang leaves him alone, but he has rarely wondered out of this space. This is day three in the tank.

Is this pretty typical? The tang comes close , but does not appear to be harming him. I assume the butterfly will just expand his area as the tang settles down. Any thoughts? I guess I just let them work it out.

 

[Bojangles]

I had a CBB that did almost the same thing and he wasn't being chased or harassed. It might be a comfort thing but I'm not sure cause my was wierd anyway. He didn't even eat aiptasia! For aggressive fish, I've found it useful to remove them for a week or two until the new fish can adjust and then reintroduce them into the tank.

Hope the little guy makes it.

 

[Anonymous]

I had to take the tang out when I tried the same thing. I lost 1 CBB first and finally figured it out. That was the last time I got fish on other than a Friday or Saturday. I just didn't have the time to watch.

 

[danimal]

we are on about day 5 now. The CBB is beginning to move around and I have seen him nibbling on the rocks now. He travels the length of the tank, but returns to is corner. He is hanging aound the sea swirl. The tang is still pumping himself up , but oddly he tends to race around near the sand bed instead of aggressively chasing the CBB.

I noticed him crusing around the rock during the night - Does anyone know if they are typically active at night?

I think the Tang and the CBB have accepted the fact they are tank mates! If there are any other tricks with the intro of a CBB please let me know - thanx