sohal agression

[JKDMan]

i have a 210 gal mixed reef i have been housing a desjardin tang for the past year or so about 2-3 months ago i added a sohal of a similar size.
all was good for the 1st few weeks now im starting to get some more dominate behavior out of the sohal resulting in a bruise and a couple nips of the dorsal fin of the desjardin ... i have a fairly open rockwork while there are enough caves to hide in it doesnt section off the tank in any way,just one big open rock structure... most of the time the sohal just flares and postures at the sailfin but sometimes he is bitey , i know ppl keep sohal and other tangs in tanks the same size as mine or smaller sucessfully. while i know each fish has diffrent personalites i dont see a 210 gal being to small to house both of theese fish peacefully togother

the 2 tangs tank mates are a majestic angel 3in long a tomato clown a royal gramma a cleaner wrasse a blood shrimp and a mandarin dragonette

does this sound like the sohal is trying to establish dominace where the agression will decrease when the sailfin learns his place or should i look for a new home for one of my tangs (last resort i dont want to have to do that) the agression has only been goin on for a week 2 at the most,
also how much would redoing my rock work help to alleivate the situatioin

any ideas or advice will be appreciated thx

 

[Len]

Sohals are MEAN SOBs! That said, the aggression usually subsides after a while. Your Sailfin will simply need to find safe hiding places for the next few weeks. Sometimes the mirror trick works; Place a big mirror on one side of the tank and the Sohal may direct its aggression towards its reflection.

 

[mr_X]

i don't know about a sohal, but i have a clown tang, who looks very similar. he is highly aggressive, and tortures MOST of my other fish. even the algae blenny. i have them in a 200 gallon. it's been this way since i first got him about a year ago, in my old 125. i figured with the new tank and aquascaping, it would be different, but i was mistaken.
he even bites my hand when i am in the tank.
i have done everything i possibly can to catch him with no luck- even baiting a tiny hook.
i hope yours is just going through a phase.

 

[JKDMan]

thats what i hear len i think i may add some rocks i want to add some any ways for aquascaping reasons but i think that may help give some more places to hide for the sail fin and also rearrange the rocks on the right side of the tank since the sohal is territorial over that area of the tank..

mr x what other tangs do you house your clown with, what size are they
has your clown tang killed or stress into illness any of your other fish?

idk i can trade in 2 old tanks i got laying around and add 300 bucks and get a 150 i got lightin and filtration for it but i dont really what to set up 2 tanks right now...i hope it chills out soon

thx

 

[mr_X]

right now there is a 3" regal , and a 6" sailfin..both are terrorized by the 6" clown. the regal goes through bouts of ich. he beats it, then that bozo chases him for a couple days relentlessly, and then the ich comes back.

i have a yellow mimic in the 30 cube that needs to go in this tank very soon, and i'm afraid to put him in with this menace.

 

[Anonymous]

A sailfin tang is a pretty mellow fish (for a tang). Poor guy, I hope you can keep him safe from mean old sohal!