Sigh - why do I try...when will it end?

[Doc]

So, I thought I had my tank complete. I was prepared to add my last fish - totally happy with my science experiment (large angels in a reef system). I ordered a HUGE emperor for my tank - my last fish, so I thought. I brought home my emperor to add it to the tank with the blue / queen cross only to find that the purple tang had beat it to death. The angel was roughly the same size as the tang and guess it felt threatened by him. He had been nipping at the angel a little bit and it looked as if his fins were frayed. I watched the tang finish off the angel trapping him against the rock and beating it to death. I am so frustrated. I really like the color of the tang, but don't want him to ravage the new emperor.

I have my fingers crossed cuz the emperor is 9 inches long and just about three times the size of the tang. Any suggestions to keeping the tang from getting himself yanked out of my tank? If I have to choose between the tang or the emperor - I choose the emperor. Let me know what you think.

Here is another question about stocking the tank - how much is too much fish? I have about 30 inches of fish and the parameters are perfect (a touch of phosphates, but I have always had those with no ill to my corals).

-Dr Marco

[yote]

If I really liked the emperor then i'd yank the tang.But thats a personal choice you'll have to make.
As for the 30inches of fish. I have read some where that the rule of thumb is 1 inch of adult size fish per 5 gallon,I personaly dont like that rule because some fish even though they may be small reguire more swimming room than others. I think that as long you can keep you parmeters under control then you'd be alright.Just be careful because the line between fully stocked and over stocked is very extremely fine and easly crossed.

[jhnrb]

The rule of thumb is just that. its only a window to provide a ball park way to determine if you are getting close to overstocking. of course you need to make sure your system can handle the bio load and if it does that your animals all get along. which yours dont. so move the rocks around, take the fish out of the sytem change things a bit and put um back in at the same time. no garuntees. so you might just have to make a choice. good luck.

[Doc]

So far, so good. I have not seen the purple tang give the emperor even a second glance, I hope the size of the angelfish makes a difference to the tang not picking on him. He has not eaten for two days. I am not concerned for another week. He is really fat and I have seen him pick on the rocks, but has not been interested in seaweed or marine cuisine. Any tricks you guys can think of to get him to eat? He has not shown any interest in the LPS and I hope he does not, but I am prepared to change them out for softies in need be. I totally love this angelfish - so striking. I will post pics once it starts eating. Let me know what ideas you have about illiciting a feeding response.

Dr Marco

[Bifferwine]

Try adding some drops of garlic extract to the tank and soaking the food in it.

[Doc]

I have heard of using garlic, and I have also heard about using entice - a banana extract. Has anyone every used entice to get fish interested in food?

-Dr M arco

[yote]

Never heard it Doc.I have heard of garlic but havnt tryed it.Ive been lucky so far and not had anything that didnt want to eat.

[Bifferwine]

I've never heard of Entice either. But garlic has worked well for me in the past with new fish that didn't have an appetite. And it has anti-disease properties too, supposedly, an added perk.