is a foxface a good idea

In my 90 gallon with 20g sump, I have a yellow tang. He is a great fish, but we would like to perhaps get a fox face. The yt has bullied any other tang that we have tried to add. Any advice on getting the fox face? They are similiar in size.

Other fish in tank YWG, pair occellaris clowns, 2 chromis, 2 fire fish.

Thanks for any advice.

 

Sounds like the yellow tang has established the tank as its territory. While the Foxface has toxic spines, the tang will still bully and eventually kill the fish, unfortunately tangs are very terratorial and any fish of similar size of shape will now be an issue.

In my 180 gallon I have just one yellow tang and I tried a Foxface and he went to fish heaven, I tried a copped angel and it went in just a day. I have been told that some are successful with smaller fish I haven't tried that in a while.

 

we have 2 yellow tangs and a foxface. The yt gave the foxface a few slaps in the first few days, the foxy raised his fins a few times in defense but all has been good now for over 6 months. No bickering at all. It all comes down to the temperament of the fish. We swapped out 4 different yellow tangs before we got 2 that got along together. Foxy is a lovely fish. good luck

 

Get yourself a 2 or3 gal clear bottle with lid or a clear juice jug with lid. Drill a bunch of holes in top and bottom. Put your new fish in that and put him in the tank. Move the jug to a new place once or twice a day. Give it a wk. Your old fish can get used to the new one without hurting him. Moving him around the tank helps a lot. Don't forget to feed the guy in the jar. This is how i got my flame angel into the school without him getting hurt. Lost 2 before I figured it out. Just because they are supposed to be able to hold their own doesn't mean they will.If you try this I can almost bet you will get your foxface in.

 

I am wondering about the cruelty to the fish in the bottle ? Might end up with a good case of ich with that sort of stress. Glad its worked for you though.!! I always find that if you have lots of caves and hiding places in your rock work the fish can retreat if it feels threatened and can establish itself in the tank slowly itself. .

 

I agree that would be stressful, but there are other options similar to that. They make those large boxes that clip or suction to the side thatay work if its beg enough.

 

Good luck, we went through 3 foxfaces before i just decided they're not for us. Different tanks, different food, different LFS...

 

I agree,it is sressful for the fish, but I quarantine for a month first. I dont't know about you but i would rather stay in a big jar for a wk while the bully gets used to me then have him punch me in the face every time he sees me. This is the way I do it now and I havent lost any thing. My eblie's angel is a little shit and I put a flame angel in my tank using this method. Little begger killed the last 2 fish I tried without using the jar.

 

In my experience foxface are scared of their own shadows. They are very timid fish and panic quickly. I just have to put my hand in the tank and he puts his black pyjamas on. lol Good luck with whatever you try. The boxes are a lot kinder than a juice container. lol

 

I have never seen one of these actimation boxes bigger then my jug thing. And ya foxes are very timid although mine holds his own now against the tangs. besides a small plastic box is a small plastic box, weither its a jug or aclimatition box.

 

I had a foxface with a yellow tang for quite awhile and had zero problems, mind you it was in my 180

 

I have 2 yellow tangs with my fox face. All good but yes your right a large tank really helps. I have a 260

 

Friend of mine has a fox face and a yellow tang, they're best buds. Swim together and soetimes look like they're schooling.

 

Foxface and Yellow Tangs (Tangs in General) are very territorial so if you want to have these fish together in the same tank (70 gallons or more) then they should be added at approximately the same time; i.e. with in a day or two of each other. Once the fish has established the tank as its territory then when you add the other it will harass any fish that is similar in shape or size. Unfortunate but a fact of nature. The ocean is a cruel place to live.

 

My Foxface has almost no aggression to any new fish. My damsels on the other hand will be anemone food once I net one....

 

I have a sailfin tang and tried to put a yellow tang in and it only lasted a day. I got a foxface and he is doing great with the sailfin,

 

Well him bullying any other tang isnt really a newsflash, they dont like other tangs really. From the sounds of it he has an established habitat and I worry that if you put the new guy in someone will end up "sleeping with the fishes"

 

I strongly believe that its hit and miss with tangs. I have 2 hippos tangs 2 yellow tangs and a lipstick tang and no aggression at all. When added the lipstick a little bit of tail slapping for about 1 hour and all over with. I must admit we traded in 3 separate yellow tangs that were not playing nice to get 2 whom would cohabit with no dramas. Cost money but worth it in the end.
I hate the idea of an aggressive tank, I like them all to get along and hate to see anyone being picked on.

 

makes a big difference how you put them in there. if you just drop them in there is going to be a lot of fighting. if you use an acclimation container of some kind and let the other fish get used to him first it makes a big difference. i have a yellow, a hippo, a foxface, a desjardinii, and a striatus bristletooth [ if you want a tang to keep your rocks clean theres the guy, never stops scrubbing the rocks, kind of drab though] in my tank, . i haven't loss a fish due to bullying since i started using an acclimation box. i use a large clear 2 gallon juice jug that i drilled holes in. haven't found anything bigger to use