CBB in a 75g?

[Delphinus]

I'd really like to try a CBB in my 75g.

I've been sort of reading up, but would like to ask for opinions as well. Is there anything causing a red flag in the following situation?

Tank is a 75g, tankmates are a Red Sea Sailfin (Z. desjardini), a flame hawk and a sixline wrasse. The fish I'm most concerned about is the tang, he's 4 years old and hasn't had to deal with a new fish in his territory for at least 2 years. My hope is to rearrange the rocks slightly, and make sure there are hiding spots that the butterfly can get, to that the tang cannot.

He is for the most part a non-aggressive fish to his current tankmates, but then again it's hard to say what he'd do with a newcomer.

Any concerns with the proposed setup?

There are clams in this tank, but not much in the way of corals, mostly it's just a FOWLRASCAMAGOT ("fish only with live rock and some clams and maybe a gorgonian or two").

[howdy20012002]

I tried to intro a CBB into a 90 gallon a while back...My yellow tang wouldn't have it..beat the crap out of the poor CBB for a couple of days..
I even built a floating container made out of the egg crate for the CBB to be in for a few days to try to get them used to it.
No go..had to pull him and put him into another tank.
I think it depends more on the individual fish involved.
Good luck though
Neal

[AJ_77]

Do you remember my Bandit? (I think Ryan has a pic of him on his banner.:wink: ) When he was Big Fish, he was awesome - cool, mellow, very interesting fish, full of personality.

When he went into a 110gal with a rowdy Tang (introduced last), he was subdued, nervous, and lost weight. Not a good scene.

IME, the best thing for a great CBB experience is to give him his domain, and some smaller/peaceful tankmates.

IMO, YMMV, etc...

lofl, btw:
FOWLRASCAMAGOT ("fish only with live rock and some clams and maybe a gorgonian or two").

[Psyire]

Huge Red Flag.

I just tried a CBB in my 180g with a Red Sea Sailfin Tang. (among other fish) He did not like the CBB AT ALL. I'm pretty sure it's due to them both having vertical stripes of similar colors. He kept the CBB in one corner and he starved to death in a week.

If you are going to try this, I suggest a separate tank to get the CBB eating well and fattened right up, so he is very healthy when he has to go up against the Tang. Idealy this would be in a 'fuge or something with the same water, so the CBB dosen't have to deal with the shock of acclimation on top of everything.

I'm sure it can be done, but don't just put these fish together and cross your fingers. (mistake I made)

[Doug]

Tony, we have removed any decent sized copperband that was added to a tank with "any" established tang.

What may work is to find a small one thats eating mysis. Tangs seems to

ignore the small ones. When I pulled my 2 yr. old coperband for nipping

clams, he lived in my sump for a bit. After selling the clams, I put him back

with the Kole he lived with for 2 yrs. The Kole would have none of that. I

had to remove the Kole and let the copperband get established, then

replace the Kole. They were fine.

Mine is now the only large fish in my 65g or 75g, {depending on which week it is, :lol: }. He seems to be fine with the smaller sized tanks, as long

as he,s the boss like AJ mentioned. However he does add a decent load,

from the daily clam feedings & all the frozen foods he requires. For that

reason alone, I may find him a larger home.

[Delphinus]

Bummer ... guess I won't go ahead with that. :(

I was into the idea for two reasons, 1) I like the fish, and 2) I have a rock with some aiptasia on it, but because of the flame hawk peppermint shrimp aren't an option in this tank. I thought CBB's "might" be into the idea of going after them (saving me from having to try Joe's Juicing them).

[Psyire]

Taken from another thread on a different site:

=====================================
When introducing new fish I have successfully used mirrors. The resident fish seem to dislike reflections of themselves even more than a new fish.

Many years ago I added a Copperband using this method. He was completely ignored by the locals who were dealing with a much more serious invasion. After a few hours like this, even the new Copperband was out in front of the mirror threatening itself and still being ignored by the others. Unfortunately the mirrors didn't protect it from the poorly designed overflow I had at the time.

I like the idea of a transparent container tho, and may use it, and the mirrors, when I introduce the new Copperband I got last weekend."
================================================== ==

While reading it I thought of this thread, perhaps this way would work?

[trilinearmipmap]

I added a CBB to my tank with a Yellow Tang and Hippo Tang over a year ago, there was one week of hiding and harrassment, now everyone gets along.

I consider the CBB a destroyer of my tank's ecosystem. First he scavenged all the pods in the tank until my mandarin died. He stole mysis out of my bubble coral and it starved. He killed off all the bristleworms in my tank, this in consequence led to anthelia growing all over the tank due to the lack of bristleworms to keep everything cleaned up.

If I had to do it again I would not get a CBB.

[howdy20012002]

re joe's juice
I am pretty sure that you know this tony, but if you mix 2 parts kalk and 1 part water, you will get joe's juice. I add a bit of fish food to make them try to eat, and it seems to work pretty well.

[Delphinus]

Yeah, I guess I should try feeding them first maybe so that they can't retreat as much into their little holes. I've kalked them and juiced them, depending on my mood (and what I can find first, the kalk or the juice in my pile-o-reef-stuff) If I can get a good enough shot I can get the bigger ones for sure but I have a bunch of smaller ones that I know are going to be tricky. I'd move the rock into the tank with my peppermints but I am reluctant to move my clams around (of course it is a rock that has 3 clams on it).

Well .. we'll see. Maybe I'll just have to feed the little aiptasias so they become bigger aiptasias then I can go after them, hopefully before they reproduce some more. :rolleyes: whee!

[Delphinus]

When introducing new fish I have successfully used mirrors. The resident fish seem to dislike reflections of themselves even more than a new fish.


That's kinda funny, I can totally see that working with my tang. Hey, there's a good looking invader! Get out of here! But boy you're good looking!!! But get out of here! But dang!! You're good looking! But get out of here!!! :lol:

[AJ_77]

I consider the CBB a destroyer of my tank's ecosystem. First he scavenged all the pods in the tank until my mandarin died. He stole mysis out of my bubble coral and it starved. He killed off all the bristleworms in my tank, this in consequence led to anthelia growing all over the tank due to the lack of bristleworms to keep everything cleaned up.

I've heard people say their Cleaner Shrimps did the same thing.

Feed lots, skim large. :mrgreen:

[Delphinus]

Update:

Although you guys talked me out of the idea for about 24 hours, I talked myself back into trying again after that because I just couldn't purge the idea. I figured, I'd try this, if I saw a problem, I'd either put the CBB into another tank (I have 3 reefs after all anyhow :rolleyes:) or I'd try returning him to the store.

Day 1: Tang went ballastic. But didn't do any contact to the CBB, just a lot of "Look how big I am" displays. I was a little worried, but I rearranged the rock so that the CBB could hide in spots the tang could not get to. It worked, although the tang would display anytime the CBB showed his face.

Day 2: Tang still agitated. I start to plan on moving the CBB, but decide to wait another day.

Day 3: Tang less agitated. I decide to wait it out another day.

One week later: The two are literally swimming side by side. Occassionally the CBB gets too close to the tangs nori spot, but deftly swims away anytime the tang needs to chest thump.

It's been more than a month now, and the two are basically pals. Check out my picture thread I just put up, the tang even lets the CBB gets close to his nori stick. I think part of the reason they get along is that the CBB prefers mysis and won't touch nori or spirulina; the tang prefers nori and spirulina and won't touch mysis. So all in all I'm glad I decided to take a chance as the CBB is one awesome fish.

The only thing is he doesn't touch aiptasia, at least not the big ones. Oh well, guess you can't have it all. :lol:

[Doug]

Sounds good Tony. Glad they get along.