How to add a show sized fish to establish reef?

[jman930]

Hello all!

I will be in posestion of an 7-8” horseshoe tang in a couple weeks. This will be by far the largest fish in my 7’ 265 reef tank. The tank has been established for a few years now so I’m curious if anyone has added a large fish to an established tank before successfully. First question I would ask is “what else is in the tank?”

Tangs mostly:
Naso
Regal
Yellow
Purple

I have a minimalist island style amount of rock so there is plenty of swim room. Issue will be there is also not a lot of places for a fish that size to hide....


Please share your thoughts, concerns, suggestions!!

Below is the specimen referenced!

-Jonathan

 

[Adam]

That's a cool looking tang, but it's still growing. I've never moved a fish that big but I have moved a large Regal. I'd think that the biggest issue is going to be where it's going to sleep. If it will be the biggest it will most likely take over the tank and force someone to move, that is going to upset the balance. If the Naso or Regal are bigger to start then thy're not going to give up their spot without a fight. Is adding a little more rock out of the question?

My Yellow Belly Regal is about that size, maybe a little bigger. I got it when it was just a few inches. It's now pretty much the tank boss. It can't turn and swim as fast and the other fish and they seem to know it's limitations, so they get away with more at feeding time because they're faster. The one time it takes no prisoners is lights out. It goes where it wants and doesn't care who was there first. It's moved a few times as its grown and forced whoever was there to find a new spot to bed down.

 

[jman930]

Adding more rock isn’t out of the question. I have a few hundred pounds of dry rock. Just have to cure it in one of the other tanks. Might help with any aggression too. Changing things up a bit usually breaks up territories. I’ll go take a look at my rock to see what I can use to make a “big cave”

 

[FutureInterest]

I learned this from Adam, but taping a mirror to the tank when adding a new fish helps quite a bit. The resident fish will typically be more engrossed with fighting their reflection than the new fish.

 

[jman930]

So I made a cave that should be big enough for him. At least for a few years. Kind of a win win because now I have more places to put coral

 

[infpalex]

An acclimation box is nice, but with a fish that big it is super difficult. I agree with futureinterest, a mirror really does help a lot!