●●Educate me on TANGS●●

[TK_KW]

Hello Reefers,

So very briefly I'd like your opinions on tangs. As I have a few questions. I'm a newbie in search of some answers. I currently am cycling my display and getting ready for livestock. Pre planning my tangs is step one. So I can introduce all at the same time. My display tank is a 220G. 72 x 24 x 30.

1 -how many Tangs could i comfortably put in my 220?

2 -What genus's can you only have a single one?

3 -What genus's can you have multiples of?

4 -Things you could mention for extra consideration when I'm planning my Tangs (like Naso's growing large sizes).

Thanks for your feed back, Cheers.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tylers-220-gallon-build-thread.536688/

 

[Crabs McJones]

@4FordFamily @HotRocks @evolved and @eatbreakfast would probably be the best to answer these questions for you

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hard and fast rules are tough. What species are you drawn to? Even within a genus there are differences.

As long as they are different species, you can keep multiple Zebrasomma and Ctenochaetus tangs.

I would only recommend 1 Naso.

Most Acanthurus can be mixed as well, with the exception of the more aggressive ones. Of these species: clown, sohal, powder brown, powder blue, and achilles, keep only 1. That 1 can be mixed with other Acanthurus, but of those 5 they will fight badly.

 

[4FordFamily]

Hard and fast rules are tough. What species are you drawn to? Even within a genus there are differences.

As long as they are different species, you can keep multiple Zebrasomma and Ctenochaetus tangs.

I would only recommend 1 Naso.

Most Acanthurus can be mixed as well, with the exception of the more aggressive ones. Of these species: clown, sohal, powder brown, powder blue, and achilles, keep only 1. That 1 can be mixed with other Acanthurus, but of those 5 they will fight badly.

I tend to agree -- zebrasoma do best in trios as occasionally they won't tolerate each other. It's certainly true that those acanthurus above are more aggressive -- if you plan to keep them together, you'll need to add together and you'll have to hope it works out. Of those, a sohal and clown tang together is perhaps the riskiest pairing of that group.

I'd recommended one acanthurus from that list, a trio of zebrasoma, a Ctenochaetus (bristleooth tang) for a mix of tangs.

The answer of how many you can keep depends on size, how open the tank is for swimming space, your nutrient export methods, and how lucky you are... LOL

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tang-aggression-understanding-and-combating.76/

Above is an article about tang aggression you may find useful.

 

[Dilan Patel]

I actually have two nasos together one being a blonde naso who was itroduced first at around 5in and a vlamingi who was basically a swimming eyeball when i got him now is about the same size at the naso and they seem to get along just fine as long as food is available. I alos have a purple tang in there and they all three get along. For my other tank i have a naso with a clown tang as well as a yellow tang...again with no issues. all these fish were introduced at different times.

 

[TK_KW]

@4FordFamily @eatbreakfast

Great food for thought. Here is my initial thoughts on Tangs I'm thinking of. I'm aware I'll need to probably narrow it down, but these are my thoughts.

1-Blue Caribbean
1-Powder Brown or powder blue
1-blue hippo
1-Cheveron or yellow eye kole
2- purple
2-yellow
1- desjardini

Nutrient export I think I've done a fairly good job with in my design. With power at 55 percent average.with three wavs, two cor 20s. I can get 30x turnover. 100G sump, with refugium ready to go. JNS Skimmer rated for heavy 270G bioload, medium 450G bioload.And I think I've left good amount of swim space, but you two can be the judge on what youd think is best in my scenario. Also tank has external coast to coast overflow which give full inside tank dimensions without obstructions.

- if you had to narrow it down, as if it were your own. What would you lose?
-what would I have most issues with pairing as a group from this list?
- what is medium bioload tang quantity you would do in my tank with following photos?

White filter pad in sump is not permanent

 

[FREAKINRICAN69]

@4FordFamily @eatbreakfast

Great food for thought. Here is my initial thoughts on Tangs I'm thinking of. I'm aware I'll need to probably narrow it down, but these are my thoughts.

1-Blue Caribbean
1-Powder Brown or powder blue
1-blue hippo
1-Cheveron or yellow eye kole
2- purple
2-yellow
1- desjardini

Nutrient export I think I've done a fairly good job with in my design. With power at 55 percent average.with three wavs, two cor 20s. I can get 30x turnover. 100G sump, with refugium ready to go. JNS Skimmer rated for heavy 270G bioload, medium 450G bioload.And I think I've left good amount of swim space, but you two can be the judge on what youd think is best in my scenario.

- if you had to narrow it down, as if it were your own. What would you lose?
-what would I have most issues with pairing as a group from this list?
- what is medium bioload tang quantity you would do in my tank with following photos?

White filter pad in sump is not permanent

Very nice setup!
At the moment i'm babysitting my cousins babies in a 120 g that will eventually be mine once he finishes remodeling his house and getting his customizing his future tank with the following tangs; Purple Tang, Naso Blonde tang, Yellow Tang, Blue Hippo Tang & Sailfin Tang. I tried to add a scopas tang and wasn't successful as they started to pick on him. He's way smaller than the original established ones. Anyhow... He's safe in my sump for now until my soon to be QT cycles or 129 gal setup gets going. Will post pic's after work. I like your aquascape better than the Old fashion one he setup.

 

[Xanthurum]

My opinion is you can probably be successful with that list. Nothing is certain with tangs but if you do as you said and drop them in all at once it will improve your odds and be sure to QT them.

 

[TK_KW]

My opinion is you can probably be successful with that list. Nothing is certain with tangs but if you do as you said and drop them in all at once it will improve your odds and be sure to QT them.

QT for sure. I have a 150g split into two separate QTs that I currently have the first inhabitants in. Clowns, wrasses, bimaculatus

 

[TK_KW]

Very nice setup!
At the moment i'm babysitting my cousins babies in a 120 g that will eventually be mine once he finishes remodeling his house and getting his customizing his future tank with the following tangs; Purple Tang, Naso Blonde tang, Yellow Tang, Blue Hippo Tang & Sailfin Tang. I tried to add a scopas tang and wasn't successful as they started to pick on him. He's way smaller than the original established ones. Anyhow... He's safe in my sump for now until my soon to be QT cycles or 129 gal setup gets going. Will post pic's after work. I like your aquascape better than the Old fashion one he setup.

Thank you, I'm super proud of this build

 

[FREAKINRICAN69]

Here’s an old picture of the tank before I added the peppermint shrimp & emerald crab. dang peppermints started eating my dang zoanthid colony. Now I’m fishing them one by one to place elsewhere or back to the LFS they go lol...

 

[TK_KW]

@4FordFamily @eatbreakfast

Good Morning,

Sorry to bug, but curious what your responses are to my above plan, and questions, as your insights are so valuable.

Cheers

 

[4FordFamily]

@4FordFamily @eatbreakfast

Great food for thought. Here is my initial thoughts on Tangs I'm thinking of. I'm aware I'll need to probably narrow it down, but these are my thoughts.

1-Blue Caribbean
1-Powder Brown or powder blue
1-blue hippo
1-Cheveron or yellow eye kole
2- purple
2-yellow
1- desjardini

Nutrient export I think I've done a fairly good job with in my design. With power at 55 percent average.with three wavs, two cor 20s. I can get 30x turnover. 100G sump, with refugium ready to go. JNS Skimmer rated for heavy 270G bioload, medium 450G bioload.And I think I've left good amount of swim space, but you two can be the judge on what youd think is best in my scenario. Also tank has external coast to coast overflow which give full inside tank dimensions without obstructions.

- if you had to narrow it down, as if it were your own. What would you lose?
-what would I have most issues with pairing as a group from this list?
- what is medium bioload tang quantity you would do in my tank with following photos?

White filter pad in sump is not permanent

I advise against Caribbean blue or either powder in less than a 6 foot tank, they swim several miles per day in the wild and get nastier and more stressed in shorter quarters. They’re all three very aggressive fish in their own right.

I would not do two of any tang, it is easy for one to single out the other and is far more likely to do so. Tangs almost never paid in captivity, they’re territorial and less tolerant of conspecifics in the same tank. Sailfin tangs are borderline in a 6 foot tank, I’d not advise in a smaller tank.

If you want a smaller, easier acanthurus tang, I personally find convict tangs to be very underrated. They stay smaller and have good temperaments.

 

[Billldg]

Correct me if I'm wrong @4FordFamily, but I would cut that list in half. 9 tangs in a 220 gal tank is alot.

 

[4FordFamily]

Correct me if I'm wrong @4FordFamily, but I would cut that list in half. 9 tangs in a 220 gal tank is alot.

It is a lot, I agree. I have stocked my tanks that heavily full of tangs but that’s definitely not best practice.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I would not do prs of purple and yellow tangs, so only do 1 each of those.

The rest of the list should work. Definitely qt.

 

[TK_KW]

Ok thanks so much. I'm going to narrow quantity a bit for my 6' tank. No pairs. And I'll think over the list of seven. Thanks so much for your times guys. Big help everyone

 

[TK_KW]

@4FordFamily evening,

So since this original post, I've come along with education and knowledge from yourself and others. Along with @HotRocks QT process, that has worked flawlessly with a clean/disease free school of fish. Which I thank you both for everything you guys do, seriously, you two are both major staples in this community. I could have never come this far without both or your processes and expertise.

So here is where I'm at with tangs, and a question regarding Rabbitfish.

Currently in my tank, I have a white tail bristle tooth (I couldnt pass up the deal at the time, for such a beautiful fish)

Soon to order,

1-purple tang
1-yellow tang
1-degardini sailfin tang
1- Achilles tang
1-(undecided)

Thinking maybe a convict tang? Seem underrated for how nice they look. Been told that their hard to keep? One day fine, next day dead? How much truth is to that?

Thinking possibly a seventh at max, but honestly thinking I'm going to stick with 6 as the number.

Do you think seven would be as fine as haveing six? Or just stick to six?

Also if not a convict, what other would you suggest with what I'm getting?

So I'd like a Rabbitfish, if possible. Would I add before tangs? Or does it really matter? I do have a large custom acclimation box I made.

 

[HotRocks]

Thank you for the kind words. Stories like yours are what make it all worth it! I would recommend adding a rabbit fish over another acanthurus tang. A pair of acanthurus tangs could be an aggression nightmare although with enough distraction it may not be. I kept a powder brown with an Achilles for a few months before adding my PBT. I love my Maggie fox. @4FordFamily is a much better person though to weigh in on which fish is best to add!

 

[nereefpat]

It would be best if the rabbit was added before or at the same time as the tangs. Some are really big, though. Which species are you looking at?

I wouldn't recommend a sailfin tang for your tank. They grow really large.

I don't have experience with convicts, so someone else will have to chime in there.