120 gallon tang stocking?

[Cerberusfish]

I'm planning on upgrading my 75 to a 120 within the next few months (possibly a 5 foot 150 if I can find one for a really good price) and already have a tomini tang, fox face rabbit fish, and Christmas wrasse as my "big fish". I absolutely want a blue tang, but I know they can get HUGE, and was also wanting to hopefully get a third type of tang. My first question is: do you think 3 small to medium sized tangs would be too much for a 120 and also what might you guys suggest for a third tang? I really like the shape of brown tangs, but was hoping there's a different color with the same shape? Meaning have the tall fins.

 

[TexanCanuck]

I have four tangs in 5-foot 130gallon DT and they are all happy.

The blue tangs are awesome, but they are ICH MAGNETS - so just be prepared to have to proactively manage the disease.

I also really like the powder brown or achilles tangs, but they can be really aggressive.

If I were you, I'd think about a combination of Yellow Tang, Purple Tang, and a Naso Tang - they will do well in a 120! Plus, they are awesome at algae control!

 

[davescj]

I have a 125, Fox Face, Sail fin tang, Purple Tang, Hippo (dory) tang....they seem to do well. Oddly, the Purple, sail, and fox face act like a 3 fish posse. where there is one, there are the other two.

 

[Cerberusfish]

I have a 125, Fox Face, Sail fin tang, Purple Tang, Hippo (dory) tang....they seem to do well. Oddly, the Purple, sail, and fox face act like a 3 fish posse. where there is one, there are the other two.

I WANT a 180, but can't fit a 6 foot tank where I live right now :(. My fox face definitely seems to think he's buddies with the tomini. Follows him everywhere. I might try a purple tang. I also need more fish with colors that really pop as well, most of mine are very interesting and very pretty and have great patterns, but not what you would call eye grabbers in terms of vivid coloration. Although yellow tangs have never really been a big deal for me, they have grown on me a little (except now they're super expensive)

 

[Cerberusfish]

I'm upgrading 2 of my tanks rn, and hopefully setting a 5th tank for discus soon, so I'm going to be adding a s quarantine tank to my arrangement (don't shoot me for not quarantining until now lol). Has anyone had experience with sailfin tangs?

 

[TexanCanuck]

I have a sailfin tang in my 130 as well ... it gets along great with the Yellow, Purple, and Naso Tangs.

Just keep in ming that the Sailfin will eventually get HUGE and need to be re-homed to a much larger tank ... I'm using that as the forcing function to buy a bigger tank!

 

[Cerberusfish]

I have a sailfin tang in my 130 as well ... it gets along great with the Yellow, Purple, and Naso Tangs.

Just keep in ming that the Sailfin will eventually get HUGE and need to be re-homed to a much larger tank ... I'm using that as the forcing function to buy a bigger tank!

I'm hoping to get that 180 within the next few years. Already looking for a better job that will let me move and maintain my current tanks, and by the time I NEED a 180 I will likely already have one. Im also planning on buying these tangs as small as possible because my tomini seems to totally ignore anything small enough so that will give me plenty of time right?

 

[TexanCanuck]

I don't know about "plenty of time" - I think Tangs reach maturity sometime around 2 years old

 

[Cerberusfish]

I don't know about "plenty of time" - I think Tangs reach maturity sometime around 2 years old

I suppose the responsible thing to do would be to wait on that one then.

 

[Tamberav]

My friend has a 150 and I helped him pick out tangs.

We decided to go with three. A tomini, gem, and goldrim. They are all from different families and the gold rim is less aggressive then other powders but still just as beautiful and a bit more less seen. None will outgrow his 150. It seems ideal.

He hasn’t got them yet as he will add them last and all at once. Copperband butterfly, numerous wrasses and fox face will go in first.

Maybe think about the purple and the goldrim as your 3rd? It has the fins you are talking about and middle of the pack on this aggression chart:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tang-aggression-understanding-and-combating.215698/
Gorgeous fish if you ask me...

 

[Zionas]

I would do a Purple Tang, a smaller Bristletooth Tang, and maybe a smaller Acanthurus Tang for a 5ft tank. The Purple and Bristletooth grow quite slowly (even then I think they’ll be fine, @CanuckReefer has a 17-year old Yellow Tang in a 4ft 90). As for the Acanthurus I’m not sure about the Mimic, but Lavender Tangs don’t get too crazy big. Convict Tangs are another small Acanthurus but they can be hard to get eating and healthy. The Japonicus Tang (White Face?) is another option and supposedly hardier than the Powder Brown (White Cheek).

I say not sure about the Mimic because I get conflicting reports on their size. @OrionN says he had one get to 8-9” (too big IMO for an active fish in anything under an 8’ tank), others say 6-7”, Jay Hemdal also thinks they really need that big tank.

For a 5’ tank a fish that gets to 6.5-7” would be about the cut-off.

For Bristletooth Tangs any of the following would be good: Yellow Eye Kole (if you can still find one), Tomini, Squaretail, White Tail, and Two Spot. The Striated is dull and the Chevron gets large and dull.

 

[Cerberusfish]

Alright so I'm finally in the 120. I still have yet to get the blue tang, but now I'm thinking of adding a powder brown in along with the blue and tomini. Any good suggestions for a 4th that will do well with those 3? I'm not to experienced with tangs so I'm not sure what will get along well with what. And the powder brown seems like a decent substitute for an Achilles that I would love to have some day.