20 tangs

[Lil bikky]

So a friend of mine just build a 500 g tank with live rock its been up about a month. He want 20 tangs all at once half powder blue half yellow. Do you think this will work?

 

[Tautog]

Baby yes. Adults no

 

[cgdcinc]

Just from what I have read about tangs I would think no. Although I have never had tanks big enough to have one. I think there would be some aggression issues. Interested to hear if others have kept multiple tangs with success.

 

[FlyinBryan]

That friend huh? Well to your friend to just think about the fish first and foremost. The recommended 1 per 75g is probably a good recommendation based on many years experience. Hope your friend listens.

 

[cdare99]

You'll have a better chance of the fish being less aggressive toward each other when they are put in all at once, not one at a time once the other fish is use to the tank. And tangs are more aggressive sometimes to there own kind. Meaning a powder blue tang may fight with another powder blue but be fine with a yellow tang.

 

[Big G]

A local shop had about 15 assorted yellow, blue tangs, plus a few others in a 300 gallon cube. What a mess. Very difficult to keep clean, healthy for that many fish of that size. Felt sorry for the fish. They looked cramped and swam in circles.

 

[evolved]

Maybe if it was 5000 gallons... :)

 

[eatbreakfast]

Powder blues are pr forming, so 10 won't work together in that sized tank. 2 will eventually kill all the other powder blues.

500g is a little small for a group of 10 yellows. It is better suited for 6 added simultaneously while still juveniles.

 

[M007]

FWIW; I've done 6 yellow in a 240 but all were small and all went in the same day. 4 survived the first month and went on for 3 years until they out grew the tank and moved to bigger digs. Currently have 3 small gems and a black in my shallow 80. All have been doing very well together for 4 months and will be moving as a group to the 240 shortly.

 

[4FordFamily]

I've seen powder blues do well when several were added -- but agree a 500 won't cut it for ten of them. That's the risky part. The yellows would work, if the space alotted, more than likely.

 

[M007]

Agreed

 

[Kworker]

I think he could do something like that with a species like Convict tangs (Acanthurus Triostegus).. 20 is pushing it though. I've tried it with 3 Yellow tangs (Zebrasoma Flavenscens) in a 180, worked for a bit but they became very aggressive.

If he wants a decent group of larger fish, tell him to get yellow/black pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys Polylepis/Zoster)

 

[salty150]

Not to be a jerk... but is this a serious question...?

 

[James Kanouff]

But there are sooooooo many other great tangs to choose from... 5-7 is the most I suggest. Other wise buy stock in nori, get three over sized skimmers and plan for alot of nitrate issues. That or unhlealthy starved tangs. There basically sea COWS. In one end out the others all day naturally. 20 tangs is a bad idea for sure in 500 gallons. I enjoy each tang individually. Don't need multiples of any IMO. some should be added after others for aggression issues for sure. BADDD purple tang.... time out time. If you know what I mean.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

 

[HB AL]

You only live once I would tell him to go for it and report back

 

[salty150]

You only live once I would tell him to go for it and report back

WRONG!

Why encourage him to do something everyone knows is WRONG?!

 

[HB AL]

WRONG!

Why encourage him to do something everyone knows is WRONG?!

Because sometimes you gotta make your own decisions and see how they turnout. When I added a purple tang a few months back and already had a yellow tang for over a year I was told it Would not work out, fast forward to now and they are doing great, also people would say my tank is way over stocked with fish and everyone is happy and it's also loaded with corals of all types that are thriving.

 

[salty150]

Because sometimes you gotta make your own decisions and see how they turnout.

Not when you are dealing with 20 living animals you don't.

These aren't play toys for you to experiment with.

 

[DSC reef]

You also know nothing about his tank, filtration, ect. Maybe it will work or maybe it will be a disaster. Unfortunately it's more likely for it to end badly and that's not good for anyone. Promoting responsibility goes well beyond "taking a chance" in this hobby. Just because your tank hasn't crashed doesn't mean you should tell someone who is probably new to the hobby just to go all in.