Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[oldreefer66]

@4FordFamily

I am currently waiting for a custom tank to arrive (60" x 24" x 24"). My plan is add some smaller fish initially (2 ocellaris, 2 mandarins, 2 flame hawks, several royal grammas, several springerii damsels, and several firefish). To these I would like to add at least one tang for algae control. I would like to pick from the following list: powder blue, yellow tang, purple tang, and gem tang. My preference is to add the PBT by itself. I know the tank is a bit small for the powder blue but I would crank the flow to make things as ideal as possible for him. If you think it unwise to have the PBT as the sole tang would a PBT work better with a YT and PT? Would a sole Gem Tang be better than any alternative?

Thanks, in advance, for the advice!
Michael

 

[shred5]

@4FordFamily

I am currently waiting for a custom tank to arrive (60" x 24" x 24"). My plan is add some smaller fish initially (2 ocellaris, 2 mandarins, 2 flame hawks, several royal grammas, several springerii damsels, and several firefish). To these I would like to add at least one tang for algae control. I would like to pick from the following list: powder blue, yellow tang, purple tang, and gem tang. My preference is to add the PBT by itself. I know the tank is a bit small for the powder blue but I would crank the flow to make things as ideal as possible for him. If you think it unwise to have the PBT as the sole tang would a PBT work better with a YT and PT? Would a sole Gem Tang be better than any alternative?

Thanks, in advance, for the advice!
Michael

Personally Powder blue tangs in my opinion are one of the nastiest, just out right mean. Personally best alone and I would avoid it all together. They also seem more acceptable to diseases to like ich .

Out of all the tangs I have had the Kole is the best algae eater I have had and one of the calmer ones but can sometimes be aggressive to other fish. They also seem more hardy.

I have also had little issue with purple tangs.

Most tangs are ok as a single fish though. Most issues I have had is either multiple tangs or established tang with new introductions.

 

[mdrobc13]

Personally Powder blue tangs in my opinion are one of the nastiest, just out right mean. Personally best alone and I would avoid it all together. They also seem more acceptable to diseases to like ich .

Out of all the tangs I have had the Kole is the best algae eater I have had and one of the calmer ones but can sometimes be aggressive to other fish. They also seem more hardy.

I have also had little issue with purple tangs.

Most tangs are ok as a single fish though. Most issues I have had is either multiple tangs or established tang with new introductions.

@4FordFamily

I am currently waiting for a custom tank to arrive (60" x 24" x 24"). My plan is add some smaller fish initially (2 ocellaris, 2 mandarins, 2 flame hawks, several royal grammas, several springerii damsels, and several firefish). To these I would like to add at least one tang for algae control. I would like to pick from the following list: powder blue, yellow tang, purple tang, and gem tang. My preference is to add the PBT by itself. I know the tank is a bit small for the powder blue but I would crank the flow to make things as ideal as possible for him. If you think it unwise to have the PBT as the sole tang would a PBT work better with a YT and PT? Would a sole Gem Tang be better than any alternative?

Thanks, in advance, for the advice!
Michael

Hmm..I have multiple tangs in my 130 and they all work well. My tangs include a Sailfin, Purple, Tonami, Naso, and yes the dreaded Powder Blue Tang. So far mostly success with my multi-Tang setups. Keys I've found are space....have to have good space for them 100gal or better as they need space for territory and for some like Clown/Sohal/PBT they need swimming space. They are aggressive swimmers and always on the move which may limit your choices but may also contribute to their perceived aggression. Also order of addition is key...most aggressive always add last and/or like fish as the same time I've found works well. So my order of addition for recent tank was Yellow and Purple Tang, then Tonami, Sailfin, Purple Tang, and last added Naso. Wasn't fully planned this way as some fished did not make it....the order changed a bit. As for PBT and ich...luckily mine has had no signs. I did QT him for about 45 days and used PraziPro and also Copper Safe to ensure he was good to go...but also having them well fed and happy and less stressed seems to help and so far 2/3 of my PBT's have been ich free! :)

 

[i cant think]

Bristletooth: I like the "flame tip" of your options for a 4 foot tank. White tail can be surly (as far as bristletooth tangs go) so can Kole. I don't have much experience with orange-striped (though close cousin of Kole) -- I have noticed that very few look any better than the Kole -- despite the few photos online of extravagant-looking bristletooth tangs. That's just an aesthetic comment.

This is a good recommendation - I know they didn’t have it on the list however:
Ctenochaetus binotatus is VERY close looking to the kole tang with just a blue ring where the kole has the yellow ring. I would say that the twin spot bristletooth and white tail bristletooth are both on the more peaceful side of Ctenochaetus. I can’t say anything on the gold rush or true kole since I have almost never worked around them (If I did it was to bag one up). For sure you get the odd ones with high aggression but that’s in any fish, even some of the most peaceful fish could be your worst nightmare.

 

[Jase4224]

Hi guys, just need some advice on a possible fish order. I was meant to get tangs a couple of years back but let’s just say I’m taking things slow.

I would like to add a purple tang, chocolate tang and a yellow rabbit fish to my XXL750. I plan to add them at the same time.

My current fish are established, I have the following: majestic angel, harlequin tusk, flame angel, coral beauty, pair percula clowns and a pair of banggai cardinals.

The majestic is the boss but he’s not a prick, only giving the two small angels the occasional short chase and the harlequin is boss at food time but also not too aggressive.

Any advice or alarm bells?

 

[4FordFamily]

Hi guys, just need some advice on a possible fish order. I was meant to get tangs a couple of years back but let’s just say I’m taking things slow.

I would like to add a purple tang, chocolate tang and a yellow rabbit fish to my XXL750. I plan to add them at the same time.

My current fish are established, I have the following: majestic angel, harlequin tusk, flame angel, coral beauty, pair percula clowns and a pair of banggai cardinals.

The majestic is the boss but he’s not a prick, only giving the two small angels the occasional short chase and the harlequin is boss at food time but also not too aggressive.

Any advice or alarm bells?

I think it’ll work fine. Of course individual fish have different personalities but I don’t see this as high risk. Add the tangs together and be prepared as the first post suggests :)

Good luck!

 

[vetteguy53081]

i dont see an issueand purple being most aggressive in which mine is not. At the same time is your advantage. Just be sure to acclimate well. Best bet will be to empty bags into a large pail after floating and add 1 cup of water up to 8 times (up to 2 hrs) , assure the salinity is equal to or close to tank salinity and use the same cup to catch fish and empty water and release into tank

 

[MnFish1]

Adding 3 fish at once - shoudl be fine. Its when you add one (at least to me) - that I've had issues with tangs

 

[i cant think]

If you add the two tangs at the same time it’ll be fine however the rabbit won’t need to be added with the tangs (It would be better if he was added before them though) because let’s face it, what fish would go after a venomous rabbitfish?

 

[Jase4224]

I think it’ll work fine. Of course individual fish have different personalities but I don’t see this as high risk. Add the tangs together and be prepared as the first post suggests :)

Good luck!

Cheers this helps, my gut feeling was that it should go fine but doesn’t hurt to ask those with more experience!

i dont see an issueand purple being most aggressive in which mine is not. At the same time is your advantage. Just be sure to acclimate well. Best bet will be to empty bags into a large pail after floating and add 1 cup of water up to 8 times (up to 2 hrs) , assure the salinity is equal to or close to tank salinity and use the same cup to catch fish and empty water and release into tank

Great thanks. I like to drip over 2 hours or so controlling for temp and making sure they have plenty of oxygen. I’m very confident with acclimating, it’s putting the fish in the tank that gets me nervous.

Adding 3 fish at once - shoudl be fine. Its when you add one (at least to me) - that I've had issues with tangs

Yep I have had great success adding in groups. Of course depends on circumstances but adding individuals is far more risky in my experience.

If you add the two tangs at the same time it’ll be fine however the rabbit won’t need to be added with the tangs (It would be better if he was added before them though) because let’s face it, what fish would go after a venomous rabbitfish?

The main reason I’ll add all three is my majestic is the boss and my harlequin tusk is 7”. Neither are nasty but they have ‘owned’ the space for a couple of years now. 3 fish will definitely help disperse any aggression and confuse. Is it true other fish won’t attack a rabbit fish? I’m aware they have poisonous dorsal spines but how aware are other fish?

 

[i cant think]

Cheers this helps, my gut feeling was that it should go fine but doesn’t hurt to ask those with more experience!

Great thanks. I like to drip over 2 hours or so controlling for temp and making sure they have plenty of oxygen. I’m very confident with acclimating, it’s putting the fish in the tank that gets me nervous.

Yep I have had great success adding in groups. Of course depends on circumstances but adding individuals is far more risky in my experience.

The main reason I’ll add all three is my majestic is the boss and my harlequin tusk is 7”. Neither are nasty but they have ‘owned’ the space for a couple of years now. 3 fish will definitely help disperse any aggression and confuse. Is it true other fish won’t attack a rabbit fish? I’m aware they have poisonous dorsal spines but how aware are other fish?

Other fish are smarter than you’d think, I got away with adding foxfaces into established tangs in my LFS and the tang ignored it, I would still take risk but it’s not impossible.

 

[dustinc]

Just wanted to see if you had a solid recommendation for 3 tangs for a 200 gallon reef tank I’m currently in process of building. It’s 72”x30”x22”. Will be SPS dominant, so definitely don’t want something that bumps in to and tears up the SPS. I only have 1 requirement (Convict Tang) because they are such great workers and just love the simplicity of how they look. I’m open to options on the other 2. Thanks

 

[4FordFamily]

Just wanted to see if you had a solid recommendation for 3 tangs for a 200 gallon reef tank I’m currently in process of building. It’s 72”x30”x22”. Will be SPS dominant, so definitely don’t want something that bumps in to and tears up the SPS. I only have 1 requirement (Convict Tang) because they are such great workers and just love the simplicity of how they look. I’m open to options on the other 2. Thanks

I’d recommend nearly any zebrasoma tang, and if you have stringent quarantine procedures you could get away with a PBT as well.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Scopas tang
Tomini tang
Lavender tang

 

[dustinc]

I’d recommend nearly any zebrasoma tang, and if you have stringent quarantine procedures you could get away with a PBT as well.

Ok. I personally do not quarantine, however I only buy Fish from 1 source and everything there is quarantined. That doesn’t take in to account corals though. Love the PBT and Achilles, however I’m worried about aggression on that front, so that’s why I’ve been nervous about adding either. My LFS always has quality PBT and Achilles in stock.

 

[GillMeister]

I have a yellow and a mimic tang in the same tank. They never fight and where one goes, so goes the other. I couldn't ask for better behavior from tangs.

 

[nereefpat]

Just wanted to see if you had a solid recommendation for 3 tangs for a 200 gallon reef tank I’m currently in process of building. It’s 72”x30”x22”. Will be SPS dominant, so definitely don’t want something that bumps in to and tears up the SPS. I only have 1 requirement (Convict Tang) because they are such great workers and just love the simplicity of how they look. I’m open to options on the other 2. Thanks

For 3, including a convict, I would add a yellow and a kole. Or a purple and a tomini.

Scopas tang
Tomini tang
Lavender tang

That's a nice combo

 

[4FordFamily]

For 3, including a convict, I would add a yellow and a kole. Or a purple and a tomini.


That's a nice combo

Those are good suggestions

 

[i cant think]

Just wanted to see if you had a solid recommendation for 3 tangs for a 200 gallon reef tank I’m currently in process of building. It’s 72”x30”x22”. Will be SPS dominant, so definitely don’t want something that bumps in to and tears up the SPS. I only have 1 requirement (Convict Tang) because they are such great workers and just love the simplicity of how they look. I’m open to options on the other 2. Thanks

Convict (Although you may find it needs 8-9’ of tank in the long run)
Twin Spot Bristletooth
Tomini

Ctenochaetus are SO overlooked due to them being brown in the stores, my Twin Spot isnt even close to the full brown I got him at. He will display to my Genicanthus and he then gets a beautiful deep blue lines and a lighter background. I saw one strange time in September where he went this beautiful maroon red colour, I think it was spawning colours but so little is known about these fish so I can’t really tell if it was a one off or annual, he only did it in September 2021, the other year he was still 1 inch and growing, this year he was 3” so I’d say that’s a mature fish (Possibly male due to the colours looking like he was courting).

 

[Jase4224]

Hi guys, I feel a little silly because this is the third time I have asked here about adding tangs to complete my fish list. Unfortunately in West Australia it has been difficult to order particular fish that were easy to get before the you know what. I have also recently had a velvet outbreak but managed to save 8/11 fish. My current fish have received treatment, then the Hybrid TTM and all seem well but I have 4+ weeks to observe.

My question is in regards to when to add what fish.. the fish I’ll be adding to my (fallowed 8 weeks) reefer XXL750 is as follows..
Purple tang
Hippo tang (New)
Desjardini tang (New)
Majestic angel
Eibli angel (New)
Harlequin tusk
Yellow fox face
Pair of Perc clowns
Pair of Banggai’s

The new fish arrive soon as the LFS has them but do 7 day QT (copper/prazi) but I will follow up with Hybrid TTM, fresh water dip and couple of weeks observation also.

Any advice on how to go about adding these fish?... really the tangs are my only concern

Thanks again guys