Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

[Spar]

I lost almost all of my fish a few months ago from velvet. One of the survivors is a small Purple Tang. He is currently in an isolated tank waiting to go back into the DT. I know PT's are generally aggressive, especially toward yellow's and sailfin's. So, hopefully I can QT the PT (over again) along with a few YT's and a Sailfin so that they can go into my display tank at the same time. I did this a long time ago and it seemed to work great in terms of them bonding and not fighting.

My concern is that this would mean adding the PT, YT's and a Sailfin as the first Tang's to the aquarium. I don't recall in the past these Tang's being overall aggressive to other types/shapes of Tang's, but my memory is fuzzy a bit. I will likely be adding Tang's such as Blue Hippo, Orange Shoulder, Kole's, Achilis, Naso, to name a few. Am I looking for pain and misery down the road by adding the PT/YT/ST this early?

The aquarium they will be added to is my 450g (8x3x2.5).

 

[4FordFamily]

I lost almost all of my fish a few months ago from velvet. One of the survivors is a small Purple Tang. He is currently in an isolated tank waiting to go back into the DT. I know PT's are generally aggressive, especially toward yellow's and sailfin's. So, hopefully I can QT the PT (over again) along with a few YT's and a Sailfin so that they can go into my display tank at the same time. I did this a long time ago and it seemed to work great in terms of them bonding and not fighting.

My concern is that this would mean adding the PT, YT's and a Sailfin as the first Tang's to the aquarium. I don't recall in the past these Tang's being overall aggressive to other types/shapes of Tang's, but my memory is fuzzy a bit. I will likely be adding Tang's such as Blue Hippo, Orange Shoulder, Kole's, Achilis, Naso, to name a few. Am I looking for pain and misery down the road by adding the PT/YT/ST this early?

The aquarium they will be added to is my 450g (8x3x2.5).

I wouldn't re-quarantine, I'd just add the fish. I'd add the other zebrasoma tangs as soon as they go through quarantine, and add 2-3 tangs at a time. The more fish you add, the less chance the purple will be able to single them out and cause issues. In reality, zebrasoma tangs are most unruly as sole tangs or in a system with lots of space and "few" tangs. They don't seem to hold "permanent" grudges like their acanthurus cousins, which is why I would say they should be last, or at least the more aggressive acanthurus such as Achilles and powder blue. Orange shoulder aren't particularly aggressive as an acanthurus. A large naso is often a good "referee" that intimidates smaller more aggressive tangs from behaving aggressively. I've seen naso "not allow" aggression among tangs as well. I hope this helps! :)

 

[TheHarold]

I just wanted to give one more update, since I feel it acts as another rough data point on tang aggression.

There is no more fighting visible to me. All tangs are able to eat from the algae clip, and although the yellow scopa is still skittish, it can hold its own.

 

[Jase4224]

Hi guys. Planning my livestock for my RSRxxl750 so ~ 170gal.

All my fish will be added in groups of at least 3 and I’m stocking fairly heavy. The last fishes I want to add are the following:

Purple Tang
Powder Black Tang
Yellow Tang
Twinspot Bristletooth Tang

These will be the most aggressive fishes in my tank, they will be added last and they will be added together. There will be plenty of smaller fishes in the tank already with the only other larger fish being a Harlequin Tuskfish already in the tank. I have access to plenty of fresh algae I can clip to various locations in the tank.

Any advice?
@4FordFamily

 

[4FordFamily]

Hi guys. Planning my livestock for my RSRxxl750 so ~ 170gal.

All my fish will be added in groups of at least 3 and I’m stocking fairly heavy. The last fishes I want to add are the following:

Purple Tang
Powder Black Tang
Yellow Tang
Twinspot Bristletooth Tang

These will be the most aggressive fishes in my tank, they will be added last and they will be added together. There will be plenty of smaller fishes in the tank already with the only other larger fish being a Harlequin Tuskfish already in the tank. I have access to plenty of fresh algae I can clip to various locations in the tank.

Any advice?
@4FordFamily

Sounds like it could work, I would add them last and together (the tangs). Make sure you have strong nutrient export and stay up on water changes :)

The powder blue and goldrim may not get along, as you know— but adding all together increases your odds. The powder blue should be the smaller fish of the group. 3-3.5 inches is a good, hardy/small size for PBT.

 

[Jase4224]

Sounds like it could work, I would add them last and together (the tangs). Make sure you have strong nutrient export and stay up on water changes :)

The powder blue and goldrim may not get along, as you know— but adding all together increases your odds. The powder blue should be the smaller fish of the group. 3-3.5 inches is a good, hardy/small size for PBT.

Hi, thanks for your time! I think you have misread my Tang list though..

Purple Tang
Powder Black/Gold Rim Tang
Yellow Tang
Twinspot Bristletooth Tang

I’m not sure where you got the idea that I want a Powder Blue because it’s not on my list lol (too risky for my liking!) but I understand you have answered like a thousand posts in this thread so understandable.

Cheers

 

[4FordFamily]

Hi, thanks for your time! I think you have misread my Tang list though..

Purple Tang
Powder Black/Gold Rim Tang
Yellow Tang
Twinspot Bristletooth Tang

I’m not sure where you got the idea that I want a Powder Blue because it’s not on my list lol (too risky for my liking!) but I understand you have answered like a thousand posts in this thread so understandable.

Cheers

LOL sorry! That’s what I get for reading quickly with my phone. The purple and yellow may not tolerate each other but if you buy a purple smaller than the yellow your odds are better, and the rest is all true. Sorry again, not sure how I missed that!

 

[Jase4224]

LOL sorry! That’s what I get for reading quickly with my phone. The purple and yellow may not tolerate each other but if you buy a purple smaller than the yellow your odds are better, and the rest is all true. Sorry again, not sure how I missed that!

Haha all good! I will definitely source a smaller PT :)
Thanks for your input and advice

 

[4FordFamily]

Haha all good! I will definitely source a smaller PT :)
Thanks for your input and advice

Any time!:)

 

[MnFish1]

LOL sorry! That’s what I get for reading quickly with my phone. The purple and yellow may not tolerate each other but if you buy a purple smaller than the yellow your odds are better, and the rest is all true. Sorry again, not sure how I missed that!

I have 2 yellows and a purple - they do fine - I think you're right -its all about when they are added.... My 2 yellows - who swim in a pair - do not fuss with the purple (about 4.5 +inches) or each other (3.5+ inches)

 

[4FordFamily]

I have 2 yellows and a purple - they do fine - I think you're right -its all about when they are added.... My 2 yellows - who swim in a pair - do not fuss with the purple (about 4.5 +inches) or each other (3.5+ inches)

Sometimes they will turn on each other eventually but typically if added together you’re good to go :)

 

[Jase4224]

Sometimes they will turn on each other eventually but typically if added together you’re good to go :)

Do you have any suggestions as to why sometimes they might eventually turn on each other?

 

[4FordFamily]

Do you have any suggestions as to why sometimes they might eventually turn on each other?

Sexual maturity, social dynamic changes (“alpha” position change), change in the availability of food, and simply opportunity. Any weakness will be exploited. For a fish, a weak fish should be badgered because it’ll be the target of reef predators (not you).

 

[gotwins86]

Blue Tang
Purple Tang
Mimic Tang
Maybe powder blue or white tail if I add a 4th
Foxface

Will this be ok?

Also better footprint 72x30x24 or 84x24x24

 

[4FordFamily]

Blue Tang
Purple Tang
Mimic Tang
Maybe powder blue or white tail if I add a 4th
Foxface

Will this be ok?

Also better footprint 72x30x24 or 84x24x24

Should work, although of course as you know no guarantees with tangs ;)

 

[gotwins86]

Thanks. What do you think is a better footprint for tangs? 72x30x24 or 84x24x24

Due to location of tank, it is close to the start of a hallway. So can do one or the other without blocking hallway too much.

 

[Brian1f1]

I’ve managed to form a pair of purple tangs in a 525. I had a contingency plan, and I wouldn’t recommend bc I believe it was a combination of luck and procedure, but by god, it worked... If anyone’s interested I can explain the procedure that worked for me and the stages. There were times when it seemed certain it wouldn’t work. And yes, I know it could blow up tomorrow, but two years in, and they appear more bonded and spats that were occasional even six months ago appear to have disappeared.

Hard to get photos of, never stop cruising.

 

[4FordFamily]

Thanks. What do you think is a better footprint for tangs? 72x30x24 or 84x24x24

Due to location of tank, it is close to the start of a hallway. So can do one or the other without blocking hallway too much.

84 inches is better for tangs for certain!

I’ve managed to form a pair of purple tangs in a 525. I had a contingency plan, and I wouldn’t recommend bc I believe it was a combination of luck and procedure, but by god, it worked... If anyone’s interested I can explain the procedure that worked for me and the stages. There were times when it seemed certain it wouldn’t work. And yes, I know it could blow up tomorrow, but two years in, and they appear more bonded and spats that were occasional even six months ago appear to have disappeared.

Hard to get photos of, never stop cruising.

Beautiful! Good work!

 

[Chuckc mi]

Hello all I have a 180 gallon tank with a tommini tang I would like to add a few more tangs. I have a 40 gallon qt tank running now . The fish I would like are a purple , powder brown and Desardini and am open to other fish suggestions. Will I be able to qt the new fish together in the 40 I could also set up a 20 long if need be .

 

[Spar]

Hello all I have a 180 gallon tank with a tommini tang I would like to add a few more tangs. I have a 40 gallon qt tank running now . The fish I would like are a purple , powder brown and Desardini and am open to other fish suggestions. Will I be able to qt the new fish together in the 40 I could also set up a 20 long if need be .

When added together to the QT at the same time there is generally no fighting issues. For instance I just put 5 Yellow Tangs and a Desjardini Sailfin in a 30g QT together, all seems peaceful thus far.