Vlamingi / Orange Shoulder / Blonde Naso Center Piece Fish?

[TL1]

Hello everyone! I'm finalizing my Reefer S-1000 Build and am trying to decide on a large centerpiece fish.

I'm posting this to hopefully gain some insights from you guys and gals, because there are so many differing opinions on these fish and their appropriate minimum tank size.

My preference would be first for the Vlamingi, followed by the Orange Shoulder and then the Blonde NASO (obviously only one of the three).

My question to you all is what are your thoughts on keeping these fish in a 7ft, 210 gal. tank? Are any of the three better suited, in your opinion, for this size tank. Or, should I just forego fish of this size all together. I will not be upgrading for ~10yrs or more.

Thoughts on balance of stocking ideas, or fish you think would be awesome in this tanks, are welcome as well...

Coming over from current tank:
1x Yellow Tang
1x Hippo
1x Coral Beauty
1x Royal Gramma
1x Engineer Goby

Wishlist/Thoughts for S-1000:
5-7 anthias
1x Flame Angel
1x Convict Tang or Pyramid Butterfly
1x Gem Tang
1x Richmond wrasse (possibly another smaller wrasse or wrasses?)
Centerpiece fish in discussion.
1-2 Bella Gobies
Mandarin
possibly 1 or 2 other small bottom dwelling fish

Thanks,

-TL

 

[Brymac1]

In my experience, Vlamingi tangs have the most personality out of the three. However, due to the size of your tank, an orange shoulder might be your best bet since they don’t get as large.

 

[Hydrored]

I have a vlamingi in my 8' 210 that I rescued from a 40 gallon. They get far too large for a tank of that size or even my 300. If you put a Vlamingi in expect to rehome the fish after 3 years. My Vlamingi is absolutely awesome and loves to get it's belly rubbed, I will miss her but she is being moved to a much larger tank that's 1k+

 

[TL1]

I have a vlamingi in my 8' 210 that I rescued from a 40 gallon. They get far too large for a tank of that size or even my 300. If you put a Vlamingi in expect to rehome the fish after 3 years. My Vlamingi is absolutely awesome and loves to get it's belly rubbed, I will miss her but she is being moved to a much larger tank that's 1k+

Boo. My LFS has one that also like to be pet. I guess the ethical thing would be to rule it out all together. Any other large reef safe fish that come to mind?

 

[TL1]

In my experience, Vlamingi tangs have the most personality out of the three. However, due to the size of your tank, an orange shoulder might be your best bet since they don’t get as large.

Yeah, that does seem to be the verdict. I guess I was hoping to hear something else lol.

Any thoughts on the overall stocking list?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Full grown Orange Shoulders are beautiful.

 

[Brymac1]

Yeah, that does seem to be the verdict. I guess I was hoping to hear something else lol.

Any thoughts on the overall stocking list?

Everything else on your list looks great to me!

 

[TL1]

Full grown Orange Shoulders are beautiful.

Yes! And I'm fairly certain my LFS can get one that has already transitioned!

 

[Hydrored]

Orange shoulder and Blonde Naso's are both beautiful fish. I will say my blue jaw trigger fish pair have a ton of personality also and love attention, like puppies. Mine spit water when it's time to feed lol.

 

[Squidward]

Skip the vlamingi. Get way too big. The Blonde Naso is easily the prettiest and best out of the 3. I always have to have one. Plus it develops the best streamers and has 4 beautiful deadly scalpels the other 2 don't have. Besides the cool blonde mohawk lol

 

[TL1]

Orange shoulder and Blonde Naso's are both beautiful fish. I will say my blue jaw trigger fish pair have a ton of personality also and love attention, like puppies. Mine spit water when it's time to feed lol.

How are they on the reef sade side... especially with shrimp?

 

[HK180]

Those all get quite large. I haven't owned either, so I can't advice based on growth rate/swimming habits, but would personally stay away from the vlamingi, they get way too big.

 

[MeanGreenStompa]

I love the orange shoulder. If it was me, that would be my choice.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I have a blonde naso, orange shoulder, and had a vlamingi until it was killed by a gem tang.

If you are looking for a single centerpiece fish, I would say a Desjardini. From your list I would go blonde naso if only one.

 

[Billldg]

Blonde Naso tang, no doubt! I love mine, especially when it flashes.

 

[i cant think]

Hello everyone! I'm finalizing my Reefer S-1000 Build and am trying to decide on a large centerpiece fish.

I'm posting this to hopefully gain some insights from you guys and gals, because there are so many differing opinions on these fish and their appropriate minimum tank size.

My preference would be first for the Vlamingi, followed by the Orange Shoulder and then the Blonde NASO (obviously only one of the three).

My question to you all is what are your thoughts on keeping these fish in a 7ft, 210 gal. tank? Are any of the three better suited, in your opinion, for this size tank. Or, should I just forego fish of this size all together. I will not be upgrading for ~10yrs or more.

Thoughts on balance of stocking ideas, or fish you think would be awesome in this tanks, are welcome as well...

Coming over from current tank:
1x Yellow Tang
1x Hippo
1x Coral Beauty
1x Royal Gramma
1x Engineer Goby

Wishlist/Thoughts for S-1000:
5-7 anthias
1x Flame Angel
1x Convict Tang or Pyramid Butterfly
1x Gem Tang
1x Richmond wrasse (possibly another smaller wrasse or wrasses?)
Centerpiece fish in discussion.
1-2 Bella Gobies
Mandarin
possibly 1 or 2 other small bottom dwelling fish

Thanks,

-TL

I personally wouldn’t do any of these tangs in a 7’ tank after seeing how they act in 10 to 14 foot tanks. These fish are highly active swimmers so they don’t do too well. IMO the 1’+ long tangs we see are shrugged off as “They won’t get this big”. I have seen an Orange Shoulder grow from a 2” juvenile to a 1’ fish in the store I worked in (He was in our display tank and got moved to a trusted owner of a 10 foot tank and he was a different fish altogether). I’d go for a different fish altogether, a Foxface would be a good alternative. I by far adore my Bristletooth tang but that’s my personal preference, that whole genus takes my heart more than the others but they get shrugged off because they’re “dull”. Any tang in the Naso genus deserves to be in Atleast a 10 foot tank if not 14+ foot. This whole genus gets to Atleast 1’ if not close to 2’. If you do go for one of these three tangs though, be prepared to regime them eventually and also have very open rockwork. I would try get whatever you go for as a 2” juvenile, especially the OS, their transition phase is beautiful.

 

[ApoIsland]

Of your list I would vote the naso tang. For me it just looks better than the others. It's also the only one of the 3 I have owned so I may be a little biased. Another benefit of the naso is that it eats the dreaded brown lobophora algae if you are ever unlucky enough to get it. I have not owned another fish that will eat that crap.

If I had a tank as long as yours though I would at least try the clown tang. Mean as heck but amazing color.

 

[TL1]

I personally wouldn’t do any of these tangs in a 7’ tank after seeing how they act in 10 to 14 foot tanks. These fish are highly active swimmers so they don’t do too well. IMO the 1’+ long tangs we see are shrugged off as “They won’t get this big”. I have seen an Orange Shoulder grow from a 2” juvenile to a 1’ fish in the store I worked in (He was in our display tank and got moved to a trusted owner of a 10 foot tank and he was a different fish altogether). I’d go for a different fish altogether, a Foxface would be a good alternative. I by far adore my Bristletooth tang but that’s my personal preference, that whole genus takes my heart more than the others but they get shrugged off because they’re “dull”. Any tang in the Naso genus deserves to be in Atleast a 10 foot tank if not 14+ foot. This whole genus gets to Atleast 1’ if not close to 2’. If you do go for one of these three tangs though, be prepared to regime them eventually and also have very open rockwork. I would try get whatever you go for as a 2” juvenile, especially the OS, their transition phase is beautiful.

The more I look into it, the more I agree. Besides, larger fish in a "smaller" tank takes away from the scale of the tank.

 

[i cant think]

The more I look into it, the more I agree. Besides, larger fish in a "smaller" tank takes away from the scale of the tank.

Yeah they do, personally I’d do a bristletooth if you wanted a tang, they have a similar body shape to the orange shoulder, they aren’t as active or as large though. I know these aren’t always “Colourful” but actually, the ones you see come in are instead Probably dark because of stress or the environment isn’t the best.

 

[i cant think]

I’m curious, what did you eventually go with?