What Tang?!

[Neo Jeo]

In a month or so Ill be adding tang's to my tank.

I want to add them all at once as I want them to all get along. I have a 120g tank.

These are the tang's I want by order:
1.Powder Blue Tang
2.Purple Tang
3.Blonde Naso Tang
4. Kole Yellow Eye Tang
5.Yellow Tang

How many tang's can I get? I currently have 2 fire fish, 2 clowns, 2 wrasses. I have been reading negative things about the Powder Blue Tang on how they love ick... Also will a Naso tang getting to big and it not even be worth it? How many fish can you have in a 120g? I do have around 160lbs of live rock but a lot of swimming room behind it.

Anyone with some tang advice would be just tanggy!

Thanks

 

[Brew12]

In a month or so Ill be adding tang's to my tank.

I want to add them all at once as I want them to all get along. I have a 120g tank.

These are the tang's I want by order:
1.Powder Blue Tang
2.Purple Tang
3.Blonde Naso Tang
4. Kole Yellow Eye Tang
5.Yellow Tang

How many tang's can I get? I currently have 2 fire fish, 2 clowns, 2 wrasses. I have been reading negative things about the Powder Blue Tang on how they love ick... Also will a Naso tang getting to big and it not even be worth it? How many fish can you have in a 120g? I do have around 160lbs of live rock but a lot of swimming room behind it.

Anyone with some tang advice would be just tanggy!

Thanks

Almost all Acanthurus tangs are prone to ich, but can be kept without problem if you use very strict QT practices. The Naso will get too big for your tank. I wouldn't even consider putting one in my 187g system. The Powder Blue will be borderline. My guess is that if you start with it small it will be a year or two before the tank size becomes an issue. It seems like the larger species tangs do ok in smaller tanks until they hit 5" or 6" and then things go one of two ways. Either they get aggressive and start attacking the other fish in their tank or they stop eating and slowly die for no known reason. The Purple, Yellow, and Kole tangs should all be ok.

 

[Neo Jeo]

Almost all Acanthurus tangs are prone to ich, but can be kept without problem if you use very strict QT practices. The Naso will get too big for your tank. I wouldn't even consider putting one in my 187g system. The Powder Blue will be borderline. My guess is that if you start with it small it will be a year or two before the tank size becomes an issue. It seems like the larger species tangs do ok in smaller tanks until they hit 5" or 6" and then things go one of two ways. Either they get aggressive and start attacking the other fish in their tank or they stop eating and slowly die for no known reason. The Purple, Yellow, and Kole tangs should all be ok.

That's what I was thinking. I love the Naso and LFS's say it's fine or just remove them down the road. What if I can't catch him? and I dont want to know in my mind Ill have to remove him down the road. I do not have a QT tank but it might be best for the tangs. The Powder Blue tang is #1 on my list. How many fish can I have if I add those 4 tangs? Thanks

 

[Brew12]

That's what I was thinking. I love the Naso and LFS's say it's fine or just remove them down the road. What if I can't catch him? and I dont want to know in my mind Ill have to remove him down the road. I do not have a QT tank but it might be best for the tangs. The Powder Blue tang is #1 on my list. How many fish can I have if I add those 4 tangs? Thanks

How many fish will be determined by how aggressive each individual is, your filtration, your feeding habits, and the type of each fish. There isn't a hard and fast rule. If you have great filtration and don't mind your tank running dirty you can add other smaller fish. If you want a pristine, clean looking tank you will probably have too many already.

I will caution you though, if you haven't QT'd the fish already in your system you could be asking for trouble even if you QT the new additions. The odds of having parasites like ich and velvet in your system is high.

 

[Denisk]

I’d go with the purple, yellow and Kole tang. Perfect for a 120 for awhile. They will last awhile and are fairly hardy. They look incredible with those three you get a variety of color pop and they are always working/picking at algae.

Don’t know much about Naso tangs but I have seen their swimming pattern. They seem to have a wider/stiff body so I can see them like really wide tanks. Also catching them down the road isn’t always easy and stress free. (That really goes for any fish haha)

Powder blue tangs are gorgeous but become aggressive as well stress very quickly. (Gets ich)

Good luck!! Can’t wait to see the tangs in your Reef!

 

[ca1ore]

Agree that the Naso is too big. Powder Blue is marginal, and you do run the risk of it going insane in that small of a tank - though an open aquascape can mitigate that to a degree. I would try to add the purple and yellow at the same time; they are comparable in aggression IME. Kole is the calmest of the bunch (other than the naso).

 

[Neo Jeo]

Looks like the Naso is out of the question ;( Maybe when I move and get a 180+ I can get one! Powder Blue I really do want.. Maybe I take the chance? purple, yellow and Kole tang are a go, now I just have to wait a bit to let my tank stabilize .

Thanks all

 

[Reeferguy365]

If you want a power blue then I would get one. They are beautiful. Just make sure u add them all at the same time. Purple tangs are jerks! lol I can't have a yellow tang in my 180 because of my purple tang. Now with the naso if your tank is 6' long then u would probably be fine if it's something you really want but they are very hard to keep don't know why. It took a month before mine would eat but 6 months down the line now he eats purple seaweed from my hand he's also a 7" fish and my tanks not much bigger than yours so I think u should be fine. Also make sure u have a good power head preferably facing lengthwise of your tank tangs like a current to swim in they are very active.

 

[Neo Jeo]

If you want a power blue then I would get one. They are beautiful. Just make sure u add them all at the same time. Purple tangs are ********! lol I can't have a yellow tang in my 180 because of my purple tang. Now with the naso if your tank is 6' long then u would probably be fine if it's something you really want but they are very hard to keep don't know why. It took a month before mine would eat but 6 months down the line now he eats purple seaweed from my hand he's also a 7" fish and my tanks not much bigger than yours so I think u should be fine. Also make sure u have a good power head preferably facing lengthwise of your tank tangs like a current to swim in they are very active.

Very inspirational Thanks

 

[Fishfinder]

As already said.. naso will get too big. My powder blue is my favorite fish and a model citizen. He actually seems to enjoy all my other tangs. My purple was so bad. Meanest fish I've ever seen. You won't have issues with the kole or yellow.

 

[Neo Jeo]

I wonder why the purples is so angry... Maybe there are some nice ones out there?

 

[Brew12]

I wonder why the purples is so angry... Maybe there are some nice ones out there?

Every fish is an individual. The meanest fish in my tank was a Yellow. Now it is my Starry Blenny. We can look at a type of fish and guestimate how they will behave. Some fish are illiterate and don't read up on how they are supposed to behave.

 

[PatW]

A 120 gallon is a 4’ tank. Tangs do best if the have a straight run. Even large tangs can do well in frag tanks because the low volume allows for long dimensions which tangs like. The Kole and yellow tangs should be fine. The purple tang is a Zebrasoma tang as is the yellow. Congenerics can be a problem with tangs especially in a smaller system but the yellow and purple may do ok together. The other tangs you mentioned all need at least a 6’ dimension and I think the Naso needs 8 or 10 feet.

On the reef some fish are home bodies, meaning that they do not stray far from one spot. Other fish like all of the tangs cover quite a bit of ground.

 

[Neo Jeo]

How about a tomini tang?

 

[Fishfinder]

That will work good

 

[Big G]

Whitetail Bristletooth Tang. Hang on to your wallet

 

[Brew12]

Just watch out for aggression between the tomini and kole tangs.

And yes, you can turn me in to the Tang Police. I have 5 tangs in a 5' tank 2 of which are a Hippo and Convict.

 

[Xanthurum]

Here is my suggestions and I’m sure @4FordFamily will concur.
No to the Naso
No to the PB
Yes to the Kole
Take your pick between Yellow and Purple but you can’t have both in a 120
Your best bet is to add both the Kole and the Zebrasoma of your choosing at the same time. Sorry to poke holes in your wish list but this is solid advice, you should also make sure these are your final fish.

 

[4FordFamily]

Here is my suggestions and I’m sure @4FordFamily will concur.
No to the Naso
No to the PB
Yes to the Kole
Take your pick between Yellow and Purple but you can’t have both in a 120
Your best bet is to add both the Kole and the Zebrasoma of your choosing at the same time. Sorry to poke holes in your wish list but this is solid advice, you should also make sure these are your final fish.

I agree with what you said, PBT need 6 feet of swimming room and a 125 is too small, I’d say 180 minimum. You could possibly keep purple and yellow but they’d need to be added and purchased together, among your Kole concurrently. You can mix bristletooth tangs just fine sometimes, they’re more tolerant of each other if other tangs are present. A tomoni and kole might work although kole can be aggressive so you’d want it to be noticeably smaller. I wouldn’t do a kole and white tail together they’re quite similar and kole are more aggressive and the white tail is likely to be bullied.

Naso need 8 foot tanks minimum, IMO although I’ve kept smaller ones in 6 foot tanks for a few years and they don’t grow TOO fast. Powder blue is just a bad idea period, very aggressive (typically) and although it would be fine with your tankmates as I said, it needs a lot more length and space.

If you want an acanthurus tang, convict tangs stay pretty small and grow more slowly.

With all of this, you’d be best to quarantine as you’re asking for trouble otherwise.

The zebrasoma tangs would be more likely to get along in trios (how I’ve always kept them) — avoid Desjardini and sailfin tangs as they get too large and grow too quickly. Scopas, Yellow, purple, and black would be good to choose from. I’d advise against two of the same and of these species I’d say scopas play the worst with friends. Purple are often aggressive but in a community of several tangs they’re generally not bad, but I’d recommend a smaller one, 2-3.5 inches and the other tangs to be considerably larger.

One more thing to consider with species choices is that occasionally purple and kole won’t get along, not sure if it’s coloring or what. I’ve never had it be a long term issue as both tend not to hold permanent grudges amongst several other tangs. Acanthurus tangs like powder blue, powder brown, Achilles, and occasionally goldrim will hold permanent grudges and when they decide someone needs to go they’ll see it through and remember to attack them again months after being removed or “sumped”. Powder blue being the worst offenders.

Finally, I wouldn’t say they need to be added last, but I would say any angels, butterflies, or similarly shaped fish ought to already be present before the tangs. Wrasse, gobies, anthias, and most other species will be ignored by all but the most nasty tangs.

Algae eating blennies are often not tolerated, as they compete for food source. The tangs are likely to single it out and destroy it.

If you don’t keep many other fish, a trio of smaller zebrasoma and two bristlooth tangs might be OK, but you’d better skim heavy and monitor nutrients closely. Nothing is a guarantee but I do find overcrowding tangs leads to better outcomes for aggression, within reason. More than this and you’ll ask for trouble. 3 zebrasoma, a bristlooth, and a convict might work. 2 zebrasoma, two bristlooth, and a convict might work. Watch max sizes of your fish.

I’m saying this also because you plan to upgrade — if you don’t think you really will in a couple years, be prepared to rehome fish.

 

[4FordFamily]

For the record, I recommend fewer tangs. But if the question is the max you might have luck with, that’s my answer.

Beware it takes one bad apple, have a plan B and be prepared. It’s always a risk mixing tangs, they’re a very aggressive and complex fish.