What tangs in an 8’ tank

[Dubs83]

Hello, with QT sitting empty, I was wondering what tangs I could keep that are active swimmers/grazers in an 8’ by 2’, 240 gallon tank with a 125 gallon sump.

We currently have 3 purple tangs and a small hippo tang

 

[ndrwater]

I would stay away from any other Zebrasoma tangs. Things like yellow, sailfin, black etc all fall into that genus.
Something like a type of bristletooth or even a hippo (blue) tang should work well. Active and attractive both.

 

[Musovski]

Well, anything just dont add the same body tang, for example a yellow tang and scopas tang, or a achilles tang and powder blue tang. only exception is if you get a sailfin tang. The body although are zebrasoma will work with the purple tang.

 

[Dubs83]

You guys both mentioned not to add yellow tangs. We were hoping to have 3 purples and two yellow tangs. Is this asking for trouble even if I add them in a pair?

How about some of the larger naso tangs? Are these too large for my sized tank?

 

[Jesterrace]

Your options are pretty wide open if you go with different types of tangs. Power Brown or Blue (Powder Blue can be really delicate though), Convict, any Bristletooth (ie Cheveron, Kole, Tomini, White Tail Bristletooth), Orange Shoulder, Blue Carribean Tang (aka Atlantic Tang).

 

[Ryan1783]

Most of the bristletooth should work great

 

[mort]

You guys both mentioned not to add yellow tangs. We were hoping to have 3 purples and two yellow tangs. Is this asking for trouble even if I add them in a pair?

How about some of the larger naso tangs? Are these too large for my sized tank?

Congeners can be more of a problem mixed together as they tend to be evenly matched, which makes fighting for dominance worse, and they can be more aggressive to similar shaped species. If you add fish from another genus it normally goes slightly better but their is no guarantee.
I've seen enough tanks to know mixing every zebrasoma is possible but it's down to how you do it and how lucky you are. The problem you have is that with three purple tangs already in residence it's going to be harder. If you added them all together it may have gone smoother but with your pack already established it will be harder. Your best chance is to either go for another genus or add them at differing sizes. If your purples are small it gives you the best chance as you could add larger yellows that are less likely to be bullied. It would be easier though to only have one purple, one yellow etc as multiples of the same species can be hard. I personally go for another species or remove a couple of purples.
Multiple tangs is like African cichlids in that you need to pack them in to dilute any aggression but it's always a cease fire type situation and any slight change can cause the dynamic to change and all out war to begin. Purples can be mean ime so I'd either add something that can stick up for itself, like a lavender, or something less likely to be seen as a threat, like a bristletooth.

 

[nereefpat]

The standard 8x2x2 24o gallon is a great tank for multiple tangs, and almost any species in that family can live its whole life in that much space.

There are a few that I would avoid:
The Naso species that are unicorns (size)
Naso vlamingii (size)
Sohal and clown (aggression issues)
The larger, open ocean Prionurus species, which we don't see in the hobby.

So...The regal you have is fine. Naso elegans and lituratus will be fine. Any Ctenochaetus sp, including the big chevron is fine. Any Acanthurus except the homicidal ones. And any Zebrasoma, including the eventually huge two sailfins.

Now, mixing them will present a potential challenge. If you use the usual tricks like: adding multiples at the same time, lots of space, lots of flow, lots of food, mirrors, etc, that helps your odds. The already present purples may give you a challenge. Adding a group of several will give you the best odds.

 

[andrewkw]

At least to me an Achilles is the most beautiful tang. Other then the real giants you can pretty much get any tang in that size tank.

 

[ca1ore]

The standard 8x2x2 24o gallon is a great tank for multiple tangs, and almost any species in that family can live its whole life in that much space.

There are a few that I would avoid:
The Naso species that are unicorns (size)
Naso vlamingii (size)
Sohal and clown (aggression issues)
The larger, open ocean Prionurus species, which we don't see in the hobby.

So...The regal you have is fine. Naso elegans and lituratus will be fine. Any Ctenochaetus sp, including the big chevron is fine. Any Acanthurus except the homicidal ones. And any Zebrasoma, including the eventually huge two sailfins.

Now, mixing them will present a potential challenge. If you use the usual tricks like: adding multiples at the same time, lots of space, lots of flow, lots of food, mirrors, etc, that helps your odds. The already present purples may give you a challenge. Adding a group of several will give you the best odds.

Good advice; I agree.

 

[Dubs83]

The standard 8x2x2 24o gallon is a great tank for multiple tangs, and almost any species in that family can live its whole life in that much space.

There are a few that I would avoid:
The Naso species that are unicorns (size)
Naso vlamingii (size)
Sohal and clown (aggression issues)
The larger, open ocean Prionurus species, which we don't see in the hobby.

So...The regal you have is fine. Naso elegans and lituratus will be fine. Any Ctenochaetus sp, including the big chevron is fine. Any Acanthurus except the homicidal ones. And any Zebrasoma, including the eventually huge two sailfins.

Now, mixing them will present a potential challenge. If you use the usual tricks like: adding multiples at the same time, lots of space, lots of flow, lots of food, mirrors, etc, that helps your odds. The already present purples may give you a challenge. Adding a group of several will give you the best odds.

Okay, I should have been more specific I’m sorry. I currently have one purple tang (2.5”) and two purple tangs about done with observation. They’re about 2”. If you think it will increase my chance of success, I can delay moving them until the two yellow tangs start and finish qt.

I can check a lot a lot of things off... plenty of space, 2x mp40, 2x xf250, 2x mp10 with four random flow generators on return so plenty of flow, and I plan on keeping nori in several spots of the tank for grazing.

It’s odd, my previous tank, the yellow tang was king lol

 

[Dubs83]

At least to me an Achilles is the most beautiful tang. Other then the real giants you can pretty much get any tang in that size tank.

I agree. We really want a Sohal and an Achilles but I don’t think it’s possible. Which of those two do people have more success with in terms of aggression?

 

[nereefpat]

Okay, I should have been more specific I’m sorry. I currently have one purple tang (2.5”) and two purple tangs about done with observation. They’re about 2”. If you think it will increase my chance of success, I can delay moving them until the two yellow tangs start and finish qt.

I can check a lot a lot of things off... plenty of space, 2x mp40, 2x xf250, 2x mp10 with four random flow generators on return so plenty of flow, and I plan on keeping nori in several spots of the tank for grazing.

It’s odd, my previous tank, the yellow tang was king lol

Yellows can certainly be a tank boss. I've dealt with a few really aggressive ones in 90, 125, and 180 gallon tanks. Purples will be similar disposition. I think if the tangs are that small, and you add several at once, you will be fine adding more tangs.

About the sohal: given enough time, it will most likely be the only tang in the tank, even at 240 gallons.