2 purple tangs together??

[FunFishin24]

Hello everyone. So I have a 550 gallon mixed reef, running for 2 1/2 years now. Everything is doing great. Current fish list includes:
4"- purple tang
4"- Achilles tang
3"- powder blue tang
4"- white tail bristletooth tang
6"- blonde naso tang
7"- orange shoulder tang
Midas blenny
Sixline wrasse
The only other big fish I was going to add was a pair of triggers & stick mainly with small fish from here on until I was full.

A friend of mine is getting out of the hobby & wants me to take the fish which includes:
4"- purple tang
3"- yellow tang
Big starry blenny
Arc eye hawkfish
Matted file fish
Flame angel
My question for everyone, is should I attempt to add any of these clean/healthy tank accustomed fish to my system or is that to much of a risk with 2 purple tangs & a yellow tang? I definitely don't want any casualties. Any input or advice & explanations would be great. Thanks for your time. [emoji4]. Happy reefing!!!

 

[FunFishin24]

A few crappy i-phone pics

 

[WVfishguy]

I've seen large tanks - 500 gal. at least - at public aquariums which house aggressive tangs together successfully. I've seen clown tangs and Achilles together, and other species which would kill each other in smaller tanks. I'd say a 550 would be okay with the fish you mentioned. HOWEVER! I've never done it myself. For all I know, those tangs at the public aquariums all killed each other an hour after I left.

I'm sure there are a number of reefers here with equally large tanks who can answer from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. That's really the only info I trust - and even then, you have to be careful.

I'm a bit leery of two purple tangs of that size. If introduced at the same time, not so much to worry. But the first one may get riled. I believe I'd take out the current tang (don't ask me how) and place him else where for a while, then introduce both tangs at once.

Has anyone had real life experience with adding an additional tang in a big tank?

 

[FunFishin24]

And that's what I am afraid of. Most of my fish have been in there for atleast 2 years. My newest fish were the powder blue, Midas blenny & sixline wrasse, & they have been in there for a little over a month now. My purple & Achilles pushed him around for about a week or so but now they get along for the most part. I can't really rearrange my rocks to throw them off, so I'm concerned about it. But it would be nice to have 2 purples in my tank, they are one of my favorite fish. I just don't know if it will work out the way I want or if it's even worth the risk.

 

[ReefPharmer]

I tried it before and it’s hit/miss. Had 3 Achilles and one didn’t survive. Best course I’d action is to catch your old purple and either sump him or brute bin him for a week while your new purple gets settled. Even then the old purple will remember the tank and possibly try to go after the new guy

 

[ca1ore]

Agree it's hit or miss. If two tangs decide they hate each other even 550 gallons won't be enough. I've got a purple and yellow in my 450, previously a 265, and though they do coexist, it's not without plenty of bickering.

 

[ddwmedic]

I have three Zebrasomas in an 80gal
(Yellow, purple, sail fin)
I place the last one in an acclimation box floating in the tank for 4-5days first


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[FunFishin24]

I have three Zebrasomas in an 80gal
(Yellow, purple, sail fin)
I place the last one in an acclimation box floating in the tank for 4-5days first


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And I was worried about to many tangs in 550 gallons. Are you planning on a bigger tank in the future?

 

[ddwmedic]

And I was worried about to many tangs in 550 gallons. Are you planning on a bigger tank in the future?

My plans and my wife's are different... I have two 80's now. Would love 225-300


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[NO3]

Don't do it!

Even if they get along perfectly for a year....
one will eventually become ALPHA and KILL the other being in a confined glass box.

95% chance one will eventually kill the other one....but it may take several several months or a few years

 

[Timfish]

I tried it before and it's hit/miss. Had 3 Achilles and one didn't survive. Best course I'd action is to catch your old purple and either sump him or brute bin him for a week while your new purple gets settled. Even then the old purple will remember the tank and possibly try to go after the new guy

+1 If your established purple tang was a noticably smaller odds of longterm success would be better but being roughly the same size odds of success are not good. You might try using a large acrylic acclimation box for a week or longer if you're adamant about trying it

 

[OrionN]

Alton have 2 Purple tangs in his reef, but I think he put two babies in at the same time when they were tiny.
Many people have more than 1 Yellow tang in a tank. Purple Tangs are more aggressive than Yellow IME.
I am not sure how the two 4 inches tangs first meet each other in a 550 gal tank. Not many people have a 550 gal, still not many people add an adult Purple to a tank that already have another mature Purple. You will be the first IMO. Keep us update.

I would make sure that you can catch one of them out quickly

 

[OrionN]

Sea Side Aquatic have large acclimating box for not too expensive, big enough for a 4 inch tang. You may call them. I just got my box from them.

 

[Dmorty217]

I had 2 purples in a 180g 15 years ago and they were fine... fast forward now I have 2 that are 2.5” in a 625g and they are aggressive toward one another even though they were QTed together and have been in my DT now for 5 months.

 

[Dmorty217]

I purchased the purples when they were 1.5” just to add to my previous post

 

[FunFishin24]

Thanks for all the replies to my questions. I think I'm just going to trade them off for some corals. I have a lot of time & money invested into a good healthy DT & I'd hate to have to start all over because of one gamble. I do think with my size of tank I would've been ok to introduce them both at the same time but since the one I have is pretty much the boss of my tank I don't think I'd have very good results & the last thing I want to do is see it end up in casualties. I can always use some good corals!!!! [emoji4]