4 or 5 Tangs in a 225G

[mailoo]

I posted this in the newbie forum, as i am a newbie... but i was told a post in Big Tanks could also get me some great info (thanks to all for the info always)

I have a very fresh tank, 225G (60x30x30) with about 150lb's of live rock. Cycle is over and i have 6 Green Chromis who seem happy in their giant slice of ocean.

I love Tangs, mainly because they are pretty and REEFSAFE.

I would like to add 4 or 5 juvenile tangs, all at once (i heard this is the best way to get them to get along) now i know i have the space to accomodate them... my greatest fear is fighting.

Sohal Tang
Blue Hippo Tang
Naso Tang
2 Yellow

Not even sure i can get a Naso or Sohal here in Thailand, i know for sure i can get yellow and Blue Hippo.

Have descided against Powder Blue and Purple for reasons of unfriendlyness.

Any words of wisdom from the Big Tank Brigade.

 

[thor32766]

i think i posted on your last post in the reef discussion. I have 6 of them in my 220! they have been together over 2 yrs and doing great. The only fish i wouldnt do on that list the is shoal. The purple couldnt even come close to the shoals attitude. Just my opinoin hope this helps some, but can be done.

 

[mailoo]

You did indeed post in my other thread... in fact you have increased my thoughts from 4 to 5 tangs because you and others have had this success.

 

[Zivman]

thinking long term I just don't see this as a recipe for success. while I think it is doable, I just don't see it as something most would reccomend.

Seeing as you have a fairly new setup, I would not risk throwing in all those relatively large fish all at once. I don't see most of them making it in such a new tank.

I have a 210 (7' x 2' x 2') with 3 tangs (7" D sailfin, 8-9" orange shoulder and 4.5" powder blue) and while tangs were the reason I got into this hobby in the first place, I think 4 or more tangs is just overkill. If you have a fish only tank that changes things a bit, but if you are going for a full reef, these fish will fill the tank when then get bigger. As my tank matures, I just find myself more interested in fish like wrasses, school of anthias, jawfish (bluespotted) rather than tangs. Fish I never really thought about or knew about when I first got my tank running

Don't get me wrong, tangs are awesome and beautiful, just that in the long term, you may find your 225 isn't as big as you thought with 4-5 tangs - especially with the sohal, naso and hippo that get fairly large.

If you do go for it, i would reccomend getting the yellows or naso first. then as your tank becomes more established and you are keeping good temps and water parameters add the Hippo along with at least a pair of cleaner shrimps and a neon gobie (to keep ich at bay) Watch out for stress on this guy and be prepared for a break out of ich. Add the sohal last as they are rumored to be aggressive, though every specimen has a different temperment. I don't see you having much success adding all those fish at once right away.

My overall recommendation is to step back, rethink the direction of your tank. I think nice select choices of smaller fish are overlooked by the newcomer to the hobby. I for one love my tangs, but I am definitely glad I am don't have more than I do now. The smaller fish add more color, life, character and personality to tanks than do the tangs. The smaller fish seem to live a more natural existance in an aquarium where large tangs will just pace the tank and beg at you to be fed when you walk by.

Other fish to consider if you are a tang lover:
- fox faces and rabbit fish
Magnificent Fox Face
Blue spotted rabbit fish
Orange spotted rabbit fish


Good luck to you no matter what you end up doing.

 

[achilles1]

I agree with Zivman. I LOVE tangs, and had 4 in my 125. Yellow, Hippo, RS Sailfin and Achilles. Man they were great for the first 4 years, but then.... The Achilles startred beating the snot out of the Sailfin and he suddenly wasn't so fat and happy. I got him out and put him in the fuge for a month and then into a 55. That was months ago and though he is doing well, he still has not out the weight back on. The point is keep in mind that these fish grow up and get atitudes.

The only way for me to solve this problem was to by a 300 (96x30x24) which I am setting up right now. It is still tuff to curb the desire to add a 5th tang (purple or powder brown) but I know better. Go with smaller fish. You will be happier.

 

[twon8]

yellows and the sohal will develop attitudes, i have a naso, regal, and a yellow in a 180, and they do well, but i wouldnt' add a sohal to any tank under 500 g. they are just too aggressive and get too big.

 

[thor32766]

well with all situations you will get differences of opionions and experiences. I think one of the keys to keeping these fish happy is food. In the wild they are continously grazing and feeding all day long. They are the cows of the ocean, just constatly swimming and eating. I feed mine three times a day. Nori sheets everyday and romaine letteuce, broccolli along with their proteins. like stated before i have had them over 2yrs and never had a single problem. I may down the road, but with my experience its keeping them fat and happy.

 

[achilles1]

Food food food is the key, but a lot of people don't or can't feed their reefs as much as tangs like to eat.

Open room to swim with some valleys and such is WAY better than a wall of rock.

 

[thor32766]

yeah achilles you are right for sure. i just have two piles of rock. so they have a ton of open space. but you are right so people cant. by the way love your tank pics, gorgeous setup!!!!

 

[JonLikesBeer]

My 5" sohal just killed my 9" Lion. Beware.

 

[thor32766]

wow jon thats just crazy i knew they were mean but damn!i guess yours stand by the reputation uh!

 

[Chihuahua6]

If I were you I would get one or two of the 'smaller' Tangs such as yellow or purple and that's it.
All of the above reasons for not adding too many are true. Choosing one or two will allow them to grow to their potential and keep aggression to a minimum.
I will be adding only one or two Tangs to my 500 for the same reasons even though I could fit more. There are many other reef safe colorful fish that do well. Since I will not have any extremely timid fish I am even going to add some blue Damsels. Oh did I just say the D word? They will actually do well with my stocking plans. My point is, continue your research and you will discover many more beautiful fish that would fit your tank better than a small group of large Tangs.

 

[Musicbabe]

Tang questions

Tang questions

So Thor, I have a purple tang and very much would like an achilles tang and a blond naso for my 300 gallon tank. Do you think the achilles and purple would be problematic? I notice you have a magnificent fox face. I have one as well and wonder if yours is terribly shy? He loves the purple tang and they go everywhere together, but he really only wants to come out if he has to come to his seaweed clip.

 

[thor32766]

my magnificent thinks hes a tang. When everyone gets together for there schooling runs he joins in like hes one of the gang. Never hides and like yours to your purple, my magnificents best friend is my Naso. Thats his bud and never leaves his side for long periods of time. i dont think you will have a problem with what your wanting to add. If possible i would try to keep them around the same size. They will fight for a little while to establish whos who in the tank. this one you dont get one huge one that really takes people out. just my thought and experience. Remember you will get a variances of opionion. I think your best secret in keeping multiple tangs is feeding. good luck with what ever you decide.

 

[skairik]

I have a 225g reef with 5 large tangs and 1 Moorish Idol. Powder blue, Sailfin, Purple, Chevron, Vlamingi and Hippo. They all do great together except every now and then the Sailfin chases the Idol.

 

[thor32766]

sweet to hear! wow an idol how long have you had him? yeah my sailfin is the boss. even though he isnt biggest one.

 

[WDLV]

There's a lot of good and very true advise. Here's my $0.02.
If it were my tank and I had only those choices I would get the Hippo first then add 3-4 yellow tangs at once. Then I'd concentrate on smaller more unusual fish.

7 months of my my experience....
I started my current system about 7 months ago with a very good natured Blue Hippo (6"-7") a not so good natured Purple Tang (5") a powder Brown Tang (4") and a Mimic Tang (5"). They were consolidated from 3 systems and added within a week of each other.
After about a month I added a second Yellow also from a previous system. He got the crap kicked out of him in about an hour. I was lucky to remove him before he got killed by the Purple Tang.
My Mimic died from a mistake I made relating to Kalkwasser. He was fine with the other two for a couple months. I added a Kole Tang (2"-3") a few weeks ago.
The Tangs I currently have in the system (Blue, Purple, Kole, Powder Brown) all get along peacefully. I have a 5"-6" Saddleback clown that scuffles with the Purple Tang from time to time but there is relative peace other than that.

Based on my experience, friend's experience and what I've read on the boards, I would say that The Sohol will have the nastiest disposition and I would avoid that one all together. The Yellows and the Purple will be next in line and I would choose one or the other. The Naso will be next and the Hippo will follow. The Sohol, Hippo and the Naso will get really large and I would only get one of the latter two.
I think part of the trick of mixing tangs is plenty of hiding places and choosing specamins that look very dis-similar.