Adding a Purple Tang today

[JANOtheMANO]

They are hard to come by here in the Toronto area, Found one in a holding tank about 2.5" inchs, hes been there about 2 months. Very clean looking with nice patterns.

My Tank is 125g 60"long tank

Residants include

3" Harlequin Tusk
3.5" Regal Tang
2.5" Stary Blenny
2" Mandarin
2 B&W clowns

among coral and inverts

This Will be my LAST addition to the tank

Wondering what your thoughts are on this fish, maybe someone has some first hand experiance they could share

 

[Reefsnob]

Might have a little bit of a rough time with the Regal. They will eventually play nice though.

 

[SDguy]

I had the opposite experience...my PT grew VERY fast and got very mean as it grew. I removed it after only 9 months.

That said, I think your tank is great for a PT. Just keep an eye on the two tangs as they mature. Hippos get pretty beefy too.

 

[agreeive?fish]

my purple tang and hippo tang get along fine for the last year+, although they were added at the same time to a 7ft tank, they have their "caves" very close to each other.

 

[MrTuskfish]

You're lucky to find a PT now; Red Sea fish have really been rare for a while; and with the situation in Egypt, may get even more so. IME & IMO; you'll probably be OK; but expect some minor squabbles along the way. I had 3 PTs before moving ( 5+yrs) and another 3 for about the last five years. Strange, they do well in groups of 3+, but just two will result in just one. The same is true for Yellow tangs. They seldom bother smaller fish (non-tangs) and like to be the alpha fish. I don't think there will be major war with your Regal; I haven't kept a Regal in years, but I think the are usually submissive to the more aggressive Zebrasoma and Acanthurus tangs. Everyone has their favorite; but I think a healthy, adult PT is the prettiest fish I've ever seen. Also, he won't like new fish, especially new tangs. You have some fish that are going to really grow; this would be a good 'last fish", IMO. (Give your tusk a fresh clam now & then; I finger trained two of mine (separate tanks) using an opened clam.)

 

[JANOtheMANO]

You're lucky to find a PT now; Red Sea fish have really been rare for a while; and with the situation in Egypt, may get even more so. IME & IMO; you'll probably be OK; but expect some minor squabbles along the way. I had 3 PTs before moving ( 5+yrs) and another 3 for about the last five years. Strange, they do well in groups of 3+, but just two will result in just one. The same is true for Yellow tangs. They seldom bother smaller fish (non-tangs) and like to be the alpha fish. I don't think there will be major war with your Regal; I haven't kept a Regal in years, but I think the are usually submissive to the more aggressive Zebrasoma and Acanthurus tangs. Everyone has their favorite; but I think a healthy, adult PT is the prettiest fish I've ever seen. Also, he won't like new fish, especially new tangs. You have some fish that are going to really grow; this would be a good 'last fish", IMO. (Give your tusk a fresh clam now & then; I finger trained two of mine (separate tanks) using an opened clam.)

I would give him a fresh clam if i wasnt scared he would eat my live clam.

I also wanted to add 3 large cleaner shrimp but worried about my tusk eating them