atlantic blue and pacific blue tang

[bucsfan34207]

Anyone have experience keeping these together? Wasn't sure if their body shape or coloration difference would be enough to not have aggression.

 

[snorvich]

Tank size? Other inhabitants?

 

[bucsfan34207]

Tank size is 140 gallon and 55 gallon sump refugium. Fish list pacific blue tang, niger trigger, cherub angel, 2 pink skunk clowns, pink spot sand sifting goby, and convict goby.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

The atlantic tang will be fine but not the hippo. Hepatus tangs get over a foot in length and need at least 240g and 8' tank. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1946007

 

[Bret61081]

The atlantic tang will be fine but not the hippo. Hepatus tangs get over a foot in length and need at least 240g and 8' tank. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1946007

I tried to keep a small Atlantic Blue tang in my 95g twice and they never did well but had no issue with the hippo till it out grew the tank. Atlantic's in my opinion require more swimming space then a hippo to be happy.

 

[AquaticFins]

I wouldn't suggest Acanthurus coeruleus to many aquarists.

As Bret61081 stated, they require a huge amount of swimming space. I'm not sure where the confusion comes from, but they get every bit as large (more so, really, when you consider the body shape difference) as the Pacific Blue (Paracanthurus hepatus). Think of a large, actively swimming dinner plate. 12" is about average adult size, 14" is the biggest I've seen.

Unlike the Pacific Blue, they will become quite aggressive as they grow if housed in smaller aquariums. They can be every bit as belligerent as a Sohal surgeonfish (A. sohal).

 

[WuHT]

i have yet to see a foot long blue tang in an aquarium setting, but that may be due to my lack of exposure