Best Tang for Grazing??

[apuhl20]

So I believe I have it narrowed down to which tang I am looking for. Which would be better at grazing and keeping the tank clean?

Yellow Tang, or Yellow Eye Kole Tang

 

[HiImSean]

I only have experience with the kole tang. Mine grazes on the glass and rock all day and picks at any sort of algae or film on the glass. I'm very happy with him and keeping the tank pretty clean.

 

[HumbleFish]

IME; they are probably about the same when it comes to grazing. But the Kole usually has a better disposition - not as aggressive.

 

[GroktheCube]

I don't have a kole, but by twinspot bristletooth tang is a pretty good grazer of film algae, but he has very little interest in macro or hair algae.

 

[melvinakshay]

Yellow is a constant grazer.

 

[Rea17]

It depends on what kind of algae you want eaten. As Grok said, bristletooth tangs do very well on film algaes, but if you want something to graze on hair algae a yellow or scopas would be a good choice.

 

[woodnaquanut]

Going a slightly different way

A Kole along with a One Spot Foxface is a algae killing machine! At least in my tank.

They seem to encourage each other to go after any green in the tank. The Kole likes flatter surfaces, the FF likes the tight spots. They seem to always be in a competition to see who can eat the most.

 

[ca1ore]

Think about the mouth structure, and the answer is somewhat self evident. Bristletooth tangs do better with flat surfaces and film algae; zebrasomas better with tight spots and hair algae. Individual behavior varies though. I have a yellow currently that is a GHA eating machine, but it's predecessor hardly touched the stuff

 

[apuhl20]

so it appears that so far the yellow tang has gotten 0 votes. Looks like everyone is leaning one direction.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Kole is, without a doubt, a better grazer.

 

[Dmorty217]

I would say yellow tang, all tangs graze all day. Koles don't get very big so they will graze less than a yellow. I have a orange shoulder that will decimate algae along with my Quoyi and fox face. Really boils down to type of algae you are having problems with as to which will work best

 

[scar79]

Koles and other bristle tooth tangs will keep relatively clean rock sparkly clean. Don't expect them to clear up big algae issues though!

 

[AdamSabina]

I have a yellow but I'd get a kole. They both graze a lot so I'd take the better personality. Assuming 55gallon+ tank. 90 both maybe.

 

[supervdl]

I had them both. The Kole tang is much better algae grazer in my experience. The fish keeps grazing all day long.

 

[xtlosx]

I've had them both, and at one point together. The kole I noticed is a constant grazer whether it be glass, rocks, and our kole likes to clean sand even as well.. The kole is just a more peaceful fish in my experience. Highly recommended!

 

[RRBuilder1]

I have both and IME, kole is the better grazer.

 

[lcs]

Thanks for posting this apuhl; I've been wondering the same thing as I plan out my stock list.