growth rate of purple tangs

[PapaKlix]

i currently have an 80 gallon tank with rather open aquascaping and am in the early stages of planning an upgrade to a 250 - 300 gallon setup, i'd say i'm realistically about 18-24 months from getting up and running.

i have 2 false percs, 4 blue damsels and a sailfin tang (currently about 3") in my 80 gallon. i would never have bought the juvenile sailfin if i wasn't planning an upgrade. anyway, if i buy a small (1.5" - 2.5") purple tang would everything be OK during the aforementioned time frame? i had one in my last tank and really loved the little guy.

 

[itachi]

Honestly I would hold off, I've noticed with some tangs .. Growth rate is increased by competition... I have seen tangs not grow for long periods of type and then rapidly increase in size with additional competition added ( ie. another tang ) . Obviously there's going to be issues with the two fish being the same shape as well.

 

[ROBONE20]

I have a Purple Tang and wanted to add another tang (different species), I was always told that they would fight. I'd wait until you get your 300 gallon setup and buy it then. Purple Tangs are pretty much available all over. It's a great fish though, very hardy...

 

[candeewolf]

I don't think the growth rate is the problem. With them both so small, it is unlikely they will show much aggression towards each other...especially in a tank with so few other tankmates. However, even in the 250, over time, the sailfin and purple tang would likely fight a great deal (resulting in damage or even death in one...likely the sailfin). Purple Tangs can get very agressive with other Zebrasoma tangs (yellow, sailfin, black, gem, scopas). Zebrasomas with other genus tangs are usually fine.

But to directly answer your question, purple tangs don't grow very fast. I've had one for the past 7 months and he hasn't grown but maybe 1/2" at the most (more likely 1/4" or less) and he was about 3-4" when I got him.

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

Zebrasomas are fine together if not overcrowded. They are also fiesty enough to defend themselves against more aggressive tangs like sohals. Put them in at the same time.

I have a sailfin and yellow in my 90 for two years and yellow, purple, pbt, sohal, blonde naso in my 175 for a year.

 

[Jared J]

I wondered this same question with yellow tangs and was told they grow slower than others, but I know growth rates are gonna differ from tank to tank. My LFS has some yellow tangs that are a little bigger than a quarter and I really want one but I'm hesitating.

 

[itachi]

I don't think the growth rate is the problem. With them both so small, it is unlikely they will show much aggression towards each other...especially in a tank with so few other tankmates. However, even in the 250, over time, the sailfin and purple tang would likely fight a great deal (resulting in damage or even death in one...likely the sailfin). Purple Tangs can get very agressive with other Zebrasoma tangs (yellow, sailfin, black, gem, scopas). Zebrasomas with other genus tangs are usually fine.

But to directly answer your question, purple tangs don't grow very fast. I've had one for the past 7 months and he hasn't grown but maybe 1/2" at the most (more likely 1/4" or less) and he was about 3-4" when I got him.

I have had one that grew over an inch a month lol.. Like i said i think it has to do more about competition and need for growth.

 

[Toddrtrex]

i currently have an 80 gallon tank with rather open aquascaping and am in the early stages of planning an upgrade to a 250 - 300 gallon setup, i'd say i'm realistically about 18-24 months from getting up and running.

i have 2 false percs, 4 blue damsels and a sailfin tang (currently about 3") in my 80 gallon. i would never have bought the juvenile sailfin if i wasn't planning an upgrade. anyway, if i buy a small (1.5" - 2.5") purple tang would everything be OK during the aforementioned time frame? i had one in my last tank and really loved the little guy.

I personally would just wait until your other tank is up and running. More so because of aggression then growth -- which would still be an issue. I used to have a purple tang in my 75, sold it for 2 reasons -- was getting too big after a year, and mainly it was getting really mean. My male Clarkii was starting to get cut by the purple tang.

 

[Jared J]

Tangs are so hard to resist, especially when small, but it's so hard to resist a good algae eater . I've had several so called "algae eaters" that would never touch the stuff. I remember buying a Court Jester Gobie just because everything said they love hair algae. Joke was on me, he never touched a strand.

 

[jubjub]

yeah only algae my tang or foxface for that matter is off the clip....i have hair algae on the wall of my tank thats atleast 1-2" long...never touch it

 

[wickedfish]

My opinion depends how much you feed or mabye the size of your tank. I have a 120 gallon tank i purchased my P-tang 2 inches, a year later a lil over 4 inches. I have in there with a 5 inch aus. tusk. They seem to be B.F's they swim around side by side.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

My zebrasoma grow very fast. Purple tangs are not hard to come by, so IMO, it would be foolhardy to get one while "at the beginning stages of planning a larger tank". Whats more likely- that your upgrade takes longer than anticipated or doesnt happen? Or that purple suddenly become unavaialble when that occurs?