Help me pick my tangs

[atrain]

So, I'm ready to add my tangs, and trying to figure out best combination.
I have a 180, 6x2x2. Rock work is very open. Tons of water flow. I originally planned on getting a yellow, powder blue, & naso.
Then figured tank too small for naso, and lfs told me could do 3 yellows, so thought 3 yellows and powder blue.
Then can't find healthy powder blue in lfs, found one online store that won't sell powder blue, and another that won't guarantee them.
Soooo, then thought yellow, powder brown, & pacific blue, but sticky thread claims need 240 gallon for pacific blue??? this really the case? and same thread claims powder brown not ich prone in top section, and that it is at the bottom. Also, same site that won't guarantee powder blue, will on powder brown....
Currently I'm stuck on the thought of keeping 3 tangs.
Of which are yellow/powder brown/pacific blue.

Looking for thoughts on keeping 3 , which 3, to buy online or not (as I can't find a decent lfs)
Any help is appreciated.

 

[brett559]

Purple, naso and Chevron.

 

[jason2459]

LiveAquaria divers den best chance at a healthy powder blue if you can't find one at your LFS. You'll still want to QT.

I skipped the bigger tangs like naso in my 180. I'd go with a smaller of the Zebramosa, a small Acanthurus, and any one of the Ctenochaetus. Or two smaller Acanthurus and a Ctenochaetus. Then a couple dwarf angels, some wrasses, and a fox face or rabbit fish would be great complements.

 

[dustinkimpel]

order your powder blue form liveaquaria or blue zoo. When I had my big tank up i ordered a powder from bluezoo and it was perfectly healthy and bigger than I expected would recommend them for that particular fish.

 

[Dmorty217]

Order any fish your worried about from LA. You can't beat the guarantee and you get a refund, not a credit toward your next purchase

 

[sniceley]

Powder blues are not that difficult as long as they are quarantined well and the DT is disease free. Definitely prone to crypto but once settled in they are my favorite fish.

My personal experience and opinion I would go with a few more.

My preferred stock

Powder blue
Kole
Yellow
Hepatus
Desjardin
Purple

The zebrasoma need to be all the same size and added at the same time. I would try to add all around the same time honestly and start with smaller ones and let them grow up together. I have the best luck with 3 inch range fish when grouped at the same time. They will set up their pecking order but tend not to be aggressive enough to finish off their competitor when young. As they grow pecking order already set and they tend to be fine.

 

[Tin Man]

Contrary to conventional thought, I would rather not QT a Powder Blue - the whole process freaks me out with an expensive, finicky fish. If I add him first to a 125g and he thrives, will he be overly aggressive to new, small additions (not tangs)? I am willing to take the chance I would have to pull him out to a QT tank and leave the DT fallow for three months.

I want a tank where the Powder Blue is the show fish and the rest are simply smaller and fun to watch.

 

[ca1ore]

Six foot tank is too small for a Naso, Sailfin, Hippo, and Achilles IMO. All others candidates. I would never not QT the 'ich magnets'; few fish that call for a long QT than them. If you do it intelligently, nothing wrong with introducing Tangs sequentially. A few exceptions, but with a QT and adequate tank size it can be done fairly easily.

 

[atrain]

Thanks for all the replies!! I am going to try lfs one more time, if can't find them there will follow up with LA, with a call in addition to the order. my last online order was not from there, and prefer not to say where. I've ordered corals before from lots of places, with no issues, but feel fish are a different beast.
Think may go with yellow/kole/powder blue. I assumed kole & yellow were to similar to keep together, but guessing different enough since not from same genus, would love to have a pacific blue in the mix, but rather have happy fish.

I don't have a qt tank, however, I do have a 30 gal and 56 gallon in my set up.
30 for frag tank down the road, and 56 for fuge(running bout 350 total gallons). I would prefer to put them straight in the 180. I was stocking my 56 gallon with fish prior to adding the main 180 to help cycle the system as I was building it, and fish seem soooo much happier in the 180. I feel as if this would just stress them out twice.

 

[Dmorty217]

Thanks for all the replies!! I am going to try lfs one more time, if can't find them there will follow up with LA, with a call in addition to the order. my last online order was not from there, and prefer not to say where. I've ordered corals before from lots of places, with no issues, but feel fish are a different beast.
Think may go with yellow/kole/powder blue. I assumed kole & yellow were to similar to keep together, but guessing different enough since not from same genus, would love to have a pacific blue in the mix, but rather have happy fish.

I don't have a qt tank, however, I do have a 30 gal and 56 gallon in my set up.
30 for frag tank down the road, and 56 for fuge(running bout 350 total gallons). I would prefer to put them straight in the 180. I was stocking my 56 gallon with fish prior to adding the main 180 to help cycle the system as I was building it, and fish seem soooo much happier in the 180. I feel as if this would just stress them out twice.

IF your not going to QT then don't any Acanthurus tang... Really I can't recommend you get any fish if your not going to QT. If you don't QT be prepared to deal with disease and being done with the hobby in a few short years.

 

[atrain]

Dmorty, thx for the recommendations. I will definitely take your suggestion
In the species selection, and may even incorporate your qt suggestion at some
Point in my sump room. I put a ton into supporting of the tank, and keeping them healthy already.
My entire point of the thread was to pick combination of tangs that would be
Comfortable together, find refutable places to purchase healthy fish,and be happy in the volume of water I have available, as I have never had any tangs before.
However to say without one will be have disease, and be done with the hobby is a bit much.
I had a 56 gallon mixed reef for nearly 7 years, only housed 3 fish, but
Only remember losing 1 when the tank was up. I did eventually lose the entire tank when I moved and had less than 24 hrs to move my entire house.
I have been piecing together this tank since the move.