Keeping several single-species Acanthuridae in a reef tank

[Pedro Borges]

Hello all, I have a 1100 litre (roughly 250-300 gal) reef aquarium that I wish to rethink and would like to give it a try on keeping 4-6 Acanthuridae from the same species in a bunch.

Has anyone tryed that before or has some insights on better species, etc?

I know convicts are a common solution, but frankly i don´t really appreciate them that much.

I was thinking on giving it a try with powder blues, since they school a lot in the wild.

It´d be nice to keep the noise down to just practical experience, observation or scientific knowledge... I know all the nutties will go mad on keeping several tangs in a reef tank, but frankly for that opinion or comments like don´t forget to put them altogether I wouldn´t post this message - sorry for my bluntness

Thank you in advance for sharing your experties.

Happy fishkeeping

 

[Eric the half-bee]

Pedro, I've kept >10 tangs along with other fish for 3 years running. I haven't attempted more than 2 of the same species but that has worked well IME. Several large tank members on here with better experience will hopefully chime in. I'd love to have PBlues or Pbrowns but haven't been successful with them.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I have never kept more than one PB at a time, I've kept groups of other tangs, so this post is just opinion. .Tangs do school in the wild, but not in the space of anyone's home tank. Funny with most tangs (IME): they rarely do well in pairs, but are OK in groups of 3+. PBs are more aggressive & even territorial than many tangs but; I think 3, introduced at the same time and size (fairly small) may work in a 300. But I just have a feeling they won't. I can't recall ever seeing any tank with more than one PB. They will also probably make it next to impossible to introduce any new fish, especially any tang of the same genus. I keep a magnificent group of 3 Purple tangs and they do very well; not the genus you're looking at; but, IMO, more likely to work.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Pedro, I've kept >10 tangs along with other fish for 3 years running. I haven't attempted more than 2 of the same species but that has worked well IME. Several large tank members on here with better experience will hopefully chime in. I'd love to have PBlues or Pbrowns but haven't been successful with them.

Just my 2 cents. IMO, PBs are quite easy, once acclimated. I have a feeling that a lot of the problems are due to 3 things:1.) Simply inexperience, these are not beginner fish. 2.) The source. these fish come mostly from Indian Ocean collectors and some still use cyanide ,and collection & shipping methods not always the best. I think a fish from LA (DD), BZ, or a very reputable LFS stands a much better chance. If I saw any sign of parasite on any fish in the store---I'd run the other way. 3.) QT acclimation. Although I use copper (as a prophylactic) on all fish in QT, I don't push it---simply because its controversial. I'd be tempted to research Quinine Sulfate and use it instead; that has become the drug of choice of some real experts (Fenner, Goemans, et al) to eliminate parasites. PBs are very prone to parasites and this needs to be handled in QT. QT should be a quiet, stress-free tank where a fish like this can get used to captivity and feed well. Also, I have never done very well keeping a PB with other tangs of the same genus.

 

[Pedro Borges]

Thank you so much for your feedback, it's being most appreciated. If anyone else has some info on the subject it'd be very welcome.

One minor detail I have not mentioned is the source of the tangs themselves, I work directly with Tropical Marine Centre (http://www.tropicalmarinecentre.co.uk) as a source for the fish, so also, any opinions regarding collecting & delivery can be based in this preposition.

Cheers all