Mata tang
- Thread starter duastina
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TampaReefer79
Premium Member
Yes, I have had one. What do you want to know?
flying53brian
New member
I have a very small one right now that is growing very quickly. It eats everything and anything. Starting to get nice yellow around the eyes and really color up.
Mine is a little more aggressive than I would like for my tank as it makes it hard for some of the other fish to compete for food.
Mine is a little more aggressive than I would like for my tank as it makes it hard for some of the other fish to compete for food.
TampaReefer79
Premium Member
Mine grew FAST in my 180 and was a beast. It was so aggressive, it would attack me whenever my arm was in the tank! (to the point of drawing blood) It was the meanest fish (towards me) that I've ever had. It was annoying because I'd be working in the tank and KNOW he was coming, but still got startled when he attacked. LOL
But yeah, the Mata gets big and can be very aggressive. It all depends on how big the tank is, what is housed with it, what order you add it, and how big it is. This isn't a fish for a 75, 90, 120 etc. This is a fish for at least a 180 in my opinion.
TampaReefer79
Premium Member
You're going to leave it in a 75 while he 'grows up a bit'? Believe me when I say he will be fine after your 4 week qt to go into the 210 display. What other fish are in the 210? If you have no super aggressive tangs then he'll be able to hold his own. (did you not hear my stories about me BLEEDING?) LOL 
I am still going through my old pictures trying to find some of my old Mata tang. Mine was a big nori fan. And frozen mysis. He got huuuuuuuuuge in my 180, FAST.
I am still going through my old pictures trying to find some of my old Mata tang. Mine was a big nori fan. And frozen mysis. He got huuuuuuuuuge in my 180, FAST.
Well I'm a little scared to put him in, everytime I've gotten a smaller tang they dont make it they get beat up, and this poor guy is already rough looking, he was a sole survivor of 4 at the LFS, he had been at the LFS since Feb 26. I currently have a 5" blue hippo, 3" purple, 3" yellow, and a 3" sailfin in my 210.
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TampaReefer79
Premium Member
I've had all of the tangs you list here, and my Mata tang was by far the meanest. HOWEVER, you'd be adding it last (correctly) but maybe a tad too small. And if he's rough and beat up, 4 week qt will do him good. Get him nice and fat and HEALTHY in qt and he should be fine with the big boys. You never know though, your purple could be a pimp and your mata might be an Urkel. You never really know until you do it.
AngelsAnonymous
New member
I bought mine labeled as a blochii tang around 2". After roughly 6 months he was about 7" and showing signs of being a mata, not blochii. He grew very fast, biggest pig I've ever seen, but wasn't that aggressive. He started to try and stand up for himself but but I had a passer angel, queen angel and sogal tang that were all more dominate. From my experience he wasn't a bully at all, even to the smaller fish. Very hardy fish tho. You'll soon be upgrading that 210g if you want to keep him tho.
reefsic
New member
Checkout Mcliffy2's Mata here:
http://www.zeovit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17225
I know he's an RC Member, just couldnt find his build thread. Its the Post #6, 4th fish pic down!
http://www.zeovit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17225
I know he's an RC Member, just couldnt find his build thread. Its the Post #6, 4th fish pic down!
TampaReefer79
Premium Member
Yes, pig is right. Mine would eyeball me whenever I was near the tank and I could just read his mind. FEED ME. FEED ME MORE. He ate anything and everything. He burped up a license plate once. I think yours was a pansy because of his roommates.
Of course the sohal would keep him in check, there aren't many fish that would push a big sohal around. lol Mine was housed with an orange shoulder, unicorn, vlamingi, chocolate and atlantic blue...so no real meanies. The mata was even added last...but wasn't the smallest of the group. With no real Hulk Hogan's in my tank, maybe my mata saw it as a chance to be 'the one'. lol He really didn't like my arm in the tank either...god I hated that. And I agree that a 6 foot tank might not be the best idea for this fish long term...but you already have him.Wow that is an amazing fish, right now mine is just pale blue and when he shows off to other fish he gets black stripes. Even at the fish store he was always at the front of the tank looking at me, I thought he was being personable but more likely wanted food! And please dont tell my hunny that we will need a bigger tank! Geeze house first! LOL!
AngelsAnonymous
New member
This is what mine looked like at around 6" and I noticed signs of a mata tang, when he was younger it looked more like a blochii which is what was sold to me as. I am not 100%sure it was a mata though.
Sorry about the horrible quality.
here is some of the fish he had to contend with. You can kind of see him in there, he tears food up! This was a 7x2x2 tank btw.
Sorry about the horrible quality.
here is some of the fish he had to contend with. You can kind of see him in there, he tears food up! This was a 7x2x2 tank btw.
Gill_bucket
New member
I just got one yesterday, mine looks like yours. My tangs beat him up, but no joke he held his ground and even tried to chase them around? Now they are all ok together better then ok even, They even school together after only 3 or 4 hours of being in the same tank.
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