Multiple Acanthurus' - should I?

[Rapide]

Yesterday I was given an opportunity to get an Acanthurus lineatus and japonicus from a tank that is going to be ran down. Actually I'm getting the whole 400gal tank as it is, but I'm probably not keepin it...

Now the problem is this - I have a 12" Sohal...
At the moment I have no information about the size of the lineatus but I'm guessing it's a subadult. The japonicus does not consern me, I used to have a leucosternon with the sohal before it decided to carpet surf They got along just fine.
There is also an adult XL Pomacanthus imperator and some other smaller species coming, and I'll ad them all at the same time, but I'm only worried for the lineatus. The imperator and sohal are old buddies, and they grew up together

So should I, could I? I have seen these two Acanthurus coexist in an aquarium before, but you never know... While not as deadly as the leucosternon, these two species are rather aggressive and I'm fully aware of that, and now I need some reliable advise. No need for the tang police here - I am a tang police!

 

[stuifbol]

IMO Lineatus and Sohal will fight to dead.....both very agressive and similar looking

Yesterday I was given an opportunity to get an Acanthurus lineatus and japonicus from a tank that is going to be ran down. Actually I'm getting the whole 400gal tank as it is, but I'm probably not keepin it...

Now the problem is this - I have a 12" Sohal...
At the moment I have no information about the size of the lineatus but I'm guessing it's a subadult. The japonicus does not consern me, I used to have a leucosternon with the sohal before it decided to carpet surf They got along just fine.
There is also an adult XL Pomacanthus imperator and some other smaller species coming, and I'll ad them all at the same time, but I'm only worried for the lineatus. The imperator and sohal are old buddies, and they grew up together

So should I, could I? I have seen these two Acanthurus coexist in an aquarium before, but you never know... While not as deadly as the leucosternon, these two species are rather aggressive and I'm fully aware of that, and now I need some reliable advise. No need for the tang police here - I am a tang police!

 

[Rapide]

Joeri, do you have any experience of keeping them together? Have you seen them together?
I'm kind of hoping that the lineatus is a juvie and much smaller than my sohal, so maybe then it could be possible to keep them together...
I do know that they are closely related and similar looking :/

 

[jaa1456]

I know the lineatus can be just as aggressive as a sohal tang. I would imagine the sohal going after the new addition with the intent to kill.

 

[Rapide]

Yes well, that is obvious... The sohal will probably chase any new fish, regarless it being a lineatus or imperator.
The sohal I possess is the most restrained tang in my tank. But I do acknowledge the fact it will most likely go postal, at least for the first encounter...

But that is not the point here. As I said, I do know a thing or two about these (and others too ) fishes. What I want now, is someone who DOES have them both in a tank stepping up.
Somebody? Anybody? Nobody?

 

[Rapide]

So I guess no help here?
Well, I'll let you know how it went...

 

[stuifbol]

Not experience of keeping them together....kept a Lineatus for a while and was the most agressive fish I've ever had.....like I said before the Sohal will kill the Lineatus IMO...

Joeri, do you have any experience of keeping them together? Have you seen them together?
I'm kind of hoping that the lineatus is a juvie and much smaller than my sohal, so maybe then it could be possible to keep them together...
I do know that they are closely related and similar looking :/

 

[Rapide]

Actually, I spoke on the phone with a person who has had them both at the same time.
The lineatus didn't last long - a leucosternon killed it. The resident sohal did chase it a bit just as they tend to do, but when the lineatus was chased away they didn't fight. The problem was the leucosternon who didn't stop the chasing. Just as I assumed...
The person said, that he would add the lineatus, and doesn't see a bigger problem with the two. This is a very reliable person actually, so I do value his opinion greatly.

I think this is one of those taboos, and people like to say "no-can-do" even if they don't have any experience on either fish.
Thank you Joeri for sharing your experience with the sohal :wave:

 

[o2manyfish]

I have kept both the Clown Tang and Sohal Tangs at different times. They are two of the most aggressive tangs. The clown tang fought everything and anything. The Sohals I have while nasty fish would be more accepting to other fish.

If you are going to put them together I would do it after lights out and hopefully you have a second tank available so if you find one beaten up in the corner of the tank you can move it somewhere safe.

Dave B

 

[Rapide]

Thanks Dave!
I always put the new fish in after dark. I have many plan-b tanks already confirmed. There should be no problem in getting the clown a new home, after all they are quite disired tangs
Other tangs I have are the hepatus and yellow, so the clown and japonicus will be 4th and 5th tangs. No other aggressive fishes, if you don't count the Niger trigger as one...