Multiple Tangs

[lucky_snapper]

I am looking for some information on introducing multiple tangs of the same genus together. I have read that it is difficult to include two of the same genus but if you have 3 or more then it can alleviate fighting.

I currently have a Yellow (Zebrasoma), Purple (Zebrasoma), Powder blue (Acanthurus), Blue Regal (Acanthurus) , and a Sailfin (Zebrasoma) . I want to introduce a Blond Naso (Naso) , Powder Brown (Acanthurus) , Yellow Eyed Kole (Ctenochaetus) Powder Black (Acanthurus glaucopareius) and a Schoal tang (Acanthurus)

I understand that I would have to introduce them at the same time to avoid territorial disputes but I think it is feasible. The purple, blue regal, and powder blue have been living happily together for a good while in a separate tank. The only fish I might be concerned with would be the Shoal but I figured that I would get him a little smaller then the rest to avoid fighting. All the rest of the tangs are about 4 in. Lets assume for the sake of argument that the tank is big enough to house all of them (it is ..6ft) as I would rather not have the discussion disintegrate into a "not big enough tank" argument.

 

[sandwi54]

Since you want to discuss the feasibility of introducing tangs together, tank size cannot be avoided. 6ft is too small for some of the tangs on your list (naso, regal, sohal, salfin), let alone reduce aggression. To make all of your tangs live together without serious aggression issues, I'd say a 10-foot by 4-foot tank will be worth a try, but in anything smaller than that the sohal will probably attempt to kill everything else.

I think if you don't keep the sohal, an 8-foot by 3-foot tank is probably do-able, but that's a BIG if.

 

[agreeive?fish]

a blue regal aka hippo is not an Acanthurus its a Paracanthurus hepatus) but an Atlantic blue is a Acanthurus so which one do you have.

not that it makes much dirrence in the long run which one you have because in my opinion (and its only my opinion) with all the Acanthurus the tank will be WWIII and you will have some very stressed out tank inhabitants

tangs on your list that i have that get along for a year or more up to about 8 years and counting

sailfin and purple (tank1)
yellow and blonde naso (tank2)
hippo (tank 3)

there are other tangs in my tanks but i only addressed the ones you mentioned that i have

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

6ft is too small for some of the tangs on your list

+1

 

[lucky_snapper]

Can we please focus on the point of the discussion... not tank size but genus

 

[agreeive?fish]

Can we please focus on the point of the discussion... not tank size but genus

i doubt there is more than 1 tang thread on reef central that tank size was not brought into the discussion

i inherited a clown tang which has the same attitude as a sohal and at about 3" in a 7ft tank it was like a speed freak on steroids bouncing off the walls and it died within a week and in my opinion it was stressed out from bouncing off the tank walls. the naso looks big in the 6ft and will be moving to the 7ft in about a week (house remodel/tank move around)

 

[Reefing Newbie]

This working out has virtually everything to do with tank size. It is unavoidable if you are wanting multiple tangs in a tank, especially for multiple of the same genus. It will be virtually impossible to keep a sohal tang in any tank with other fish, let alone tangs, in all but the biggest tanks. You are not going to be able to keep them in the same tank. Depending on height and the front to back depth dimensions you may have more fangs than you can keep long term.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Get the sohal, and then you won't have to worry about all the other tangs -- since it will kill them in time.


BTW -- tank size is relevant any time you are adding fish, regardless if talking about tangs or not -- aggressions are (( darn near all the time )) magnified in smaller tanks, in this case it is a small tank.

 

[dzfish17]

Why are you so adamant about not discussing tank size as that is the main factor in deciding on multiple tangs of the same genus. Youre going to put them in your 210g tank regardless of what people tell you, so why bother starting this thread?

 

[lucky_snapper]

I know that a shoal tang can be very aggressive but I also know people who have them in tanks with other tangs. One I am thinking of in particular is a 185 gallon reef and he has the shoal, powder blue, blue regal, kole, valmingi, and tommi tang mixed with angels wrasses and anthias. So maybe you miss understood my question I never once asked you if I could or was allowed too but to give some intelligent discussion on the mixing of genus and if multiples the same genus would lessen the risk for fighting.. You're correct I will attempt this and I'm just looking for the best way to go about it.. if it does not work and I will remove certain individuals and find a new homes for them.. I'm not one to follow the montra especially when I know that has been done and can be done. To the person who said I need a 10 foot x 6 foot aquarium sure I would love an aquarium of this size but realistically how many people do you know who have a 2000 gallon aquarium? I really love reef central and have learned volumes of information here but really think people go overboard on this subject. I mean seriously you could not follow the original point of the question. I also did a google search for "multiple tangs of the same genus" and found other forums of people who were giving tips on how to successfully do it.

 

[lucky_snapper]

Why are you so adamant about not discussing tank size as that is the main factor in deciding on multiple tangs of the same genus. Youre going to put them in your 210g tank regardless of what people tell you, so why bother starting this thread?

The reason I wanted to eliminate tank size is I wanted to avoid this exact discussion about "your tanks too little".... It was not the question.

 

[CHSUB]

I think if you read the FISH PRIMER on sohal tangs it will give valueable info. both successful and unsuccessful in terms of mixing with other tangs. i to i'm interested in mixing a sohal or clown with other tangs, not ever having either; i think it is important to get opinions of fellow reefers that have actually had sohal or clown tangs, not just opinion per se.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Why ask about it if you are going to do it anyway. People here on RC are trying to help you and have probably already tried sohal tangs in their tanks with other fish. Most don't end well. You may know this already but finding new homes for large fish is quite hard. Why attempt something like this when people have already tried with lout success? A 210 gallon tank most likely can't handle the bio load all of these tangs will be adding. What is your aquascape like and what is your filtration like? Those two things will also determine whether the tangs you want can be kept, but you already have one major point off for this.

 

[lucky_snapper]

Why ask about it if you are going to do it anyway. People here on RC are trying to help you and have probably already tried sohal tangs in their tanks with other fish. Most don't end well. You may know this already but finding new homes for large fish is quite hard. Why attempt something like this when people have already tried with lout success? A 210 gallon tank most likely can't handle the bio load all of these tangs will be adding. What is your aquascape like and what is your filtration like? Those two things will also determine whether the tangs you want can be kept, but you already have one major point off for this.

Aquascaping is 200lbs of live rock with plenty of room for swimming in out and around the rock in a 360* circle. I have a 70 gallon sump with a 40 gallon refugium and a 40 watt UV sterilizer. I am not completely close minded as many may assume I do know that the hardest fish in the whole lot will be the sohal tang and I am not 100% sure I want to add one. I do believe that experience is the best marker for the future so the primers are a great source of info.. I just know people "say" many things some true and some not so true.. In my own experience I was told a purple, powder blue, and blue hippo would never survive living in a little 55 gallon and it would be a fight to the death... Fish are all 4in and they have lived in harmony for the last 6mo. They have been waiting to move into my big tank which I plan to do in the next 2 weeks. I do not believe it is good to leave fish of this size and nature in a 55 for the long term but they have done well and all are fat and have grown. I also understand that what I want to do may not be easy but instead of hearing at the reasons why I can't do it I would prefer to hear of the best ways to make it work.

My plan is the move the Yellow who is currently in the big tank to the sump for a few days, Change up the aquascape a bit, then move all the tangs into the display and add the yellow back in. This way it should give all the new inhabitants the best chance for acclimation and adaptation. There may be some squabbling the first 48 hours but they will set the hierarchy and all should be fine. All fish are about the same size and like I said if I do add a sohal tang I will make sure he is smaller than the rest.

 

[lucky_snapper]

I would just like to point out that this was taken from the Sohal Tang Primer

It looks like 3 yellows a Sailfin and a Shoal are all in the same 180 gallon tank and the sun did not explode.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

How long have the fish been together? What is the filtration and aquascape of the whole tank like? Also a picture would be better for your aquascape, open can be interpreted differently by people.

 

[lucky_snapper]

This pretty much summarizes my idea

 

[geaux xman]

who's tank is that?

 

[Reefing Newbie]

How long have the fish been together? What is the filtration and aquascape of the whole tank like? Also a picture would be better for your aquascape, open can be interpreted differently by people.

Again need more than a picture. All a picture is is a snapshot... It doesn't show everything.

 

[sandwi54]

To the person who said I need a 10 foot x 6 foot aquarium sure I would love an aquarium of this size but realistically how many people do you know who have a 2000 gallon aquarium? I really love reef central and have learned volumes of information here but really think people go overboard on this subject. I mean seriously you could not follow the original point of the question. I also did a google search for "multiple tangs of the same genus" and found other forums of people who were giving tips on how to successfully do it.

First of all, i said 10-foot x 4-foot, not 6-foot. This is approximately 600 gallons depending on the height of the tank. I know people who have large tanks like this; actually a few too in my area. Also, this is the size I recommend if you want to try to mix a sohal tang with other fish, especially other tangs. If you just want to keep a sohal by itself, RC's recommendation of a 10-foot 350 gallon tank is sufficient.

From your arguments, I can see you have not kept tangs long-term, long-term being 5 years or more. If you have, you wouldn't be wanting to attempt whatever you are attempting now. It would help tremendously if you find someone or some LFS who has a full-sized adult tang (such as sohal or naso), and try to picture putting a fish like that into your 210g. It would look totally ridiculous; the fish would not have enough space and simply looks too big for the tank. It would develop behavioral problems from the confined environment, which is the experience of most of us who have kept large tangs long-term.

In the photos you posted, or the example of your friend who has 6 or 7 tangs in a 185g, all of the tangs are small and probably juvenile. These behavioral issues don't usually show up when they are small. However, once they reach maturity, they usually become aggressive, especially in small tanks. This will take a few years to happen as fish need time to grow up. Famous killers like sohal tends to kill other fish in all but the largest tanks (> 500g or so). That is why I said if you don't keep the shoal, an 8-foot x 3-foot will likely be able to house most of the other tangs you listed. I think I was being pretty realistic. I am sure experienced reefers like Todd or Snorvich will agree with me on a 10-foot x 4-foot tank requirement for mixing a sohal tang with other fish. Actually, they may even think the tank size may need to be bigger.

It does not matter to us if you take our advice, since it is your money and your fish. We merely want to provide a rough guideline based on many years of experience, because we care about the welfare of the fish as well as your ability to build a successful marine tank.