Naso and Powder-blue in 300 gallons?

[Tanglover]

Hi guys.

I'm about to upgrade my tank from 180 gallon to a 300 gallon reef.

For the last 4 years, I've had great success in the 180 gallon, where I have a Powder-blue , a hippo and 2 yellow tangs.

Never had any ich outbreak or other disease and the fish has never fought (even the two yellows swim as the best of friends).

Now I'm about to upgrade to 300 gallons, and thus I'm thinking of adding another tang - the Naso Lituratus.

I think part of my sucess has been making the Powder-blue feel like the king of the tank, where he patrols it.

If I was to add a bigger Naso Tang, do you think the Powder-Blue will fight it? I've heard good things about the Naso being peaceful, but I'm concerned at the resemblance of the Acathurus.

The 300 gallon will be with plenty of swimming space and all the fish will be added at the same time.

Please advice your opinion. Would you take the chance and add another tang to the existing harmony?

Regards,

 

[marrone]

The Naso should be fine with all the other fish but the problem could be with the PBT. You never know how the PBT will react with a new fish. The increase in tank size should help but once again it's really on the PBT.

I would think it's worth the chance and I would place all the other tangs in first and then the PBT last.

 

[Tanglover]

Thanks for your reply.

You don't think, if I wait with adding the PBT, that the Naso will become territorial against the PBT.

I'm afraid of that HUGE razer-sharp spine of the Naso, could inflict serious injury on the PBT.

 

[RLMainers]

I think you'd be most successful if you introduce everyone to the new tank all at once.

 

[RLMainers]

PS - They may still show signs of aggression toward each other, and you may have to intervene, so be prepared to do that, if necessary.

 

[marrone]

I wouldn't worry about the Naso causing any trouble with the PBT but most likey the other way around. Putting the Naso in first will give it time to get use to the tank and then add the PBT after. Since the PBT is the more aggressive of the bunch it will be the one to cause problems, if there are going to be any.

 

[marrone]

The Naso will actually settle in and not be the most aggressive fish in the tank any way so I wouldn't worry about it's razer-sharp spine causing any damage to the PBT unless the PBT attacks it.

The most damage that the razer-spine is probably going to do is to your fingers or hand so watch out for it when your moving the fish around as it can happen very quickly and then you cut and bleeding.

 

[jda]

If they get plenty of room, food and quality water, then they are way less agressive. If you feed a tang algae and meat, enough for them to grow at a fairly rapid pace, they are far more peaceful and will get along. Also, they do better in reef-type water rather than sewer type water with N over 50 and P over 1.

 

[marrone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7014557#post7014557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jda
If they get plenty of room, food and quality water, then they are way less agressive.

This is not alway true as some tangs are very aggressive and reguardless of the tank size will attack other fish in the tank, specially new ones. This is the case a lot of the times with PBT, Clown and Sohal tangs.

 

[jda]

I don't delve into clown and shoal, but all of the PBT that I have kept have been good citizens. No disease or agressivness. I actually got one once that was a terror for his previous owner, but hewas skinny, underfed and hadn't grown in 2 years. Once he got to eating, he just swims around gracefully and leaves the other fish alone.

Besides, I didn't say that they would turn into Ghandi... they just tend to act better when all of their needs are met.