Naso tang pairing?

RyanEG

RyanEG

Bridge burner
Premium Member
I have an obviously male blonde naso tang, his streamers are starting to develope nicely. What are my odds of adding a female naso and having them cohabitate peaceably? I would love to have a pair of them but I REALLY don't want the one I currently have to be lost. He is head and shoulders above the rest my favorite fish. What would be the best way to go about adding a female if the risk/reward is low enough to do so?
 
IMO it seems very doable. i'd find a 8" or better without steamers. set up a qt with a divider and see how the two behave. i'm not sure how dramatic a pair it would make. i would not dump and pray in the dt.
 
I'm a Tang junky as well but unless your aquarium is huge I wouldn't place even one Naso in it.

Make sure to see Naso swimming in the New England Aquarium when/if in Boston.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
I'm a Tang junky as well but unless your aquarium is huge I wouldn't place even one Naso in it.

Make sure to see Naso swimming in the New England Aquarium when/if in Boston.
Click to expand...

You have and adult Emperor Angel in basically the same size tank. :hmm2:
 
johno4 said:
You have and adult Emperor Angel in basically the same size tank. :hmm2:
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I once had a Naso in a 220, too. Cardinalfish in a 20.
get the point?
they're apples and oranges. Try it and see :)

it's nice when we can discuss specific species- no need to make assumptions about fish in general.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
I once had a Naso in a 220, too. Cardinalfish in a 20.
get the point?
they're apples and oranges. Try it and see :)

it's nice when we can discuss specific species- no need to make assumptions about fish in general.
Click to expand...

I dont see how you are saying two large fish that like to swim alot are like comparing apples and organges. Most people would disagree with you here, but thats ok. I have seen you pop in on the fish only forum on the site from time to time. Im sure you know what most with knowledge of both species would say. Niether is a good long term candidate for a six foot tank.

Back to the OP's question. I think you mght find it difficult in your tank to pair up your tang.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
I'm a Tang junky as well but unless your aquarium is huge I wouldn't place even one Naso in it.

Make sure to see Naso swimming in the New England Aquarium when/if in Boston.
Click to expand...
john- while checking out how Naso swim at the NEA take note of their Emperor Angelfish. Apples and oranges.

Not all fishes of the same size have the same habits (ie: Emperor Angelfish aren't swimmers like Naso Tangs).

Marine Angelfish will often lurk around the same site in the ocean- if you go diving at the same spot you'll often see the same Angelfish at the same location day after day.

I've seen Emperors fail in 1,000 gallon aquariums. Unlike Naso literatus, Emperor Angelfish are good candidates for 6ft. 180's (or 220's) as long as they're properly cared for.
When I had a large male Naso literatus in my 220 years ago (a big mistake but I didn't know any better back then) it looked (quite frankly) stupid- even though the aquarium was setup so it had room to swim around the entire rock stack. (The entire aquarium was an 'island' in the middle of the house).

I hope nobody takes offense at my reply (or takes it as negative) but I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. I'm keeping it real. It's my opinion based on experience and I'm sticking to it. In a few months down the road I won't have to answer to someone asking me "why didn't you tell me so?".... know what I'm saying?
 
Im not offended at all Gary, I would rather not have to search around and beg someone to take a fish that has outgrown my system in the coming years. I already have the one N. lituratus so that is a situation I will have to deal with when the time comes, Im better off not having to rehome two fish. When I got this fish I was under the impression that it would be a good specimen for my system. Apparently its not but Ill keep it until I can't.
 
Gary Im not offended either, I guess we just disagree. Im glad your current experience with your angel in your tank is working out for you. A lot of people would say and 8ft min. is needed for adult large angel but oh well. Ryan I think your making the right choice.
 
I'm glad we can agree to disagree :)

Naso swims around CONSTANTLY while Emperor hangs- know what I mean?
Even my Powder Blue and Achilles CONSTANTLY swim around- but they're both a mere 6" in length.... not nearly the size of an adult male Naso literatus.
We opted not to place a Naso in the zoo's 10 ft long 560 and I think it was a good choice.
The Sohal in that aquarium is enough!
 
GMaquarium said:
A pair of naso tangs would be interesting. I wouldn't suggest trying it in any standard size home aquarium.
Click to expand...

would a pair show any type of unique behaviour? or would it basically be two individuals swimming in a tank together? iv'e seen groups of yellow tangs, can't really recall seeing a pair in somebodies tank before.
 
Gary... wouldn't that advice be the same for an Achilles and/or Powder Blue as it would for a Naso? I'm confused- they are all Acanthurus sp?

Either way, we've all got very similar taste in fish. Keeping these fish thriving in your aquariums is an accomplishment in and of itself. :fish2:
 
John the Achilles and Powder Blues are Acanthaurus sp. Naso, unicorn, vlamingi etc are Naso sp.
 
Thanks for the clarification... trying to learn all of these species (not to mention the latin) can be a little mind boggling.

Ryan, is your Naso pretty mellow? There was one at ARC that would let people pet him and occasionally splash water above the surface! :lmao:
 
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