Powder blue tang

[Gweeds]

I have these tangs in my 320, Yellow, Purple, Chevron, Powder Blue and Fox face Lo, all was obtained when they were small and have been together for 5+ years. This is too many tangs in my 320. This last week, the Purple started to pick in the Yellow. He keep the Yellow tang in the rock work. This is after 5 years.
I will need to trap the Purple tang, or the Yellow out this weekend, and trade him in. All are very healthy, no disease. I have not have a fish died in many years.

I agree that the reason you cannot keep one alive in your tank is because there are too many tangs in your 120 gal tank.

IME if you're keeping multiple tangs, try to select them from different genera... the aggression seems to be much less.

As mentioned I currently have an OST, yellow and regal tang... 3 different genera, no issues at all.

I'm adding a Achilles and desjardini next... So we'll see how they get on being with another acanthurus and zebrasoma respectively. If there's problems, I'll probably trade them in for a chevron and a blonde naso... thus having 5 tangs from 5 different genera.

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[McPuff]

Agree with keeping different genera. I have 4 tangs in my 300. Naso, lieutenant, chocolate, and scopas. The lieutenant will chase the chocolate (both Acanthurus) but not the other two.

 

[kmbyrnes]

Two things.
One: You need to get rid of the ich in your system. It's there, lurking, even if you don't see it on your fish often.
The stress of a newcomer, or the change of environment, will lower a fish's ability to handle such an infestation.
And that's bad for all tank inhabitants.

Two: Even if you manage to keep 5 tangs alive in such a small tank, they will not be happy without swimming space and territory.
And having more than one of the same genus only compounds the issue.
You may have short term success, but consider the quality of life for your fish over the long haul and don't add any more tangs until you have a (much) larger tank.

 

[anthonys51]

Two things.

One: You need to get rid of the ich in your system. It's there, lurking, even if you don't see it on your fish often.

The stress of a newcomer, or the change of environment, will lower a fish's ability to handle such an infestation.

And that's bad for all tank inhabitants.



Two: Even if you manage to keep 5 tangs alive in such a small tank, they will not be happy without swimming space and territory.

And having more than one of the same genus only compounds the issue.

You may have short term success, but consider the quality of life for your fish over the long haul and don't add any more tangs until you have a (much) larger tank.

Happy fish lol. I never seen a fish smile in 31 years of keeping fish.

Please stop putting human feeling onto fish. They are fish they aren't humans. Like in a 7 foot 300 gallon tank fish is happy in a 6 foot 180 it's not happy. Lol. Love people. . Ps your dog doesn't like to wear sweaters either


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[Gweeds]

So... was talking to my wife about these PBTs. She likes them.

Today she comes home with a gift...

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[Gweeds]

Happy fish lol. I never seen a fish smile in 31 years of keeping fish.

Please stop putting human feeling onto fish. They are fish they aren't humans. Like in a 7 foot 300 gallon tank fish is happy in a 6 foot 180 it's not happy. Lol. Love people. . Ps your dog doesn't like to wear sweaters either


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I think it's easier to say 'happy' rather than 'is displaying natural behaviour as the environment provides the required minimum territory size and suitable stimulus'

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[anthonys51]

I think it's easier to say 'happy' rather than 'is displaying natural behaviour as the environment provides the required minimum territory size and suitable stimulus'

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Yes it is easier. But for a tang those swims and covers a large area on the reef. Do you think it really "happy"in your 320 gallon tank as apposed to a 120. Both as super small to Whst its naturally used too


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[Gweeds]

Yes it is easier. But for a tang those swims and covers a large area on the reef. Do you think it really "happy"in your 320 gallon tank as apposed to a 120. Both as super small to Whst its naturally used too


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Good point, well made... I wasn't necessarily saying my fish were happy, just what people usually mean by happy.

I think if we're honest, none of us have a tank large enough to allow truly natural behaviour...

When was the last time anyone saw a shoal of 100+ PBTs in captivity for example.

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[McPuff]

Good point, well made... I wasn't necessarily saying my fish were happy, just what people usually mean by happy.

I think if we're honest, none of us have a tank large enough to allow truly natural behaviour...

When was the last time anyone saw a shoal of 100+ PBTs in captivity for example.

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This is a great point. In reality, my 300 gallon isn't big enough for tangs, but it appears to be suitable enough to keep them fat (which seems to equate to happy for fish). Realistically, you'd need 1000's of gallons to provide a glimpse at natural behavior in captivity. If only I had that option! :0) There are definitely species of fish that I won't even try to keep in my 300. Even though this is the biggest tank I've ever had, I understand more than ever the limitations associated with successfully keeping certain species.

 

[Gweeds]

This is a great point. In reality, my 300 gallon isn't big enough for tangs, but it appears to be suitable enough to keep them fat (which seems to equate to happy for fish). Realistically, you'd need 1000's of gallons to provide a glimpse at natural behavior in captivity. If only I had that option! :0) There are definitely species of fish that I won't even try to keep in my 300. Even though this is the biggest tank I've ever had, I understand more than ever the limitations associated with successfully keeping certain species.

Absolutely... Hence why I decided against a vlamingi tang. I saw a video on FB the other day of a 6' tank with at least 3 vlamingis in it... just awful.

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[brad]

My experience is 1 tang needs a lot more room than people realize, but 2 don't need much more than one, and groups might be better than 2. So 180 minimum for a pb but 2 or 3 in a 240.

 

[OrionN]

My experience is 1 tang needs a lot more room than people realize, but 2 don't need much more than one, and groups might be better than 2. So 180 minimum for a pb but 2 or 3 in a 240.

I doubt that your experience is what other reefers, myself included, find in their tanks. Two PBT in my 320 will result in tater, constant unrest and sick PBT, and because of this, unhealthy condition for the rest of the fish.

 

[anthonys51]

I have a pb In my 265 and I never see it chase the other tangs. Actually I am not sure if I am just lucky but none of my tangs start any trouble at all. My hippo will sometimes flash my blonde naso. But my naso ignores it. Sometimes my yellow and my 8 inch chevron ( biggest one of all the tangs) will dance but that's it. My pb will just swim around the whole tank it's really enjoys swimming back and forth all over the tank. Might be a little crowded in a 120 I will admit that


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