Powder Blue Tang..

[ReefingIt]

I have two yellow tangs and a purple in a 120g. Most of these tangs are in the 3-4 in range. I want to add a powder blue that I saw at lfs. It's about 4-5 in. Just wondering if this is a bad move or would adding another into the mix is ok? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Ruskin]

It's a bad move. The powders need the extra swimming space and to have 3 tangs in a 120 (especially with a purple) is pushing it already.

 

[yoboyjdizz]

Yeah you are already pushing it with the tangs you have. In a bigger a tank adding a powder blue to that mix should be fine. My purple and yellow didn't even look twice at mine.

 

[Reeftanks6]

Yea you have to small of a tank do that. I think it would be a great mix but there is just not enough room for all of them to swim around.

 

[DAKOOP]

My purple killed a couple of Powder blues in my 180. Very territorial.

 

[Reeftanks6]

Sorry to hear that DAKOOP.Yea purples are very mean i think they should be the only tang in the tank. Exception would be in a big tank.

 

[cl2ysta1]

i have two purples in separate systems. one is a bully and one is a baby, but in general i think they are quite jerks. as are yellows

 

[Reeftanks6]

totally agree with you cl2ysta1.

 

[ReefingIt]

ok thanks, I just thought that since the powder blue is a little bigger, the other tangs would leave it alone. I don't think I will chance it. The powder blues are so prone to ich IMO that any extra stress would not give it a good chance of making it.

 

[t5Nitro]

I can't even believe you have 3 zebrasomas living together peacefully. I can't even put 2 tangs together in my 125 (6' long) without my yellow ripping it to pieces.

 

[Wd40]

so what size tank would you say you need for a powder blue?

 

[Reeftanks6]

i say a 90 would be good or a 100.

 

[Monstrigity]

I think a 180 is best in the long run

 

[Reeftanks6]

in the long run i think a 180 is perfect but for a year or 2 or maybe a little more i think a 90-120 will be good.

 

[AtlanticBlue]

I'm no high ranking member of the "Tang Police" or anything, but I like to think I know a few things about them...

I agree that your tank is too small for 4 tangs...in a bigger tank you'd be all set. Not to mention you are going to have problems with the 2 yellows at some point or another. (I also am one of those that believe NO tang should be in a 4 foot tank, no matter how small it is or what your future plans are - sometimes those future plans don't work out and then the poor fish is stuck in a tiny home.)

I also had to respond for the fact that I think the Powder Blue wasn't getting his due props in this thread. IMO the Powder Blue can hold his own...especially with a Purple Tang. It is all about who was added first though. If you have an established Purple and add a Powder Blue to a small tank then yes, the Purple may dominate. The Powder Blue will be stressed to begin with, being added to a new home, possibly just being shipped across the globe, he doesnt know his surroundings, scared etc...

Now have the Powder Blue established and add the Purple...

It would be the exact opposite.

Just to throw this in there, I know a guy that had 21 Tangs in his 7 foot 265 gallon tank. He couldn't figure out why they wouldn't get along. He's down to 7 or 8 or so. He had a school of yellows, a purple, clown, powder blue, achilles, naso etc etc. :mad2:

 

[Monstrigity]

A Powder blue tang of similar size could easily hold its own against a purple.