Purple tang info please?

[Catbus]

Hello i'm thinking about getting a purple tang for a 90 gallon i will be setting up in a month or two (48 x 18 x 24) from what I have read they can get up to 9-10 " in captivity and resemble yellow tangs. would the tang be alright in my tank? I will have flow coming from an mp40 and a k4, the only other tankmate I will have in the same tank will be 2 juvi maroon clowns.
tell me what you think :beer:

 

[cdeboard]

Will be perfectly fine. A good size tang for the tank you have. Just dont get a yellow AND a purple unless introduced at the same time.

 

[Catbus]

Will be perfectly fine. A good size tang for the tank you have. Just dont get a yellow AND a purple unless introduced at the same time.

Oh no thats just what I've heard, I like the minimal fish look. thanks alot for the reply :spin2:

 

[brentt]

you would normally be cuttin it close but since you only would have the 2 maroons with him than you should be alright you just need to make sure he has alot of swimming room

 

[Toddrtrex]

IMO, it is a bad idea, and it won't be perfectly fine. A 4 foot tank just isn't big enough for a purple tang. They are fairly aggressive to begin with and more so when the feel cramped -- which it will in a 4 foot tank.

I tried this years ago in a 75, was fine for the first 6 months, and then the purple tang started going after my Clarkii pair -- to the point of drawing blood on the male.

 

[auem]

IMO, it is a bad idea, and it won't be perfectly fine. A 4 foot tank just isn't big enough for a purple tang. They are fairly aggressive to begin with and more so when the feel cramped -- which it will in a 4 foot tank.

I tried this years ago in a 75, was fine for the first 6 months, and then the purple tang started going after my Clarkii pair -- to the point of drawing blood on the male.

this....
as mean fish as it can get...in a 4' tank it won't take more than 3 month to show it's ugly side...

 

[cakemanPA]

I am in the process of upgrading to a 240 so I can handle and crap I may take. I am not recommending this necessarily. But I have a 120 set up currently with a Purple Tang, Naso Tang, and a Dejardin Sailfin Tang. I added them in that order. The purple was 1.5" when I got it 2 years ago and is now 4". I got the naso about 3 months later and it was 2-3" and it is now 4". And lastly I rescued the sailfin from a shop that had it in a tiny tank about a year ago. It is now almost 5" long. I have no aggression issues at all. But I attribute this to more luck than anything. My upgrade has been in process for the last 5 months or so. I am hoping to have the tank up and running in early September. I will be a lot happier when these guys are in an 8' tank.

 

[cveverly]

I have a Purple Tang in my 180 and it is a bully in that size tank. If you want a tang for a 75 I think a Kole or Tomini are about your best bet.

 

[scubasteve06]

Purple tangs are the devil bobby bushea...

 

[Big E]

I've had this purple tang in my 4' 120g for over 3 years. He's about 7" and is fine.

[/IMG]

Some comments--

The tank is lightly stocked & open.
He stopped growing years ago.......was in a 180g for about 14 years.
He's always been the only tang & has never been with other tangs.
He's never attacked new tankmates, but would just make sure they knew he was king.

He's never killed a fish or bullied one. He's been with clowns, anthias, angels, butterflies, small hawkfish, psuedochromis.

The only time he paces the tank is when I am in front of the tank or during feeding time. The rest of the time he forages for algae. He doesn't need 6+ feet of swimming room.........neither do yellow tangs.

Any fish I add would be a smaller type fish that won't compete for his food source.

 

[TampaReefer79]

I've had this purple tang in my 4' 120g for over 3 years. He's about 7" and is fine.

[/IMG]

Some comments--

The tank is lightly stocked & open.
He stopped growing years ago.......was in a 180g for about 14 years.
He's always been the only tang & has never been with other tangs.
He's never attacked new tankmates, but would just make sure they knew he was king.

He's never killed a fish or bullied one. He's been with clowns, anthias, angels, butterflies, small hawkfish, psuedochromis.

The only time he paces the tank is when I am in front of the tank or during feeding time. The rest of the time he forages for algae. He doesn't need 6+ feet of swimming room.........neither do yellow tangs.

Any fish I add would be a smaller type fish that won't compete for his food source.

I gotta say, I disagree with this entire post.

 

[Big E]

Not sure what you disagree with, but since this fish has been in this 120g tank it consisted of the three fish in the picture. The damsel died a few months ago & it was over 10 years old.

Right now the tang & the Muellers BF are the only two fish in the tank. I gave a lot of reason/examples why the tang hasn't been aggressive.


The other tankmates mentioned were over the years in the 180g tank & not at the same time. It was never overcrowded.

 

[cveverly]

I agree that you can do it in a 4' tank as Big E has proven. His conditions allow for the success. Might not be optimum conditions but I am sure there are more 48" success stories. Mine started out in a 36" tank then a 48" tank and now the 72" tank. My tang has been a bully in all three tanks. Once it proves its tank dominance it leaves the new fish alone .... if they live that long.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I agree that you can do it in a 4' tank as Big E has proven. His conditions allow for the success. Might not be optimum conditions but I am sure there are more 48" success stories. Mine started out in a 36" tank then a 48" tank and now the 72" tank. My tang has been a bully in all three tanks. Once it proves its tank dominance it leaves the new fish alone .... if they live that long.

And my example above showed that it didn't work.

 

[febreez]

I am not saying do it or it will be fine, but I bought a 90 from a fellow reefer and it came with a 5" purple tang and a flame hawk fish, I have added some smaller fish like a pygmy angle and a six line wrasse and all seem to get along.

 

[cveverly]

And my example above showed that it didn't work.

I am sorry, my intentions were not to dispute your example.:rolleye1:

 

[Big E]

And my example above showed that it didn't work.

It seems there is a mix on what will work with this fish, & in your case I agree a 75g is too small, but no one can tell me the 4' length won't work & 6' will. Not all 4' tanks are the same..........a 120g 24" wide tank is a lot roomier than a 75g 4' tank.

I can also say a 4' x 4' 240g tank is a better option than a 6' 125g. Not all 6 or 8' tanks are created equal either. I've seen 6-8 foot tanks with gigantic coral walls or displays that leave the fish little room to swim, yet no one mentions it to the guy that has 4 tangs in there.

My only point in posting was to try & give some viable options to house a PT in a 4 foot tank by choosing good tankmates, low bio load, & open rockwork.

I think a 90g is on the edge of pushing it, but lets face it people buy a ton Purple & especially yellow tangs all the time, & they are going to put them in those 4' tanks.

 

[Big E]

And my example above showed that it didn't work.

It seems there is a mix on what will work with this fish, & in your case I agree a 75g is too small, but no one can tell me the 4' length won't work & 6' will. Not all 4' tanks are the same..........a 120g 24" wide tank is a lot roomier than a 75g 4' tank.

I can also say a 4' x 4' 240g tank is a better option than a 6' 125g. Not all 6 or 8' tanks are created equal either. I've seen 6-8 foot tanks with gigantic coral walls or displays that leave the fish little room to swim, yet no one mentions it to the guy that has 4 tangs in there.

My only point in posting was to try & give some viable options to house a PT in a 4 foot tank by choosing good tankmates, low bio load, & open rockwork.

I think a 90g is on the edge of pushing it, but lets face it people buy a ton Purple & especially yellow tangs all the time, & they are going to put them in those 4' tanks.

 

[Catbus]

I don't know where you guys got 75 gallons from, but if you read my origional post I said 90. thanks anyway for replying

 

[Toddrtrex]

I stated a 75 because that is what I have -- would be silly for me to say 90 when I don't have one. And for this discussion there is little difference b/t a 90 and a 75 --- both, IMO, aren't big enough for a purple tang.