Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)

[maysorum]

Please share your experiences with the Purple Tang. Is it aggressive with other species? Has it dined on your LPS? Anything else I should know? Thanks!

 

[ROBONE20]

My Purple Tang chases my Mystery Wrasse every once an a while. He hangs out with my Majestic Angel. They're buds. He used to get chased by one of my Clownfish, but would always try to slap them with his tail. I got rid of my Clownfish pair because it was getting too aggressive towards both my Majestic and Purple Tang. They would stress them out. Never had problems with any of my corals, but my Majestic dined on my Mushrooms. No problems with my Toadstools, Colt, Zoas, or Polyps with my Purple Tang though.

 

[yukonblizzard]

I have 3 Purple tangs in a 50 gallon frag tank, but dont worry they will be going in my 600gallon soon. There is minimal aggression however the only other fish is a blue damsel. The tangs dont pick at my lps or zoas.

 

[ThunderTang]

We've had over probably 5 purple tangs for the past years in my dad's 300g tank, i would say not all of them are mean. The last one we had called "Prince" was as nice as can be before my dad bought a sohal and it killed prince. It's the luck of the draw you may get a mean one or you may get a nice one.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I used to have one -- never bothered any corals -- but tank was mainly SPS and zoas. However, it was very mean and aggressive. On more then one occasion I watched it draw blood on my male Clarkii.

 

[maysorum]

I appreciate all of your responses!! Does anyone have any experience with the Purple Tang and Anthias, Cardinal fish, or a Blenny?

 

[maysorum]

What size tank was he/she in?

I used to have one -- never bothered any corals -- but tank was mainly SPS and zoas. However, it was very mean and aggressive. On more then one occasion I watched it draw blood on my male Clarkii.

 

[SDguy]

I added a quarter sized specimen to my tank less than a year ago. It quickly grew to about 5", and began harassing my otherwise mellow tomini and powder blue. I just removed him last night. Shame.... beautiful fish!

He was fine with wrasses, anthias, etc. Chased my genicanthus angel though.

 

[Stuart60611]

I had about a 4 inch purple tang that was a complete terror. It would go after my tusk and pretty much every other fish in the tank. Had to get rid of him.

 

[betamed]

I've had 2 of them in the last 6-7 years. I would not keep them with other tangs unless careful planning is involved or the tank is pretty big. Mine has been aggressive in the past, but since I no longer am adding fish of similar shape/color its been fine. I would think anthias, cardinal fish and blenies would all be fine I've kept anthia and blennies with no issues I think there prolly to small to be worth bothering.

 

[LukFox]

My purple tang was really passive and didn't eat corals. It would stick up for itself when it had to, but didn't go looking for a fight. The one exception was when I had it with two yellow tangs for a year, the purple and smaller yellow ended up ganging up on the big yellow. I simply rehomed both yellow tangs, and the purple was fine after that.

 

[Toddrtrex]

One thing I forgot to add...

When I put my purple tang in the tank it went right for my Clarkii pair -- and didn't care that they were in their Haddoni.

This picture was taken within minutes of the PT being put in the tank.

 

[reidcrandall]

My purple puts its butt on every new inhabitant, but never nips or chases.

 

[jubjub]

they can be mean let me tell you...i watched mine harass every new fish i've put in the tank....killed a lawn mower blenny......

 

[agreeive?fish]

purple tang #1.. (aprox 6 inches) was in a 7' x 2' fowlr tank.. he never bothered anybody and was actually the tank peacemaker and protector ..lost him due to him ingesting the rubber band used to secure nori.. he got all blocked up and died from it..he was in with triggers/puffers/tangs /large and drawf angels..

purple tang #2 is (about 1/2 dollar size) is currently in a 30g softie tank (2 colts corals..bought as 1 then split).. he hasent touched the 2 colts and actually has drawn the scissortail dartfish out into the open for the majority of the day time..dosent bother the dartfish at all.. (this is a temp tank for him, when he gets some size on him hell go into one of the 3 tanks that are 6 & 7 footer with the big boys..triggers/tangs/puffers/Large angels)

 

[jnc914]

I purchased a Purple about 3 years ago and it was as big as a half-dollar. Once it grew to about 3.5" it became a complete nightmare towards all the fish in the tank. At the time I also had a 5" Emperor Angel that was the established boss. The Purple would even try to attack the larger, more aggressive Emperor. I eventually got rid of it for the betterment of the other tank inhabitants.

 

[maynardjames]

mine has been mid mannard so far. it think he told other fish dont start nothing & there wont be nothing. dosent take anything off others his size, but dosen`t mess with them either. its about 5" now. had him 2 or three years

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

Mine ate a nice elegance when my tank was new. It eats only any food that is put in now...

It holds its own with a sohal that is twice its size....although in this pic you can see it was the larger of the two for a while but not now...

 

[sanchoy]

I had my PT for 2 years now. The PT is currently living with a :
-yellow
-sailfin
-blue hippo
-tomino
-sohal

Skirmishes between the yellow and the pt are often. However, no brutal death kills yet. My PT leaves all corals alone. He is shy compared to my sohal,tomino, sailfin.

 

[surfnturf]

stanley, that tank is awesome. what size is it?