Purple Tangs

jkhudson

New member
I want a purple tang. However I already have a yellow tang and a scopas along with a foxface. Is that enough variety or will the purple and yellow beat up on each other?
 
iam willing to bet there will be a battle between the yellow and the purple... how big is the yellow, how big is the purple, how long has the yellow been in the tank
 
Purple Tangs are the most aggressive of what you have. BUT...everyone's tanks are different. In my opinion it's not worth the risk.
 
It alll depends on the size of the tank. If big enough then go for it! I have kept many zebrasomas in the same tank. As a matter of fact there are 7 yellow tangs in my lfs display that play along great with each other!

If your tank is hmm say 90 gallon+ then your definately ok. If you get the purple then while your acclimating try to move live rock around, moving rock around will make the scopas and yellow less terrritorial. you should be fine!

My 200 consists of >>> 2 yellow tangs, 1 purple tang, 1 achilles tang, 1 sohal tang, 1 moorish idol, 2 blue hippo tangs, 1 powder blue tang, 1 blone naso tang. I put all my fish in at once and everything turned out great. Then again, I take risks. The tang police will be on me soon for sure
 
texastravis How long have you had your moorish idol..i have had mine for about 5 days and eats like a pig...and is swimming buddies with my purople tang (got at the same time)
 
from my experience.....established yellow and newly added purple will give you frazier vs foreman and a good possiblity of a little added bonus called ich! Not worth it unless the tank is at least 150 in my opinion and then it still may be a battle. if added at the same time you have a much better chance...
 
it's likely that the purple and yellow will not get along upon first introduction... but even the sailfin is a question. as acrodave pointed out, they're all the same genus. you'd be better off trying a different genus, but even then there's still the risk.
 
no i agree I wouldn't try it at all.....but I was saying that if you were going to attempt it then it might be better to try and introduce them at the same time and then they might not be as territorial....An established yellow and a newly added tang of the same genus...purple or not...probably won't work at all...but then again I have seen crazier things happen...my yellow and my hippo hated each other....granted not the same genus, but tangs none the less, now they are great with each other but the yellow is still boss and the hippo knows it....
 
It's probably greater than 50%... 50-70 ... that there will be a problem. Even if that yellow hasn't been in there long. Good you have 150g. I think it's worth trying. Just be ready to know how to capture a fish. In case it gets ugly you can remove the yellow and sump him for awhile, move rocks if that's an option.
 
i would remove the yellow to the sump for a few days.. Maybe move around a couple of rocks. then a few day later add the purple and yellow same time? It 50/50 either way. My yellow will go after anything
 
Had moorish idol for about a year "agreeive?fish". If yours is eating then the hard part is over. I got a bigger tank in the works and plan on putting the Idol with some agressive fish so I hope things go well
 
A lot can depend on the personality of the individual fish too. My first purple tang was a nasty piece of work and was the only tang in my tank. He made me scared to put my hand in the tank to do any cleaning. Putting in new corals and scraping the glass meant have an extra scraper in hand to chance the little bastidge away from my hand. He also sliced up my male clown once pretty good. I have no idea how he would have reacted to another tang but he certainly bullied me around! Unfortunately, he did not survive being at a baby sitters tank while I set up my 120.

My second purple tang is very shy and non threatening to me at all. I did add him with a powder blue of the same size and while they occasionally had a tiff when I first put them in, they got along pretty well after a day or so. The powder blue never did eat very well and died about a month later (ick).

I may eventually add another tang, but for now I'll just keep watching the personality of the current resident.
 
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