Salfin tang with desjardini tang

[sandwi54]

What's the probability that a pacific salfin tang will get along with a desjardini tang in a 375g tank? I have a 7" salfin tang but my wife saw a beautiful 5" desjardini tang and wants it. I do not have experience with two large zebrasoma tangs in one tank so hopefully someone with direct experience can chime in.

 

[vmacisback]

I am not a fish expert and haven't kept fish that size but based on my own experience its pretty hit or miss and depends on a few variables. It depends on how established the sailfin is and how long he has been in the tank. IME adding them at the same time I could see there being a less likelihood for them not getting along and fighting. If the sailfin is very established he is going to look at the desjardini as a threat and probably hinder the new fishes ability to establish himself in the new home by chasing him around the tank. Its hard to keep tangs that are in the same family together regardless ive heard of putting a small mirror in the tank in order to make the established fish think that there is an identical fish in the tank and he will go crazy on the mirror while giving time to the new fish to get established. Never tried it but sounds like a chance. Good luck.

 

[Jamey1010]

I would say you got a big enough tank to try it, much better luck trying adding zebrasoma with surgeonfish.

I kept a desjardini with a purple and a sohal they had there moments no doubt, but recently tried adding a yellow with an established yellow and that didn't fly

 

[Dmorty217]

The chances of this working are very slim, maybe it will work in the short term but long term no way. If you would have purchased them together, at the same size and added them together it would of worked with little or no issue. I had two purples in a 180g without issue for 5 yrs

 

[brad]

Obviously there is a chance it works and a chance it doesn't, and every fish is different, but...

I am going to disagree with Dmorty217. If it works short term, I think that is just as good as having added them at the same time. I've never seen anything work short term that doesn't work long term except when the fish get bigger. I have seen things that don't work short term eventually work out long term.

A 375g is a big tank, and I can say from experience that a lot of combinations that didn't work in a 120g works very well in a 270. My guess is you'd be okay.

I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that all tangs shoal in the wild and travel long distances rather than keep a territory like damsels, angels, etc. They will probably be okay as long as they can maintain enough distance.

 

[drej424]

Aren't Desjardini and Sailfin tangs the same thing? If your wife's in love with the one she saw, is a second tank a possibility? The thing that concerns me most is that the new fish is also smaller than the one that's already in your tank. I would be very worried about aggression.

 

[sandwi54]

Thanks guys for the responses. The salfin has been established for about 6 months so that's why I am hesiting about adding a desjardini. I think if I do get a desjardini, I will remove the salfin into my 7-foot sump for a week or two and then add both at the same time.

I do agree that in a large tank, what does not usually work in a smaller tank (say 200g) can sometimes work. For example, my 11" French angel and 7" emperor angel get along just fine in my 375g, but in my previous 225g they fought constantly, and the French would sometimes pin the emperor into a corner.

 

[sandwi54]

Aren't Desjardini and Sailfin tangs the same thing? If your wife's in love with the one she saw, is a second tank a possibility? The thing that concerns me most is that the new fish is also smaller than the one that's already in your tank. I would be very worried about aggression.

I do have a second tank... which is my 7-foot sump. However, I would rather see the Desjardini swimming in the display rather than the sump. I'll think about this more before making a decision.

 

[Rea17]

While sailfins and desjardini tangs are very similar, they are not the same. Moving the established sailfin to your sump for a couple weeks would help the desjardini get established. You could also use an acclimation box. Are there any other tangs in the picture here? I see no reason why you couldn't have both in a 375.

 

[drej424]

Sorry, Sandwi54! Somehow, I missed the "second tank" thing in your signature...

Rea17, thanks for clarification.

 

[chrisqueenz]

This is interesting, wondering if anyone has tried this?

 

[3FordFamily]

I've seen it done. I have a purple, desjardi sailfin, and yellow together. Also an achilles and PBT in the same tank (all 5)

 

[ca1ore]

Aren't they simply regional variants of the same fish - pacific and red sea? I've not tried to keep two sailfins in the same tank, but I do currently have 3 zebrasomas in my 265, introduced at separate times, and they co-exist for the most part. When I added the third, it was actually the established Achilles that made the biggest fuss.

 

[koala]

What's the probability that a pacific salfin tang will get along with a desjardini tang in a 375g tank?...

Everything will be fine, do not worry!

I have 6 zebrasomas (1 desjardinii, 1 veliferum, 2 flavescens, 1 scopas, 1 xanthurum) & 1 hepatus, in my 185 gal. system.
My aquarium has a length of 2 meters (~ 80 inches).