School of Tangs

[stump1998]

I have a quick question. Would 3 yellow tangs and 3 purple tangs tolerate each other in a large enough tank or would it be better to go with 5 or 6 of one kind? I have a 600 gallon tank and was hoping I could make it work.

 

[1BADREEF]

Well its hard to say. If you do it put them all in at the same time, but I would say its better to do 5 or 6 of one species at the same time....

 

[thor32766]

well it won't answer your question totally, but schooling won't happen in your tank. Shoaling what tangs do in the wild will not either. I have three yellows in my 450 and two stay on oneside and one on the other. They we all added at the same time. Even the two on the other side don't shoal.

 

[stump1998]

I guess school was not the word to use. I am more worried about them living together. Do you think a new tank to stand 5 to 6 fish added at once? They would all be small. I am pushing 725 gallons with sump and fuge.

 

[thor32766]

yeah that sounds better. I have 3 yellows and one purple without an issue. HTH

 

[snorvich]

Yes, but you have them in a large tank. It seems aggression issue diminish in larger tanks.

 

[vanmle]

Keep us posted on what you decide to do. I want to do something similar.

 

[zmovegolf]

I have 3 yellow, 1 purple, and a sailfin in a 240. They are all about the same size and were all added at the same time. they act out on occasion, but overall they do great together. IMO you should be fine with that much room for them to find their "territory" should they choose to do so. good luck

 

[BangkokMatt]

You can add both yellows and purples to a tank that size. As said before, make sure you add them at the same time.

 

[mnm1953]

How I wish I could have a 600 gal. Stump what are the measurements of that tank.

 

[stump1998]

The tank is 8' x 4' x 2.5'. It has 550 pounds of rock. It is going to be fowlr for now but I am going with reef safe fish. I hope after a little experience I can convert to full reef.

 

[badbrady06]

WHAT ABOUT CONVICT TANGS?

 

[kodyboy]

A large group of yellow and purples would shoal in that size of a tank.

 

[BangkokMatt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13256728#post13256728 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kodyboy
A large group of yellow and purples would shoal in that size of a tank.

No offense but they won't. It would look cool though.

 

[kodyboy]

they would shoal, not school. A shoal is a loosely grouped aggregation of fish, a school is a polarized grouping of fish. Most of the fish we keep shoal, not school (unless you are keeping certain cardinalfish and freshwater fish). A group of 18-24 yellow/purple tangs in a 600 would shoal from time to time.

 

[crvz]

maybe so, kodyboy, but I think that many fish in a 600 would be a bad idea unless they were the only fish in the tank. not only for bioload, but also the pocketbook! I'd second the convect tang notion, I like those fish and they're rather docile compared to any of the others.

 

[kodyboy]

in a 600 I would not worry about it, as long as the tank has good filtration (a good protein skimmer), good water movement, and partial water changes are done regularly.
Convicts are about the same size as yellow tangs, but not as hardy in my book. Purples can get a little larger, and be more aggressive than either species, but if they are all added at once it should work fine.
I would add a bunch of three inch specimens and let them grow up together, no guarantees, but it should work fine.

 

[caorca]

The next fish I put in my tank after housing 7 blue chromies, were five assorted tangs. I had a purple, yellow, sailfin, chocolate, an a sohal. Eveeryone worked out except for the sohal. Those suckers get big fast and then they become the tank bully. This is only a 220 gallon tank, so I don't see you having any problems with the size of your tank.

 

[kodyboy]

sohal are very aggresive tangs. It is between them and the clown tang as to which is more aggresive.

 

[mhills16]

omg, lol , the man said he has a 750 gallon set up. He could have 10 tangs in a tank that size. Dont start being annoying and saying his tank isnt big enough for 4 tangs. seriously.