sohal or clown tang?

[E.intheC]

I saw a large (over 14 inches easily) Sohal in a very large (600+ gallons) tank at an LFS. It was an absolute monster fish. Spectacular looking but it was huge, aggressive, and looked cramped. Really a fish that should be left to large public aquarium displays or the ocean, IMO.

 

[OSTguy]

Snorvich, the idea that a fish is killing for fun is silly. As for one or the other, I've had a clown for 3.5 hrs, stayed the same 8-9" and only had issues with a garibaldi damsel. Not my pbt or angels or triggers. Sohals seem different in temperament than clowns. But my clown is from Sri Lanka which I hear plays a part as well in being more friendly. Only eats pellets, does well with copper and praziquantel in the different times I've had to treat the tank. I'd call it a bulletproof fish having been in the hobby for now 10 years.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Snorvich, the idea that a fish is killing for fun is silly. As for one or the other, I've had a clown for 3.5 hrs, stayed the same 8-9" and only had issues with a garibaldi damsel. Not my pbt or angels or triggers. Sohals seem different in temperament than clowns. But my clown is from Sri Lanka which I hear plays a part as well in being more friendly. Only eats pellets, does well with copper and praziquantel in the different times I've had to treat the tank. I'd call it a bulletproof fish having been in the hobby for now 10 years.

There would be no particular reason for a sohal to kill and go after a random fish. This would mean it would be for fun. I doubt the other fish picked on it... Just saying. :hammer:

 

[CHSUB]

Snorvich, the idea that a fish is killing for fun is silly. As for one or the other, I've had a clown for 3.5 hrs, stayed the same 8-9" and only had issues with a garibaldi damsel. Not my pbt or angels or triggers. Sohals seem different in temperament than clowns. But my clown is from Sri Lanka which I hear plays a part as well in being more friendly. Only eats pellets, does well with copper and praziquantel in the different times I've had to treat the tank. I'd call it a bulletproof fish having been in the hobby for now 10 years.

thanks,

actual experence with a clown tang is what i need, could you please elaborate on your tank size and other tangs housed with it besides the pbt....thanks again

 

[MrTuskfish]

I've always liked the way BZ describes Sohals, IME, its very true; but I'd never part with mine:
"Wide berth should be given to this Red Sea inhabitant as it’s aggression extends from the tangs to Parrotfishes, Triggerfishes and whatever else it may feel particularly displeased with."

 

[CHSUB]

still not 100% sure, but will probalily skip the sohal; if anything i will try the clown tang with the other tangs i listed....i did get my tank today and it is pretty big 60x36x30 281 gallons, it took five men to get it in the house. some might say that it is not big enough for a sohal or clown, and they might be right, but it is a peninsula tank, and IMO that makes a difference because the rock will be stacked in the middle of the tank giving space on both sides of the reef, also the tank is 3 feet wide affording plenty of swimming room. i will say i have never owned a sohal or clown tang before, but i was a LFS employee for nearly five years, and one thing i learned from caring for 1000's of fish is that fish have personalitys, and every fish is different. there are no absolutes in this hobby; except maybe piranhas, mine killed and ate everything!!!!

 

[CHSUB]

the decision.......clown tang. he already seems adjusted to the tank. as a great American once said, "winner"...

 

[WuHT]

Good decision. I never understood why people underrate clown tangs to the less colourful sohal tang.

 

[Rapide]

I have both. Sohal is 12" and Clown 5"ish...
The Sohal is bestnes with fins! Everyone loves it... Definite show fish in my tank.
It was best friends with my PBT that surfed one night
The smaller Clown is way more aggressive than the Sohal. Sometimes it tries to flare to the Sohal, but it really has no chanse against it. 99% of the time they ignore each other. The Clown has no business to the left side of the tank. It's like there is a line in the tank, and if the Clown passes it the Sohal gives a smackdown! "It stays on it's side or it gets the hose again" :worried:

If in the future I will be forced to give one of them away, then it will most definitely be the Clown... Some say, that the Sohal is less colourfull than the Clown, but it actually is not. The blue outlines flash in the lighs, and when the fish flares it's dorsal and anal fins it looks amazing!
You have to look close to see the beautiful colours of the Clown, but the Sohal looks good even if you view it from a far.