Suitable tangs for a 130 gallon

carriej

New member
Hi Folks,

Looking to add a tang to my 130 gallon.. Seems like a lot of the fish on my wish list are small fish. I would like some bigger fish (not huge, obviously). I know a lot of tangs get big so I would prefer something smaller. I was looking at purple tangs ($$$) but not sure if I like them enough to spend that kind of money.

Or even a centerpiecey fish that's not a tang.. I'm relatively open to ideas.

Reef safe.
 
Hi Folks,

Looking to add a tang to my 130 gallon.. Seems like a lot of the fish on my wish list are small fish. I would like some bigger fish (not huge, obviously). I know a lot of tangs get big so I would prefer something smaller. I was looking at purple tangs ($$$) but not sure if I like them enough to spend that kind of money.

Or even a centerpiecey fish that's not a tang.. I'm relatively open to ideas.

Reef safe.

We have a sticky giving guidelines for tangs and their appropriately sized tanks. It can be found here.
 
Depends a little on the length of the tank but purples are beautiful if you don't mind some aggression. Kole tangs and rabbit fish are nice as well as one of the reef safe angels.
 
Sorry, the tank is a standard 130 gallon I believe. 72x18x24 .

I did find that thread - I guess I was hoping there was some different ones not mentioned... Having a hard time finding the "right" fish.
 
I mean according to the list you have a few choices that would look pretty nice in your tank.

- Atlantic Blue Tang
- Powder Brown Tang
- Powder Blue Tang
- Convict Tang
- Chevron Tang
- Tomini Tang
- Bristletooth Tomini Tang
- Kole Tang
- Yellow Tang
- Scopas Tang
- Purple Tang

Out of that list I personally have the Atlantic Blue Tang, Yellow Eye Kole Tang, Yellow Tang, Scopas Tang and Purple Tang. They all do well together except the yellow and the purple. Unfortunately I added those two a week apart from each other and they can't stand each other yet, not a serious amount of aggression and no injuries but not friendly with each other except during feeding time they are nice.

I also have a rabbitfish in my tank, always had one since I started reefing, and they are great fish with a great personality. I personally have the double-bar rabbitifish, very cool. Other options for you may be dwarf angels such as Eibli Angel, Coral Beauty, Rock Beauty or Flame Angel. Unfortunately the angels may be a hit or miss in terms of being reef safe as far as what people say but from my experience I never had problems with them. Wrasses are also nice little fish to collect, not that I am into them but I have seen other people with a bunch and they come in some amazing colors.
 
Hey Carrie,

Depending on your stocking list and how heavily stocked it will be, you may be interested in checking out a Pacific or Red Sea Sailfin tang. Though the Sailfin is listed for 180+ Tanks, it is a fairly mild mannered tang (from my personal experience, actually the least aggressive, even less so than my Blue Hippo Tang), and depending on your stock you may be able to get away with adding him to your tank if its 'that' show quality fish you're looking for.

I personally keep an Pacific Sailfin, Purple tang, and Hippo together in my 180g Aquarium with 0 aggression except for new additions, in which the Purple tang will establish his territories with but never deals any really serious damage to and often this only last for the first hour of introduction or so.

The other fish out of the lists of more suitable tangs for your set up, you may be interested in if your looking for a bursts of color would be a Powder blue tang (fairly cheap around Nova scotia too, which is a nice +) or even a Purple Tang which you've mentioned you've already considered. The only thing I would warn against about both these tangs would be to add them as your lasts fish in the tank, because they are both known to be notoriously aggressive though absolutely stunning fish with great personalities once established.

To give better suggestions, I would recommend adding your current and future stock lists which you hope to keep.
 
Hey Carrie,

Though the Sailfin is listed for 180+ Tanks, it is a fairly mild mannered tang (from my personal experience, actually the least aggressive, even less so than my Blue Hippo Tang), and depending on your stock you may be able to get away with adding him to your tank if its 'that' show quality fish you're looking for.


Powder blue tang (fairly cheap around Nova scotia too, which is a nice +) or even a Purple Tang which you've mentioned you've already considered.

.

The sailfin can get to almost 1.5 feet in length. I would not recommend you get one for a tank that's smaller than the suggested minimum tank size.

I would go for the purple tang over the pb tang. The purples are such pretty fish, and the PB's are pretty susceptible to ich outbreaks.

OP: kudos for coming in to ask for help before buying one, I hope you are happy with whatever fish you choose.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions! I really don't want to make any mistakes. This is my first reef tank and I want to do it as "correctly" as possible. I currently have no saltwater fish, just lots of freshwater fish. I am mostly a high tech planted keeper, but after 8 years of fish keeping I want to hop on the reef bandwagon.

I haven't really thought much about what I want to keep for fish. I'm more into the corals - so any fish that wants to eat them is a no-no.

Only for sure residents are a pair of tomato clowns that I will probably add first. I am just getting my RO/DI up and running and the tank is just in place, so it will be months before I am ready for livestock. Still need to purchase my rock, etc.

Lots to do yet!
 
Back
Top