Gill_bucket
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Tang Compatability
- Thread starter nterry
- Start date
Alex T.
Active member
I currently have an Achilles and Yellow in my 6 foot 150. I actually have the upgrade tank sitting in the garage....a 7 foot 265. I do have an SPS tank so I'm not trying to see how many tangs I can stuff into the 6 foot tank, but at one time I did have the above plus a Desjardin and Naso. This was way, way, way too small a space for these fish. My Achilles paced considerably. When I lowered my rockwork to halfway with two islands and re-homed the Dejardin and Naso, I started to notice more natural grazing and swimming characteristics from the Achilles.
Even in the 265, I will only keep the Yellow and Achilles, so that I can have a few more anthias and smaller fish that shoot in and out of the rockwork and staghorn corals. I've noticed that the specimens labeled Zebrasoma (Sailfins, Yellow, Purples, etc) don't seem to need as much tank space, so maybe if they're small you might get away with two for a while. Their swim habits seem a bit more subdued and slower than anything in the Acanthurus family.
By the way..if anyone's interested I have a beautiful reefsafe Australian Harlequin Tuskfish that's been with me for two years. Starting to show the trademark adult blue coloration on face and back of body. Really is a pig and needs a new home. Only thing he bothered in my sps/clam tank was my cleaner shrimp which was removed and put in a nano before he became lunch. PM if interested.
Even in the 265, I will only keep the Yellow and Achilles, so that I can have a few more anthias and smaller fish that shoot in and out of the rockwork and staghorn corals. I've noticed that the specimens labeled Zebrasoma (Sailfins, Yellow, Purples, etc) don't seem to need as much tank space, so maybe if they're small you might get away with two for a while. Their swim habits seem a bit more subdued and slower than anything in the Acanthurus family.
By the way..if anyone's interested I have a beautiful reefsafe Australian Harlequin Tuskfish that's been with me for two years. Starting to show the trademark adult blue coloration on face and back of body. Really is a pig and needs a new home. Only thing he bothered in my sps/clam tank was my cleaner shrimp which was removed and put in a nano before he became lunch. PM if interested.
Tracey2
Member
When I introduced my tangs, I put the achillies in first for a couple months by himself then the others all together. The achillies instantly didn't like the naso but since the naso has grown larger and the achillies doesn't mess with him but he has decided the hippo is not too cool, they all eat well together but I see nips out of hippo's tail a times and may have to remove him in the future. I am guessing but I wonder if tang compatibility has more to do with if a fish is a male or female. Again though, these guys are in a 270 and I really can't imagine an achillies in anything much smaller, I hate saying this because I didn't like hearing it when I started my tanks but have now seen for myself when a tang is unhappy in a small tank, its not fun.
I just bought a sohal for my 240 gallon tank. How big of a tank do you think this fish needs?
Tracey2
Member
I had my sohal in a 150g and he was stressed, I think a 240g would be a much better fit depending on how many other tangs are with him. My sohal was goregous, I taught him to eat out of a net so when I removed him I put the net in the tank and he swam right in, I really didn't want to sell him but I didn't have my big tank then. I hope you post pictures when your new guy settles in, good luck.
Alex T.
Active member
John32,
I've wanted a Sohal for the longest time. It's my favorite fish for its' active nature and beautiful markings that sparkle under actinic lighting. The problem is these guys get big and very aggressive.
I'm friends with the guy who manages the Atlantic City Public Aquarium and they have one in their 1,000 gallon mixed reef. It is clearly king of the tank and every other tang had to be pulled for fear of annihilation. They've turned it into a Sohal reef tank with other small fish like anthias, blennies, gobies, a mated pair of maroon clowns and damsels. Anything approaching the size of the Sohal had to be relocated...and that's in a thousand gallons of volume.
I've wanted a Sohal for the longest time. It's my favorite fish for its' active nature and beautiful markings that sparkle under actinic lighting. The problem is these guys get big and very aggressive.
I'm friends with the guy who manages the Atlantic City Public Aquarium and they have one in their 1,000 gallon mixed reef. It is clearly king of the tank and every other tang had to be pulled for fear of annihilation. They've turned it into a Sohal reef tank with other small fish like anthias, blennies, gobies, a mated pair of maroon clowns and damsels. Anything approaching the size of the Sohal had to be relocated...and that's in a thousand gallons of volume.
serpentman
part time superhero
They are mean. I kept a Sohal in my 300g with 5 other tangs for a long time. Although things were relatively peaceful, he was very aggressive.
I think key is to make sure you spread the aggression so one tang doesn't bear the brunt. Aquascaping is also very important. There needs to be enough visual obstructions so they can break eye contact.
I think key is to make sure you spread the aggression so one tang doesn't bear the brunt. Aquascaping is also very important. There needs to be enough visual obstructions so they can break eye contact.
i've heard achillies are eating machines that need to be fed like 2-3 times a day to keep happy and healthy. this comes from my trusted LFS owner who had a fullsize adult one for a year. he got rid of it bc it constantly needed fed. if he missed any feeding schedule it would start to show signs of stress (ich)
just thought i'd share that....
just thought i'd share that....
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ive been in your position before and have been ripped on hard for the stuff i have in my aquarium. i have 2 tangs a small vlamingi and a 2 inch hippo in a 125 (6 feet long) the only reason i put the vlamingi in the tank was because in 6 months were building a house and were going to put a giant aquarium in it. so do what you want but think of the animals before yourself. those fish are gorgeous but they dont belong in a 4 foot tank , in a six foot it would be a diffrent story . good luck !