What is the least agressive surgeonfish?

[A. Grandis]

I'll set up a 125gal. or bigger in the near future and would like to know the least agressive surgeonfish in the market.

My guess goes to Zebrasoma rostatum, the black tang.

What about you?

Grandis.

 

[Recty]

Convict tangs are pretty peaceful, I'd say more peaceful than any of the Zebrasoma species.

 

[nikon187]

naso, but need a larger tank for sure.

 

[A. Grandis]

I think Zebrasoma rostratum is a good option.
Tank should be 100gal.+, I guess.
Does anyone has one of those?
Grandis.

 

[AquaKnight]

+2 Naso genus, unfortunately massive tank required...

 

[nikon187]

I have a friend with a black tang and he is anything but sweet. He is getting large though, i would say minimum 150-180g tank.

 

[snorvich]

+2 Naso genus, unfortunately massive tank required...

+3 but you really need a 10 foot tank.

 

[jd474]

Convict tangs are pretty peaceful, I'd say more peaceful than any of the Zebrasoma species.

+1. Also, mimics (A. pyroferus) seem really passive.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Any Ctenochaetus spp., if we're including those as "surgeonfish"

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

The convict is one of the more peaceful species and most of the bristletooths are as well. I have always heard the mimic was supposed to be but mine can be a little stinker. The most peaceful tang I have now is my sailfin, although it was the last tang introduced and maybe that has something to do with it. My last sailfin wasn't quite so mellow. For your sized tank I would go with a convict or a bristletooth.

 

[zooty]

Any Ctenochaetus spp., if we're including those as "surgeonfish"

agree here, Tominis and Kole are very nice

 

[ALH]

I have a very peaceful lieutenant tang

 

[blink]

my thompson's tang is super peaceful

 

[jmaneyapanda]

This is an impossible to answer question. There are so many factors which would play into how "aggressive" a surgeonfish would be (actuasl tank size, feeding schedule, tankmates, water conditions, I even thinki things like flow would play a part).

 

[TampaReefer79]

Yeah, I agree with jmaneyapanda. While some are known as 'peaceful' you could get that one butthead fish in the bunch and it could ruin your tank. Of my experiences, the unicorns were the least aggressive. Vlamingii, Unicorn, Naso, Blonde Naso...but are all way too big for your tank. For your tank size I'd pick a bristletooth if you want little aggression. In your size tank you could get away with a zebrasoma or acanthurus tang, but you might get a butthead. You could also find a nice docile fish. It's a crap shoot. I've had an aggressive acanthurus pyroferus (mimic tang, chocolate tang, lemonpeel mimic tang - whatever you choose to call it), I've also had aggressive puprles, yellows, sailfins (although most sailfins I've had or seen were less than aggressive - without the presence of other tangs), mata tangs...my orange shoulder wasn't aggressive. Eh, it's anybody's guess. Each fish will have it's own personality. Just like people.

 

[Teremei]

There are a # of generally peaceful tangs that would do good in your tank.

Tomini Tang
Yellow Tang
Kole Tang
Hippo Tang (however 125 might be a bit too small unless water heavy and rock lite)
And there are a # of tangs in the kole/tomini family that are smaller and very colorful.
Powder Blue's are among ppls favorites but it all depends on how much room and what otehr tankmates it has. Ppl have had wonderful powders that were peaceful and ppl have had powder terrors. But I think generally it leans toward peaceful.

 

[TampaReefer79]

There are a # of generally peaceful tangs that would do good in your tank.

Tomini Tang
Yellow Tang
Kole Tang
Hippo Tang (however 125 might be a bit too small unless water heavy and rock lite)
And there are a # of tangs in the kole/tomini family that are smaller and very colorful.
Powder Blue's are among ppls favorites but it all depends on how much room and what otehr tankmates it has. Ppl have had wonderful powders that were peaceful and ppl have had powder terrors. But I think generally it leans toward peaceful.

I've seen my fair share of rough and tough yellow tangs. It COULD be ok, but you could get a real meanie. I had one attack a yellow watchman goby in a 6 foot tank. lol (probably because it was yellow) And as far as you saying PBT's lean toward peaceful, I'd have to disagree A LOT. I'd say it was the opposite of that, most of them being weightlifters and a FEW being docile. PBT's don't mess around with other tangs, especially in a smaller tank. There's a thread going on right now with an established PBT beating the snot out of a big Achilles, yet another aggressive fish.

 

[A. Grandis]

This is an impossible to answer question. There are so many factors which would play into how "aggressive" a surgeonfish would be (actuasl tank size, feeding schedule, tankmates, water conditions, I even thinki things like flow would play a part).

Yeah, we all know that, but we can kinda share infos here and try our best.
All those things are truth with any set up. We have to play with all that. Not only for surgeon fishes.
We are talking about the tendency of the fishes, as species.

I'm reading all the posts. Thanks to all of you.
Please keep sending them!

Grandis.

 

[rssjsb]

This is an impossible to answer question. There are so many factors which would play into how "aggressive" a surgeonfish would be (actuasl tank size, feeding schedule, tankmates, water conditions, I even thinki things like flow would play a part).

I would add another dimension, which is "peaceful to what?". My kole tang was mellow toward everything but my starry blenny, which he chased mercilessly for the first month they were together. It slowed down, but never really stopped.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Yeah, we all know that, but we can kinda share infos here and try our best.
All those things are truth with any set up. We have to play with all that. Not only for surgeon fishes.
We are talking about the tendency of the fishes, as species.

I'm reading all the posts. Thanks to all of you.
Please keep sending them!

Grandis.

Huh??? You asked what the least agressive surgeonfish is. That is impossible to answer. You dont even know what size tank yet. You seem to want to get a balck (rostratum) tang. Get a BIG tank then- far bigger than 100 gallons And put out of your mind all this "least aggressive tang" poppycock.