Shouid I even be considering a tang?

[menace78]

I have been wanting a Blue Tang. I see on a couple compatablility charts that "with caution" is stated for compatablility with rabitfish, I have a Foxface and would like to know what issues I might have with these 2 and I'm thinking about puting one into a 110g mixed reef with alot of swimming room.

My foxface has never messed with any of my fish (pj cardinal, perc clown pair, and "the late" blue devel damsel or corals (zoos, softies, frogspawn all the way up to pocillipora (spelling?) and other sps)

Any concerns or sugestions would be apreaciated.
Thanks

 

[fatboyt123]

I have a 5" maybe 6" sribbled rabbit in my tank along with a blue tang (2" now when i got him he was probably 1") and have never had a problem. The rabbit is the nicest fish i have behavior wise. The only fish that picks on the blue now every once in a while would be my sailfin tang.

 

[tdgates10]

My personal opinion with tangs are you never know what they're going to do once you put them in the tank. I've have a Kole Tang that completely tormented everything in the tank and he was suppose to be peaceful and I've had a Yellow Tang be an angel while he was suppose to be a little devil. It's kinda luck of the draw in my opinion. Also, most fish won't mess with a rabbitfish due to the venomous spines.

 

[menace78]

I was more interested in weather my rabit would mess with the tang. My rabit is 6" and I'm sure it wouldn't be much of a problem if the aggresion was from the tang.

and anyone wana chime in about wheather it would be wise in a 110g?
I know they need alot of room and I only have about 150# of rock in the tank and most is heavy baserock. I'd say about 2/3 of the tank is open swimming area.

 

[fatboyt123]

what are the dims?

60x24x18?

I think you would be okay with one in those dims.

 

[menace78]

what are the dims?

60x24x18?

I think you would be okay with one in those dims.

Close. It's a Flat back Hex so the dementions are a bit different. and gallonage dosn't include internal overflow. 60x24x22
total system including huge overflow chamber and sump/fuge is ~155g total volume with a 5' swimming length and ~21" depth from top of highest point of sandbed to water level.

 

[jill]

I had a 4" Rabbit that was the sweetest fish - but he died two months ago. My Purple Tang actually morned because they were such buddys.
I'd ask Lee in the Marine Fish forum about the suitability of a Blue Tang in a tank of your dimensions. He has been really helpful to me.

 

[menace78]

I had a 4" Rabbit that was the sweetest fish - but he died two months ago. My Purple Tang actually morned because they were such buddys.
I'd ask Lee in the Marine Fish forum about the suitability of a Blue Tang in a tank of your dimensions. He has been really helpful to me.

I should have seen that forum >.< ty for the heads up

 

[newly reefer]

i had a rabbit faced foxfish in with a yellow tang, i placed the tang in 8 months later then the fox face and they became instant friends sleeping in the same cave at night and they even picked on my clown trigger together,lol

 

[vinny2261]

I have had several different types of tangs and rabbit or foxface's together. Most of these fish grow to about a foot long and a inch and a half thick. If you are going to mix them in a community tank my suggestions have been to try and add the fish at the same time and be of about the same size. Tangs and rabbit fish are competing for the same food in the reef. If you have a established fish, it will not like the competition. Which will lead to fighting until the "pecking" order is established or death. Also if the tank is not that large buy small fish and be prepared to trade them out as they out grow thier house...

 

[NC2WA]

IMO, a tang needs at least a tank that is 6 feet long. they swim all day and need lots of space to move around. I think the dims of this tank is too small to have a foxface and tang.

 

[MMERITT28]

As I have done nothing but read for the last several months on several forums this seems to be one of the "great debates". There are several resident "experts" on every site and they can not even agree what is right. My thought process on this is that we go into our lfs and they have their show tanks set up and most of them are not 6 feet long yet they have tangs in them for us to watch and want. Some of these are not for sale and are considered to be in their permanent home. I think that if I was going to do this I would start with a juvenile fish with the understanding that as the fish grew and if he/she showed signs of stress that I might have to rehome him/her. Just .02 from the new guy. Have a Happy New Year!

 

[mal1099]

I think your rabbits should be fine with adding a tang to the tank. I really want a magestic rabbit and im waiting till i get my 220 this spring. I currently have a blue tang and i wont hesitate to put them together.

 

[mcoomer]

I have a Foxface in my 125 with a Yellow Tang and Desjardin Sailfin Tang and they get along great. When I added my Powder Blue Tang the Foxface went nuts and chased it like mad for several days. It finally settled down but still they have dust ups from time to time. Never with any of the other tangs, just the Powder Blue.

Mike

 

[balogh03]

IMO, a tang needs at least a tank that is 6 feet long. they swim all day and need lots of space to move around. I think the dims of this tank is too small to have a foxface and tang.

I can't agree with you more....

I think that if I was going to do this I would start with a juvenile fish with the understanding that as the fish grew and if he/she showed signs of stress that I might have to rehome him/her. Just .02 from the new guy. Have a Happy New Year!

Wouldn't you want it out before there are any signs of stress? Plus, how do you know what the right "stress" is or if it isn't already too late....I don't think this is the best idea.

I think I would stick with the rabbit fish as your "show fish" since you already have it and fill the rest of your tank with lots of other smaller fish. Wouldn't you rather see like 10 little fish over 2 large ones? JMO

-augustus

 

[krisfal]

I can't agree with you more....



Wouldn't you want it out before there are any signs of stress? Plus, how do you know what the right "stress" is or if it isn't already too late....I don't think this is the best idea.

I think I would stick with the rabbit fish as your "show fish" since you already have it and fill the rest of your tank with lots of other smaller fish. Wouldn't you rather see like 10 little fish over 2 large ones? JMO

-augustus

I am going to have to agree. In addition, if you are referring to a regal/hippo tang they grow very fast. I got one that was the size of a $0.50 cent piece and it was well over 6" in less than a year. Two large fish in your size tank is going to cause issues with keeping your water quality up, I know because I temporarily housed two 6" fish (naso tang and asfur angel) in a 120g system and even with weekly 30% water changes and an oversized skimmer my nitrates were out of control. Your rabbitfish and the tang you are purposing to buy are both herbivores. Herbivores naturally eat a lot and make a lot of waste because their food is low in nutrition.

IMO you would be regretting the addition in less than 6 months.

 

[bigblue141]

I have a buddy with a 75.

He has a rabbitface, banner angel, hippo tang, yellow tang and a few other fish.

All of his fish get along great and have been in his setup for over 5 years. They are very happy and well fed. His fish may be the exeption to the rule, but as MMERITT28 said, you just really don't know how they will act until they are together. I believe that if you keep your fish full, they will be happy in the end.

 

[JasonD]

My Foxface Rabbit fish and Sailfin Tang are best buds. They are never apart. It is almost comical.

 

[bigblue141]

My Foxface Rabbit fish and Sailfin Tang are best buds. They are never apart. It is almost comical.

Your tank is sick! Have your zoo's every caused you problems with your stonies?

 

[balogh03]

I think that you guys are missing the point... It doesn't matter if they will get along or not, because chances are they will if fed right. I have 6 tangs in my 240 and never have problems. The point is that a fish that is large, or *gets* large shouldn't be in that small of a tank.

-augustus