Tangs

[Nyles]

You should be ok, its best to introduce at same time, but I have had good luck adding yellow tang first, blue tang second, and a naso last. They all get along and school together. Its on of those things that I think just depends on the nature of the fish and how he is to others. It could be good or bad. Good Luck.

Also if you go with a clown tang, add him as your very last fish. They are a pain, I recommend staying away from them.

 

[balogh03]

how big is your tank nyles? and also, how big is ronj tank? i know, i am nosie, but i like to see what everyone has.

 

[shallowreef]

Wow that one tank with three blue tangs is really cool! I wonder how they get along so well? I would love to have a bunch of tangs in my tank. I think i am going to have to research some more tangs.

 

[ronj]

how big is ronj tank?

i have several....10,20,30,72,and a 125g in progress!!

would love to have a bunch of tangs in my tank. I think i am going to have to research some more tangs.

i would love to have a tank with a couple hippo's, powder blue's,powder browns, and a naso or two....that would have to be a huge tank, so it will probably never happen!!!

 

[Nyles]

how big is your tank nyles? and also, how big is ronj tank? i know, i am nosie, but i like to see what everyone has.

155 gallon 6' long bowfront. They do great, the naso is the gutsy one, he will try food first then the others will join in, he is also the newest fish (about 3 months in tank) all 3 are medium size now. The rocks are setup for them to have lots of caves to swim in and out of. They all seem to like it lots. There was a cooperband butterfly with them but he was nipping on clams, so he had to go.

 

[ronj]

nyles, do you ever see any fighting betwwen your tangs????

 

[Nyles]

If I was to point out the aggressive tang it would be the yellow, he was aggressive to the butterfly the first couple days, but he was same color (basically). To answer... no there is no aggression in the tank now without the butterfly.

If you want a tang my only advice (to keep it simple) is have 6 feet long swiming space for burst swimming, lots of liverock for hiding to keep aggression down, and if you have a blue tang make sure you have at least one cleaner shrimp.

I have aprox 250 pounds of liverock in the main tank its full to the top in some places (literally) The tangs gett 90% of there food from feeding on all the different algaes that grow from the LR. I still feed daily of course.

However from your sig, you probably knew all that... (I just read it, LOL)

 

[shallowreef]

Good advice Nyles.

 

[balogh03]

well that means that i should be able to put way more tangs than i thought!!! i have a 240 (8x2x2), and thought i might only be able to have two or so. man, i have to do some research and put in some tangs....i love them.

 

[shallowreef]

I have 2 right now and would love to have 4-5 total in there.

 

[ronj]

if you have a blue tang make sure you have at least one cleaner shrimp.

cleaner shrimp really don't solve the problem. .i qt everything..i don't want to introduce parasites in the first place..

However from your sig, you probably knew all that... (I just read it, LOL)

i try to keep up on my homework with tangs especially!!!

well that means that i should be able to put way more tangs than i thought!!! i have a 240 (8x2x2), and thought i might only be able to have two or so. man, i have to do some research and put in some tangs....i love them

....one of the lfs's here has a couple 240g tanks..he keeps a school of purple and yellow tangs in one of them!!! i would not advise you to try that, but i have seen it done..i have never noticed aggression when i was in there, but that doesn't mean that it never happens when i'm not there!!

 

[ronj]

cleaner shrimp really don't solve the problem. .i qt everything..i don't want to introduce parasites in the first place..
i try to keep up on my homework with tangs especially!!!

....one of the lfs's here has a couple 240g tanks..he keeps a school of purple and yellow tangs in one of them!!!! i would not advise you to try that, but i have seen it done..i have never noticed aggression when i was in there, but that doesn't mean that it never happens when i'm not there!!!!!!!!

i would love to try it, but it would be risky!

 

[Nyles]

cleaner shrimp really don't solve the problem. .i qt everything..i don't want to introduce parasites in the first place..
i try to keep up on my homework with tangs especially!!! !

I QT, but you will find with Blues they just develope ick now and then, When I didn't have a refractometer, I used a hydrometer, it said my water was at 1.025 sal (I keep mosly SPS) but it was at 1.030. I found that with the higher salinity he developed Ick (or a variation) much more often (about once every 2 weeks for a day or two) Now with the refractometer holding me at 1.025 he has only had ick once in the last 8 months and it was for 1 day. If your doing fish only then of course you could drop the salinity to about 1.021-1.023 or whatever you preffer. but out of all my fish the blue is the only one EVER to get ick. I should also list what my tangs share the tank with:

Mandrin
Pearly Jawfish
Lawnmower Blenny
6-line wrasse
False Perc
assorted shrimp (peppermints, cleaners, sexy shrimp)
tangs (naso, blue, and yellow)
Hawkfish

 

[Nyles]

ALso, just a small note on Ick. If they start to develope it (for those that don't know) they will thrash about on the rocks, prior to other symptoms. tying to itch the area that is bothering them. Its a very obvious sign, and very common in newly delivered fish at your LFS.

 

[ronj]

but out of all my fish the blue is the only one EVER to get ick.

that is because the blue is a very sensitive fish...ich is in your tank...if you don't treat for it, then it will remain in there...i wouldn't take the chance of letting it go with a blue tang..i would treat it...all my blue tangs have been treated properly with hyposalinity..i don't ever have to worry about it being in my system, unless i forget to qt something, which will never happen!!!

 

[Meche]

I should ass what my tang share the tank with:

O RLY! :lol:

 

[ronj]

do we even want to know what that means?????LOL

 

[Nyles]

Geez thats the second time I had to edit that word out of this topic.

I am typing dyslexic BTW.... my super fast 2 finger typing skills

 

[Meche]

how long does it take 2 little baby (1") blue tangs to grow to hate each other in a 55gal?

 

[Nyles]

how long does it take 2 little baby (1") blue tangs to grow to hate each other in a 55gal?

I wouldn't put a tang in a 55, only because as it grows it will become very unhappy and how do you know you will have the funds for the fish to get a new home later?

As far as growth its really up to the conditions of the environment and the feeding. I have seen Tiny (1/2") blue tangs get 5" in a matter of 7-8 months with the right conditions. Mine has grown from 3 1/2" to about 5 1/2" in 4 months