Are tangs worth it?

[jakebarrierreef]

Hey Everyone, I'm planning on starting up a new reef tank sometime this year. I've had two nano tanks over the past decade and have always envied larger tanks for the variety of marine life they could sustain. I'm trying to figure out what size tank will be right for me.

Tangs have always been interesting to watch in the LFS tanks. I love their swimming habits and body form. Their help with algae control would be great, though disease can be a concern.

Having never owned a tang, what might I be overlooking in 'cons' to building a habitat to accommodate at least one? What surprises might I have going from a 10 gallon nano to something 100 gallons plus?

 

[littlefoxx]

I love my tang gang. Just have to pick the right ones and ones that can go together if you want more than one. Usually recommended to have at least a 6 foot tank to give them room to cruise! Cons would be you cant just feed pellets, they need good quality foods, a supply of nori is always helpful and look at aggression levels. Made that mistake with a powder blue, read all about it and was like nah it will be fine. Was 100% not fine, she killed one fish and almost a second before re homing her. What tangs and set up were you looking into??

 

[littlefoxx]

@vetteguy53081 has lots of tangs, he is also a very good source when asking about specific kinds and has wayyy more experience with them than me. Learn a lot from him!

 

[Klem]

Tangs are awesome, and a 6' 100 gallon tank is perfect! A good Tang group would be a Yellow Tang, Sailfin Tang, Purple Tang and maybe even a Hippo Tang. Of course you can get a few more with a 100 gallon, but the trick is adding them all at once. It gets really tricky/risky adding Tangs once they claim the tank. Powder Blue, Achilles, Clown and Sohal are super aggressive. Best of luck - Happy Reefing

 

[jakebarrierreef]

Thanks for the quick reply, @littlefoxx! I've always loved the looks of powder blue, purple, yellow, sohal, and hippo tangs. I know I won't be able to get a tank nearly big enough to support most of those.

If I could support a yellow and perhaps tomini or kole tang, I think that would scratch the itch (hopefully not ich /s)

I've been looking at the Waterbox peninsula tanks (4820) or similar sized 48" + custom tank from Glasscages.

 

[DIYreefer]

Thanks for the quick reply, @littlefoxx! I've always loved the looks of powder blue, purple, yellow, sohal, and hippo tangs. I know I won't be able to get a tank nearly big enough to support most of those.

If I could support a yellow and perhaps tomini or kole tang, I think that would scratch the itch (hopefully not ich /s)

I've been looking at the Waterbox peninsula tanks (4820) or similar sized 48" + custom tank from Glasscages.

I keep 5 tangs in my 6' 125g tank. My list includes a yellow, tomini, scopas, naso, and a pb. The pb was really aggressive when I first got it but has calmed down substantially since. Fortunately, it really only went at my naso. Which is MUCH larger so the pb didn't do any damage.

Tangs in general are probably my favorite fish. I highly recommend a few if you're up to providing a good home for them.

 

[Reefering1]

They really appreciate tank length and ample rockwork. If you can see everywhere in the tank, it's not sufficient for multiples. When insecure of food and/or habitat space, they get aggressive- which leads to stress that opens the door for illness. That said, I wouldn't have a tank without them. Lots of personality. They seem as interested in me as I them. I find it very rewarding to take a wild fish that hid from me soon as I walk in the room for the 1st couple months; to earning its trust enough that they eat from my hands and let me pet them... currently, I think they are learning to knock the nori clip against the glass to get my attention. And they all definitely recognize me from other people, not all fish act like they care or even notice their keeper. Like the difference between a dog and a pet turtle, or snake

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey Everyone, I'm planning on starting up a new reef tank sometime this year. I've had two nano tanks over the past decade and have always envied larger tanks for the variety of marine life they could sustain. I'm trying to figure out what size tank will be right for me.

Tangs have always been interesting to watch in the LFS tanks. I love their swimming habits and body form. Their help with algae control would be great, though disease can be a concern.

Having never owned a tang, what might I be overlooking in 'cons' to building a habitat to accommodate at least one? What surprises might I have going from a 10 gallon nano to something 100 gallons plus?

For tangs, 150g minimum, preferably a 300 gallon. For habitat, lots of caves and passages and do not plan on plants and macroalgae which will be salad

 

[Reefering1]

Make sure nutrient export is capable of processing significant increases of waste. My desjardini and naso drop logs, besides being messy eaters. I dose vodka(among other techniques) for no export limit capacity

 

[i cant think]

Hey Everyone, I'm planning on starting up a new reef tank sometime this year. I've had two nano tanks over the past decade and have always envied larger tanks for the variety of marine life they could sustain. I'm trying to figure out what size tank will be right for me.

Tangs have always been interesting to watch in the LFS tanks. I love their swimming habits and body form. Their help with algae control would be great, though disease can be a concern.

Having never owned a tang, what might I be overlooking in 'cons' to building a habitat to accommodate at least one? What surprises might I have going from a 10 gallon nano to something 100 gallons plus?

I find they can become boring after a time. There’s species I would love to own (I.e. Achilles) but most of them don’t do it for me.
They tend to become aggressive and take over a tank, then demand a ton of food to not cause war. Also, some species are starting to become somewhat known for pecking at coral every so often or ‘playing’ with it. This is where I much prefer my angels and rabbits.

Also, the more large fish you get the fewer small fish you can have. The small fish is where you get almost all the personality. I say almost as my rabbits are adorable to watch. Same with the angels. Whereas if you go for fewer large fish and more small fish, you keep the dimensions of the tank in range and you can have more fish.

In a 4’x2’ tank I have 19 fish, 5 are somewhat larger species but the rest are all small and stay around 2-4”. The ‘larger’ species in my tank get to around 6-8”.
Here’s an FTS from the front and side.

As you can see, I’m a wrasse dominant tank, I don’t have any highly active fish - they’re all mostly calm swimmers. I also have a wrasse dominant system, this allows for colour and pest control.

 

[Mechano]

Tangs are the best. Love the behaviour. Although be careful with what species you put in a 100g system.
My choices in that size would be a smaller bristletooth species (tomini or two-spot or kole), zebrasoma species like a yellow, gem, or purple.
I would avoid hippos, PBTs, and any that get large personally for the 100g. They do get bossy with every tank inhabitant and need lots of rockwork and caves and most importantly food!

 

[piranhaman00]

Tangs are awesome, and a 6' 100 gallon tank is perfect! A good Tang group would be a Yellow Tang, Sailfin Tang, Purple Tang and maybe even a Hippo Tang. Of course you can get a few more with a 100 gallon, but the trick is adding them all at once. It gets really tricky/risky adding Tangs once they claim the tank. Powder Blue, Achilles, Clown and Sohal are super aggressive. Best of luck - Happy Reefing

This is terrible advice.

some tangs need the standard 180g min, 6x2x2 but most need 6x4 or 8x3

 

[jakebarrierreef]

I find they can become boring after a time. There’s species I would love to own (I.e. Achilles) but most of them don’t do it for me.
They tend to become aggressive and take over a tank, then demand a ton of food to not cause war. Also, some species are starting to become somewhat known for pecking at coral every so often or ‘playing’ with it. This is where I much prefer my angels and rabbits.

Also, the more large fish you get the fewer small fish you can have. The small fish is where you get almost all the personality. I say almost as my rabbits are adorable to watch. Same with the angels. Whereas if you go for fewer large fish and more small fish, you keep the dimensions of the tank in range and you can have more fish.

In a 4’x2’ tank I have 19 fish, 5 are somewhat larger species but the rest are all small and stay around 2-4”. The ‘larger’ species in my tank get to around 6-8”.
Here’s an FTS from the front and side.

As you can see, I’m a wrasse dominant tank, I don’t have any highly active fish - they’re all mostly calm swimmers. I also have a wrasse dominant system, this allows for colour and pest control.

This is good contrasting advice. I would say that overall I’d like a colorful, interesting mix of fish instead of saying I have to have a tang.

Dwarf angels, though not guaranteed reef safe, are also beautiful with active swimming behavior that could be an alternative for me. Wrasses may be a good move for me as well.


In the tang front, I’m gathering I’d want to stick with 100 gallon or larger and need to weigh the challenge and cost of that size of system.

 

[i cant think]

This is good contrasting advice. I would say that overall I’d like a colorful, interesting mix of fish instead of saying I have to have a tang.

Dwarf angels, though not guaranteed reef safe, are also beautiful with active swimming behavior that could be an alternative for me. Wrasses may be a good move for me as well.


In the tang front, I’m gathering I’d want to stick with 100 gallon or larger and need to weigh the challenge and cost of that size of system.

I tend to lean away from the tang idea - other than the mentioned species I do want at some point.

Wrasses are if I’m honest, the one family almost everyone will own at one point. Tangs are heavily split in 2 where some love them others dislike them. Rabbits are a great alternative to tangs, my two do a better job than any tang I’ve cared for has.

I agree with the angels! If you didn’t spot them, I have 3 in my system

 

[TinnysReef]

I like the little Tang species, but agree with trying to get them all at once. I have a convict, scopas, tomini, and blue hippo in a 125g. I rescued the blue hippo from another tank in town - it was nearly dead when I got it. Poor thing was being bullied by a much larger blue hippo. After 3 days of lying on the bottom it now is the boss of the tank, but I think because it arrived in rough shape it isn't a bully.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I think they're great. I was a tang hater until I got one. Is it a bit of a bully? Occasionally, but the way it swims and scavenges is just so majestic and unique.

 

[jvbear]

I my tangs!

 

[Fish Styx]

Please ignore the suggestion to add a sailfin and hippo to that tank. Both need at least 8' to thrive.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

They ran out of clownfish for the evo 13.5 so they sent me a juvenile vlamingi. So excited. Jkn. Ofc. And no not the tang police. For me it’s an iconic fish for a reef. Beautiful bristle tooth out there. Also the zebras Enjoy them. I do

 

[littlefoxx]

I tend to lean away from the tang idea - other than the mentioned species I do want at some point.

Wrasses are if I’m honest, the one family almost everyone will own at one point. Tangs are heavily split in 2 where some love them others dislike them. Rabbits are a great alternative to tangs, my two do a better job than any tang I’ve cared for has.

I agree with the angels! If you didn’t spot them, I have 3 in my system

Lol my fox wont clean my rocks, he only will eat the heck out of the nori. Spoiled boy lol. My tangs pick more at the rocks but also love the nori. My foxface is a big baby, he is the biggest fish in the tank but is a big coward!