Best Tangs For Reef Tank

[Sleeperr34]

As far as keeping your tank clean. I have an orange shoulder. A mimic ( black and gray ) and a powder brown. And they keep my rocks almost spotless. And that is in a 210g And they could care less about anything else i put in the tank. Only time i saw anything bad was when i put my mimic in my powder brown kinda strutted his stuff around him for a couple days. But after the 3rd they are all good.

Started to have a bad break out of algae in my tank a few months back. Lost all my rock cleaners to an unforeseen problem. So decided to try the orange shoulder first. Put him in and a week later not much left. And he was very very very fat. Then the powder brown knew they could be a trick to keep but i trust my fish guy with my life. Never done me wrong. And he said it was a good buy. Had some white spots pop up and was around for a few weeks. But man this guy loved to eat. And them for about 6 months. Not a single back algae spot since. Mimic i put in a little over a week ago. And he is doing amazing. And grazing all day


Do what will make you happy.

 

[760mason]

Most people have 100 gallons or less. With the addition of live rock and coral most tangs will not do well. Some can keep them most cant. As far long term I have never had any luck. I have a clownfish going on 15 years. My Tangs in various sized tanks have never lasted more than a few years. In fact they are the only fish I have lost to ICH. I know most of you disagree with me on the subject. But unless you have a large tank stay away from Tangs. Powder Blues are notorious for ICH. Tangs move all day long the stress of being confined stunts their growth and contributes to them being susceptible to ICH and other parasites and diseases. Kole tangs and chevrons are the only ones I have had luck with. If you scuba and have seen a Yellow tang the size of a dinner plate you might understand where I am coming from. just my 2 cents. The Kole tang gets my vote.

 

[Eienna]

I love the rich burgundy on the whitetail bristletooth.

 

[joelpeavy]

I love clown tangs and powder blues. Never had any luck with clowns though

I feel your pain on Clown Tangs. I love them as they are my favorite, but it really depends on how they come from the WS as to whether they survive. I've had them do fine in a 75 and drop like flies in a 180. Last one I bought I waited 1 year to get the tank setup right, got a good looking specimen from the Diver's Den and he did wonderful until an unfortunate power outage while I was on vacation. The best thing I have found to start those guys with is live Red Ogo from Hawaii believe it or not. Place them in the sump with a ball of it banded to a rock upon arrival and they will do ok most times in my experience. If you can't get them to eat that, then it's an unfortunate sign of things to come.

The other thing that educated me is looking deep into the fish's capture. Some fish do well with net captures and even drug capture but the Lineatus is not one that deals with stress at all. Too often the cheaper places will take whatever they can get, and that usually means drug capture which is a pure death sentence with these guys.

About to re-establish my reef so if anyone has any tips or updates on these guys, please share! That's my centerpiece wet pet no doubt.

 

[Sleeperr34]

The clown tang i used to have did great right off the batt. Ate the vegi clip. And went crazy for mysis. I got rid of him because he was a jerk to any new fish i got in my 210. Would chase them in the corner and every time they tried to move out he would see and dart right after them again. So bye bye clown tang. Lol


Do what will make you happy.

 

[Glitchfish]

I would have to go with the clown tang or the chocolate tang :3! Or the orangeshould or sohal tang xD gah i love them all, truly miss the saltwater hobby xD

 

[Sleeperr34]

Should get back in it. The saltwater misses you as well. Lol


Do what will make you happy.

 

[deedeesdaddy]

Come on,....... no one likes the hippo? U gotta be kidding....so beautiful, is happy as can be just hangin with my clown... keeps the tank spotless with no interest in corals. He young yet but I've had them in the past and to me, my tank is not complete with out one...not expensive. ..so bright if we'll cared for.. just a great fish...mine have always liked flakes and live food , macro and micro algae(doesnt matter what kind) and never touched algae sheets.... In my opinion easy to pack full of nutrients and vitamins. U can find them in any size u need pretty much all the time. The last one I had for 4 years. Bought him pretty tiny and he grew into a full blown fish alright. ... When I lost him to going on vacation and leaving the tank with an unexperienced fella...I never knew I would be so sad after losing a fish. But I get to do it again...yay...love the hippo tang....The longer u have them the cooler they look..... regal tang is a pretty good fitting name for such a gorgeous elegant fish....great fish!

 

[ryanlotz5]

Love the hippos would never buy one again ! Mine brought ich in after three weeks of good quarantine and she hides every time I look at my tank lol but I had to have my " dory"


Sleep eat reef repeat !!!

 

[Reefing Madness]

Whats this???!! No Unicorn Tang or Vlamingii for a choice.
I vote Unicorn Tang.

 

[Kworker]

Whats this???!! No Unicorn Tang or Vlamingii for a choice.
I vote Unicorn Tang.

I would disagree and say they are not on the list because its what most people can actually have not a select few of us. But than there are Achilles tangs and Gem's on the list.. So that argument of mine is invalid, haha.


Vlamingii are very cool fish, unfortunately they get so big.

Which just makes it be that the best Tang is relative to many factors..
The two you listed would be best if you are talking about a no limit large system.
Where I think a bristletooth is best for the smaller-large (oxymoron) tank.
But this is obvious stuff..

So that being said.. If i were doing a 12 foot tank, I would probably have the same tangs as you plus my Achilles and Tomini

Makes me sad to think a LFS near me has a baby Vlamingii in a Biocube..

 

[Sleeperr34]

Yea a store close to me has an 8+in long one in a small little display tank. I dont feel a 210 is a big enough home for him. But if he is still there sunday. Ill prob get him. At 210 is way better then a 20g....


Do what will make you happy.

 

[spspirate]

If space and high oxygen provided acanthurus lineatus (clown tang) would be the one for me. What a beauty!

 

[Eienna]

If space and high oxygen provided acanthurus lineatus (clown tang) would be the one for me. What a beauty!

They're beautiful, all right, but they're meanies!

 

[spspirate]

Haha.....they can be yes mine never was a nipper but he did love to chase.

 

[Towner]

Vlamingi is in the pic but not a choice. The Vlamingi and the Achiles get huge so if you don't have 400 gallons or more you better stay away! The other tang getting high votes is the Purple tang. Really? He is one meany!! better not plan on having any other tangs in your tank! for me the bristle tooth do a job, are very helpful in keeping hair algae under control, and usually not to aggressive! I have a Yellow eye Kole (the boss of the tank) and a sailfin tang. 90 Gallons

 

[saltyhog]

Achilles get huge? I thought they maxed out at 8-9"?

 

[jen2828]

My Achilles is up to over 7" in the three years I've had him (3" or so when I got him)

 

[FishAndAquatics]

Sailfin tang and Copperband butterfly?

:squigglemouth:I prefer the sailfin tang. The are peaceful and hardy and make a great addition to any reef tank. But for some reason I just added a Copperband butterfly to my reef tank and the sailfin is picking at it and chasing it.. Anyone know why?

 

[Eienna]

:squigglemouth:I prefer the sailfin tang. The are peaceful and hardy and make a great addition to any reef tank. But for some reason I just added a Copperband butterfly to my reef tank and the sailfin is picking at it and chasing it.. Anyone know why?

If I had to guess, I'd say he was probably mistaking it for another tang.
Did you QT this butterfly and get it eating good before you put it in? Weak fish may be picked on.