Experience Clown Tang keepers chime in

[Michael White]

Experienced Clown tang keepers only please! I have always thought the Clown Tang is the most beautiful fish. I have heard so many 2nd and 3rd hand stories of peoples experiences with them not going well. Very little advice from people first hand. For that reason I did not stock my tank with one. If you have first hand experience please chime in, especially if you have found a route to success. I currently have 6 tangs in a 210 gal display, There is a Kole, Purple, Orange Shoulder, Convict, and Kenyan Regal Blue Tang, and blonde Naso. There is a 100 gal basement sump and intense filtration. I keep the tank with plenty of open rockwork and swimming spaces and Intense flow. I feed a lot of food and they all get along fine. I know these fish grow to be large, and I will be upgrading my tank to a 400-500 gal in 5 yrs. Can this work? If not, my alternatives would be a Desjardini Tang or Regal Angel. Please advise. Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

Fir me - a terror and aggressive feeder that attempts to leave food for no one without bullying them
Beautiful fish they are

 

[Largeangels]

Here is what I wrote in a post about clown tang experience a little while back.

Success in terms of living, eating, growing and getting fat. Yes. Success in not getting a total jerk. No.

Last one 6-7 years back was so nasty it started chasing and biting the tails off of my fairy wrasses. Back to LFS it went.

I decided to try again and add one with my emperors so I ordered a 3-4" from my LFS. He's ok with most of the fish but hates the caribbean blue tang and is pretty nasty to the convict tang. He's about to be netted during a night time raid if it doesn't settle down.

 

[Haydn]

I kept one a few years ago housed in a 7'x2'x2' FO system stocked with large angelfish. As a small fish it was fine and got along well but as it grew it became more and more aggressive with the other fish in the tank. It even attacked me when I was cleaning the glass I still have the scar on my wrist! It went back to the shop.

 

[socalfishy]

i had one in a 180 reef, once it became the leader it would do laps right top center out front and NOBODY else was allowed to swim with it. 3 inches grew to around 5 rather quickly. I could not add any other fish to the tank, it lived with a maroon pair that anchored behind the rocks. I had to tear the tank down and just gave it away. to friends, it became a terror in the next tank too. I keep mainly trigger fish in a aggressive fowlr and i wouldnt put a clown tang in there with them, dramatic animal. You have several good tangs in that system imo i wouldnt toss a clown in there its a lunatic, if you do try it with an acclimation box and see first hand how it reacts. Mine would try to flash kick me when i put my hands in the water.

 

[Sean Clark]

I kept one and it was very peaceful until it reached about 6 inches. Then it would bully all of the other tangs that were in the tank. Sailfin, hippo, Caribbean blue, and yellow. It never chased after any other fish in the tank though, just tangs. I eventually rehomed it, but I agree with you that it is one of if not the most beautiful fish.

 

[Sean Clark]

I kept one and it was very peaceful until it reached about 6 inches. Then it would bully all of the other tangs that were in the tank. Sailfin, hippo, Caribbean blue, and yellow. It never chased after any other fish in the tank though, just tangs. I eventually rehomed it, but I agree with you that it is one of if not the most beautiful fish.

Here it is cruising around the tank. Notice that no other fish are around it...

 

[Falreef]

Anyone keeping a clown tang and a Desjardinis sailfin together?

 

[Falreef]

How about -powder blue, desjardinis salifin and a clown?

 

[Michael White]

Fir me - a terror and aggressive feeder that attempts to leave food for no one without bullying them
Beautiful fish they are

Thanks for the info. Better safe than sorry for me.

 

[Michael White]

Here it is cruising around the tank. Notice that no other fish are around it...

Thanks for the image, helps me make my decision.

 

[Michael White]

Here is what I wrote in a post about clown tang experience a little while back.

Success in terms of living, eating, growing and getting fat. Yes. Success in not getting a total jerk. No.

Last one 6-7 years back was so nasty it started chasing and biting the tails off of my fairy wrasses. Back to LFS it went.

I decided to try again and add one with my emperors so I ordered a 3-4" from my LFS. He's ok with most of the fish but hates the caribbean blue tang and is pretty nasty to the convict tang. He's about to be netted during a night time raid if it doesn't settle down.

Yeah, this all adds up to a no for me. I love my other tangs too much to risk it.

 

[Michael White]

I kept one a few years ago housed in a 7'x2'x2' FO system stocked with large angelfish. As a small fish it was fine and got along well but as it grew it became more and more aggressive with the other fish in the tank. It even attacked me when I was cleaning the glass I still have the scar on my wrist! It went back to the shop.

Wow, that is aggressive!

 

[Michael White]

Thanks everyone for the first hand knowledge responses. Going to skip the Clown tang and re-evaluate. Maybe an emperor Angel or Desjardini Tang instead.

 

[WVNed]

Mine has been a model citizen in my 240 gallon. I got it from Petco when it was tiny.

 

[Falreef]

Just like in African cichlids you can often look at body shape and head shape and know the aggressive potential.

 

[Michael White]

Mine has been a model citizen in my 240 gallon. I got it from Petco when it was tiny.

A little jealous of your success, that’s a beautiful collection of fish!

 

[WVNed]

A little jealous of your success, that’s a beautiful collection of fish!

They have their snitty moments. It's usually the koran angel and the orange stripe tang though. Pretty sure the orange stripe killed my tomini. If a fish gets aggressive the clown tang usually starts herding him away.
I have heard the horror stories and am doing the one day at a time thing. He is one of my favorites though.

 

[Goaway]

They have their snitty moments. It's usually the koran angel and the orange stripe tang though. Pretty sure the orange stripe killed my tomini. If a fish gets aggressive the clown tang usually starts herding him away.
I have heard the horror stories and am doing the one day at a time thing. He is one of my favorites though.

I am sure your clown is set in his ways. It's those juvenile phases we either live through or bail out of.
Each fish can be so different from each other. Pick 100 of the same species and find out they all like different foods and have different mood swings.

 

[BoneDoc]

Amy other stories? Since I’ve seen it at Reef Central, I’ve always wanted one.