Mixing tangs in a tank

Carz · Aug 19, 2018

I am thinking of draining my tank due to a ich problem(small one, but Ich) I just need to catch the yellow goby to let the tank go fish free for 8 weeks and it will be rearranged differently when I set it up. After I let this tank sit out the Ich cycle I was thinking of just adding tangs only. I have a purple and blue in QT now and are fine with each other and have no issues. I was thinking of adding a powder blue and a yellow. So it would be 4 tangs total in this big tank when it is ready. I think it will work, but should I get the powder blue and yellow tang now and put them all in the QT tank together so they get to know each other. I do not have dividers in the QT tank now, but I am certain I would need to divide the yellow and powder blue at first. This way I can add them all at one time. any thoughts or call this a dumb Idea. I have always wanted the powder blue and I am getting older, so it may be now or never. I am guessing the biggest fight may be between the purple and the yellow tang.

Reefpuck · Aug 19, 2018

How big is your tank?

My buddy has the same issue you have right now...180g is now vacant due to ich and he has all his fish in a 55g qt. He just added a salifin, powder brown, and large kole tang to the qt with the original occupants...and they get along fine. No dividers or anything...just lots of big pvc pieces for them to swim in/through.

Really can just depend on the individual fish too.

Carz · Aug 19, 2018

Well I got the same set up as him going on. I just want to try that powder blue

Reefpuck · Aug 19, 2018

I'd think you'd be fine. The good thing with finding out if they're compatible in qt...is they're easy to catch and relocate if need be.

Carz · Aug 19, 2018

Well I do have 2 tanks so I can always throw a fish in the other

Antics · Aug 19, 2018

It is great that you're going the route of quarantine and fallowing out your DT. Depending on the size of your quarantine set up you might be able to get away with housing them together to check for compatibility. Keep in mind that the stress of a QT is obviously different than a DT (where there are ample hiding and grazing locations for the less dominant tangs) so I'm not really sure how comparable the environments are for long term cohabitation etc.

Here is an article on the subject which was written by @4FordFamily. It covers some tips and tricks for dealing with different species of Tangs as well as some ideas to help combat aggression and potential remedies for troublesome fish.

Hope it helps.

Carz · Aug 19, 2018

I read that article so many times and it just makes you rethink everything. I like to make a long term goal of going down to one tank with tangs only and all of my corals. I dont even house the fancy ones . I am a sucker for torches, frogspaws and hammers. I think my long term goal will be to house these 4 tangs with my corals in one big tank. That way when hunting season comes around I dont need to worry about the other tank. Just one big tang/coral tank. I am only 48 and retirement within 7-9 years I want less work with my hobbies and I have a lot of them.

Antics · Aug 19, 2018

Carz said:
I read that article so many times and it just makes you rethink everything.

I feel you, but thats kind of the point of the article. Its just the success of one individual and his experience with dozens of tangs. The article author even points out how success isn't guaranteed regardless of what you do, it ultimately comes down to your specific fish and what their temperaments are. Having said that, I was able to successfully mix multiple tangs and my success has always been to introduce multiple fish at once and to use an acclimation box for a few days prior.