purple tang?

[melypr1985]

Hello again! You guys were so helpful in helping me come to terms with not getting an Achilles tang (yet ). I thought I would pick your brains about the purple tang? I've been doing some reading but really wanted some experience from those who keep them.

For those who don't know: I have a 75 gallon mixed reef. 100+ gallons total water volume with an oversized skimmer, refuge and a lot of flow in the DT.

I'm really really wanting a tang to add to the mix. So I'm looking (rather greedily) at a yellow eye kole tang and a purple tang. I'd love both obviously! From what I understand the Kole tang should do fine in my tank. The purple tang would need to be added last and as a juvenile. I'm thinking that I may be able to keep him in there for a couple years before I need to upgrade or sell him.

What are yall's thoughts on keeping the two together? Will I be torturing either of these fish by keeping them in my 75 or by keeping them together? Give me the hard and dirty here guys. I can take it lol.

 

[4FordFamily]

Purple can be nasty, kole are generally mild as far as tangs go.

That said in my experience purple tangs are slow growers, relative to desjardini sailfin and sailfin. Yellow tangs slower yet ime.

Juveniles grow quickly for all tangs. 1-2" per year is not uncommon. They tend to slow down thereafter. This is likely because In the wild the faster you grow, the harder you are to eat and the better you can defend your food source.

If I were picking tangs to mix, it wouldn't be this pair. It could work out, if the purple added last. In fact you have a pretty good chance then.

 

[melypr1985]

Well, I'm open to other options that will fair well in my tank. But without the Achilles, the purple is definitely a must as long as he will be happy for a couple years in my current tank. My husband would kill me if I tried to upgrade again in another year lol. You know how the non-fishy people are....they just don't get it.

So a Purple tang and something else? I really like the Kole for some reason, but I don't have my heart set on it. I was also thinking a chevron tang, but I wouldn't get a really small one. I would pay less for the bigger, less vibrant one since they all lose the color as they grow anyway. What other options would pair well with the Purple and also fit in a 75?

PS. the purple would definitely be last in!

 

[4FordFamily]

Well, I'm open to other options that will fair well in my tank. But without the Achilles, the purple is definitely a must as long as he will be happy for a couple years in my current tank. My husband would kill me if I tried to upgrade again in another year lol. You know how the non-fishy people are....they just don't get it.

So a Purple tang and something else? I really like the Kole for some reason, but I don't have my heart set on it. I was also thinking a chevron tang, but I wouldn't get a really small one. I would pay less for the bigger, less vibrant one since they all lose the color as they grow anyway. What other options would pair well with the Purple and also fit in a 75?

PS. the purple would definitely be last in!

Chevron are similar in temperament. You may be able to do it, just get a larger chevron or kole than the purple and add them at same time or purple last.

 

[melypr1985]

Gotcha! Thanks!

 

[Cleo642]

Tomini tang for 75 gallons, only grow up to 6" asks is mild mannered, I believe, like the Kole yellow eyed tang.

 

[melypr1985]

live aquaria says they are aggressive with other tangs but not with other fish. I really want the Purple tang as well so that could be an issue. I'll do more research on that one. It's pretty too.

 

[Cleo642]

live aquaria says they are aggressive with other tangs but not with other fish. I really want the Purple tang as well so that could be an issue. I'll do more research on that one. It's pretty too.

They say that with all tangs, but you always see people with multiple tangs. I think the key is that they be the last fish added and they be added at the same time. You can check with @3FordFamily, he has lots tangs and tang experience.

 

[melypr1985]

We've been talking. Hes a wealth of knowledge!

 

[Cleo642]

We've been talking. Hes a wealth of knowledge!

He is, and I believe it's all about when you add them. Also, some teams jay don't like other with a similar body shape, like a yellow tang and purple tang. But a purple tang and a Tomini or Kole Tang might be ok because of dissimilar body shapes.

 

[ilovereefing <3]

In my tank, I have a sailfin tang, purple tang, yellow tang, and a blue hippo, two yellowtail damsels, a midas blenny, a percula clown, and a potter's wrasse. The purple tang was my last addition, and it came with a ton of stress! When I first tried to introduce the purple, my yellow tang went BANANAS and fought with the purple for over an hour. I ended up taking the purple tang out and putting him in my fuge. My purple tang is a pretty chill dude, so all this fighting wasn't good for my prize fish. Then, I got one of those plastic terrariums with a lid, drilled a bunch of holes in it, and used it as an acclimation box of sorts. I put the purple in, and the yellow was constantly trying to fight him. After about two weeks, the purple managed to escape through the little hatch in the top that was not closed well. Overnight, the purple and yellow must have been fighting, because I woke up to some pretty beaten up fish. HOWEVER, the pecking order was established and they now live in perfect harmony together. From what I have read though, this is not the norm. It's not impossible to have a couple of the zebrasoma species together, if you have a large enough tank. Just be prepared that it might not work out!

 

[Stephanie11]

I might be an exception to the "rule" I had a 90. I added in order. Yellow, tomini, purple, blue all in the 90 all in a year span. Then I went to a 125 they are all still buddies and I've been thinking of adding a blonde naso and putting the tomini into the frag tank.

I've noticed the yellow is the dominate I've had 3 total. All have been similar in behavior.

Get a purple! Such a beautiful fish up close. Social acclimation box of some sort should be used. After a week of fighting the yellow and purple came to terms. The yellow was the aggressor and the purple just wanted to hide.

 

[4FordFamily]

He is, and I believe it's all about when you add them. Also, some teams jay don't like other with a similar body shape, like a yellow tang and purple tang. But a purple tang and a Tomini or Kole Tang might be ok because of dissimilar body shapes.

This is true.

Most rules with tangs are easily broken if done in threes. I've always kept yellow sailfin and purple tangs in groups. Never had issues. Added at the same time, it's successful usually. Two can backfire but is still possible. Much riskier.

Two tangs is probably the max one should have in a 75 (although I've had 3-4 in a 75 without issue but I upgraded as they grew). That poses a problem because aggression cannot be spread out. I have 9 tangs in one tank and they do quite well. I break nearly every rule in the book. I have a tiny chevron with a sohal 3-4x his size. No aggression problems. Powder brown with Achilles and two powder blues - jury is still out on the two powder blues coexisting though. But mixing acanthurus tangs is considered a Nono.

Honestly, I find it no problem USUALLY. When you DO find a mean acanthurus tang, particularly powder blue or Achilles, they will hold grudges FOREVER. It doesn't dissipate. Purples, and most other tangs will get over their vendetta. Powder blues especially never forget, they hold grudges like nothing else. Some Achilles too although they're generally far more mild mannered than your average PBT.

The key is break rules in threes or more. Always have a plan B if it doesn't work out though.

 

[4FordFamily]

That said I would avoid tangs that grow very large very quick. Sohal, clown, sailfins, most acanthurus tangs (the smaller ones too because of their difficulty and the immediate need for stringent quarantine procedures), naso, etc.

A 75 would not be suitable for any of those inhabitants, IMO. They will outgrow it very very fast. Hippos grow fast too, but sometimes they will be OK for a couple years.

 

[Cleo642]

That said I would avoid tangs that grow very large very quick. Sohal, clown, sailfins, most acanthurus tangs (the smaller ones too because of their difficulty and the immediate need for stringent quarantine procedures), naso, etc.

A 75 would not be suitable for any of those inhabitants, IMO. They will outgrow it very very fast. Hippos grow fast too, but sometimes they will be OK for a couple years.

Aren't clown and Achilles tangs the hardest to care for? Don't both require expert care level? For someone just starting they shouldn't be an option.

 

[Cleo642]

He is, and I believe it's all about when you add them. Also, some teams jay don't like other with a similar body shape, like a yellow tang and purple tang. But a purple tang and a Tomini or Kole Tang might be ok because of dissimilar body shapes.

*sometimes they don't like other tangs
Typo

 

[melypr1985]

Aren't clown and Achilles tangs the hardest to care for? Don't both require expert care level? For someone just starting they shouldn't be an option.

Achilles are very difficult. I'm not new to this hobby (6 years ish in), but would be new to tangs for the most part. For me, that is my ultimate prize fish to get up to... later.

For now, I think I have a winning combo. Now to have my friend locate healthy specimens for me! No easy task, let me tell you. Apparently purple tangs don't come around very often. Odd enough, they do have Achilles tangs available! lol Oh well.

 

[Cleo642]

Achilles are very difficult. I'm not new to this hobby (6 years ish in), but would be new to tangs for the most part. For me, that is my ultimate prize fish to get up to... later.

For now, I think I have a winning combo. Now to have my friend locate healthy specimens for me! No easy task, let me tell you. Apparently purple tangs don't come around very often. Odd enough, they do have Achilles tangs available! lol Oh well.

I think they might have purple tangs right now on liveaquaria.com.
They the Caribbean blue which isn't always available.

 

[4FordFamily]

Aren't clown and Achilles tangs the hardest to care for? Don't both require expert care level? For someone just starting they shouldn't be an option.

Yea they are. That's why I don't recommend them. I would stay Away from acanthurus tangs in general if you aren't going to run the tank fallow and treat all incoming and existing fish properly with meds and ttm. They cannot be managed with ich, 99/100.

clown, carribean blue, powder blue, powder brown, Achilles, and goldrim/white cheek, are some of the harder fish to manage ich with.

A hardier acanthurus tang that can successfully manage ich on occasion is orange shoulder, sometimes Sohal tangs. They need to be established and eat lots of nori to have a shot. You'll still kill more fish than you should (of any tang genus) by attempting to manage ich but by and large acanthurus tangs will not work.

I don't recommend this practice for any tang, just saying it can be done and I've done it. Lots of experience with it. Not necessarily proud of it.

 

[4FordFamily]

Achilles are very difficult. I'm not new to this hobby (6 years ish in), but would be new to tangs for the most part. For me, that is my ultimate prize fish to get up to... later.

For now, I think I have a winning combo. Now to have my friend locate healthy specimens for me! No easy task, let me tell you. Apparently purple tangs don't come around very often. Odd enough, they do have Achilles tangs available! lol Oh well.

I believe a vendor here "pieces of the ocean" has purple tangs.

I think NYAquatic.com has some also. Check hotreef.com as well. I've brought from all three and have been very happy with them.