Recommend a tang?

redwingrob40 · Jul 26, 2016

Hi I'm looking for a tang for my 150 gallon tank. I am looking for something to help keep algae to a minimum. The tank is 48 inches long 24 inches wide and 30 inches tall. I have been considering A tomini tang or a yellow tang. Current stock is a pair of clown fish a rhomboid Wrasse, earls wrasse kwazulu wrasse and starry blenny. I had a yellow Eye Koke and don't want one of those again. Any other suggestions besides the tomini and yellow? Thanks

Janci · Jul 26, 2016

There are lots of options. Might be important to think if you want more tangs later? Aggression has to be taken in account. Nevertheless your tank is big enough for your 2 suggestions.

redwingrob40 · Jul 26, 2016

Just looking for one tang, will add more wrasses later but want a chill tang to help clean.

Janci · Jul 26, 2016

Yellow is nice because of the outstanding colour.
Acanthurus japonicus (powder brown tang) is also docile and not big. I have one and from the moment she entered the tank, she started cleaning rock and windows and has not stopped since. They say they are white spot magnets, but I have not encountered any problem with proper quarantine period.
Any bristletooth tang is also an option.
All good algae cleaners.

Janci · Jul 26, 2016

Other option, generally more expensive is the ctenochaetus hawaiiensis (chevron tang).
Not aggressive and wonderful colours.

redwingrob40 · Jul 26, 2016

Janci said:
Yellow is nice because of the outstanding colour.
Acanthurus japonicus (powder brown tang) is also docile and not big. I have one and from the moment she entered the tank, she started cleaning rock and windows and has not stopped since. They say they are white spot magnets, but I have not encountered any problem with proper quarantine period.
Any bristletooth tang is also an option.
All good algae cleaners.

Thanks for the recommendations! I really like the look of powder Browns, but I've heard they get pretty agressive? Kinda Leary about putting one in a 4 foot tank?

Mike_J · Jul 26, 2016

I like the tomini tang because of its overall easy temperament and its smaller max size. great algae eaters. I kept one with a community of wrasses without issue.

Mbnym74 · Jul 26, 2016

I love naso tang

redwingrob40 · Jul 26, 2016

Mike_J said:
I like the tomini tang because of its overall easy temperament and its smaller max size. great algae eaters. I kept one with a community of wrasses without issue.

Thank you for sharing your experience, it's good to know that tomini get along good with wrasse and are good algae eaters

redwingrob40 · Jul 26, 2016

Mbnym74 said:
I love naso tang

Naso are beautiful fish, unfortunately they get a bit too big for a 4 ft tank.

justingraham · Jul 26, 2016

I vote Kole Tang or a Lavander Tang now I've only had a Kole Tang and he was great up till the point something happened to him he's back in qt now. But I read a lot about the Lavander Tang and seems like a nice fish as well. Both are not aggressive and if u want another tang down the line it can be done with these two.

UncleSalty · Jul 26, 2016

Purple tang!

Tom Blevins · Jul 26, 2016

my vote too! I vote Kole Tang or a Lavander Tang

redwingrob40 · Jul 26, 2016

Interesting lots of votes for purple tang, I always thought 4 ft was too small for a purple? I have always wanted a purple absolutely gorgeous fish

Knapp870 · Jul 26, 2016

purple tang!!

redwingrob40 · Jul 26, 2016

Oops I was thinking purple and lavender were the same fish. I had never seen a lavender before... Cool looking fish

Homebrwr · Jul 26, 2016

I had a Tomini tang in my 180. After about a year I tried twice, at separate times, to add another tang but the Tomini basically harassed them to death.
The Tomini is now in my frag tank.. Gets along with everyone else but another tang..
Greta if your not adding another Tang in the future..
My experience.

Goldenvue · Jul 26, 2016

A kole would do good in a 4' tank

BoneXriffic · Jul 26, 2016

Sailfin tangs are great fish also, and ok in a 48 inch tan... they say the yellow tang needs a 6ft tank...however im not a part of the tang police so i am not totally sure

reefstacks · Jul 26, 2016

redwingrob40 said:
Hi I'm looking for a tang for my 150 gallon tank. I am looking for something to help keep algae to a minimum. The tank is 48 inches long 24 inches wide and 30 inches tall. I have been considering A tomini tang or a yellow tang. Current stock is a pair of clown fish a rhomboid Wrasse, earls wrasse kwazulu wrasse and starry blenny. I had a yellow Eye Koke and don't want one of those again. Any other suggestions besides the tomini and yellow? Thanks

Just curious as to why you do not want to get another yellow eye kole? Not that I think you should or anything, but I'd like to know if you had bad luck with it or something