Tang FBI need advice

czoolander · Feb 18, 2021

Tang FBI I need your help.

I have a 109g tank up and running over a year now . Current fish inhabitants are only 5 and they are small right now and yes I know they will get bigger haha
- Tomini Tang
-Foxface Rabbitfish
- Oscellaris Clown
- Coral Beauty angel
- Chromis of unknown variety it is dark blue solid colour

I would like to add another tang to my tank if possible and was thinking in order of most wanted
A- Yellow tang not sure this is possible with Hawaii ban
B- yellow eye kole tang not sure this is possible as similar body to tomini tang
C- purple tang. Heard they are super aggressive and I do not want that if it will be a jerk to my tomini
D - scopas tang think this could work but not super pumped about the coloration of the fish

Any I am missing ? Any suggestions? Thanks Tang FBI

Montiman · Feb 18, 2021

czoolander said:
Tang FBI I need your help.

I have a 109g tank up and running over a year now . Current fish inhabitants are only 5 and they are small right now and yes I know they will get bigger haha
- Tomini Tang
-Foxface Rabbitfish
- Oscellaris Clown
- Coral Beauty angel
- Chromis of unknown variety it is dark blue solid colour

I would like to add another tang to my tank if possible and was thinking in order of most wanted
A- Yellow tang not sure this is possible with Hawaii ban
B- yellow eye kole tang not sure this is possible as similar body to tomini tang
C- purple tang. Heard they are super aggressive and I do not want that if it will be a jerk to my tomini
D - scopas tang think this could work but not super pumped about the coloration of the fish

Any I am missing ? Any suggestions? Thanks Tang FBI

Currently you can still get yellows and yellow eyes at least in my area.

I think you could add any of the tangs on your list. Right now yellows are about the same price as a purple. If you are looking for something cheaper I would consider a sailfin or RedSea Sailfin. I prefer their color over the scopas and they are still a Zebrasoma.

Uncle99 · Feb 18, 2021

Yellow for sure.
Not only a beautiful fish but you can get captive bred and they do an excellent job keeping rocks clean.

czoolander · Feb 18, 2021

Uncle99 said:
Yellow for sure.
Not only a beautiful fish but you can get captive bred and they do an excellent job keeping rocks clean.

Having kept a yellow tang before what do you think on the following

-aggression towards an established tomini tang ?
-yellow tang full size to big for a 109 g 5 foot long tank

- blue hippo tang too big for a 109 g tank?
- I was considering one too as they are known as a more chill fish then the yellow but not sure on the sizing recommendations

Thank you !

czoolander · Feb 18, 2021

Montiman said:
Currently you can still get yellows and yellow eyes at least in my area.

I think you could add any of the tangs on your list. Right now yellows are about the same price as a purple. If you are looking for something cheaper I would consider a sailfin or RedSea Sailfin. I prefer their color over the scopas and they are still a Zebrasoma.

Do they sailfins not get very large ? I heard up to 16" for these fish . I would love a sailfin they are beautiful fish !!!! might be too big for my 109 g tho

Montiman · Feb 18, 2021

The real question is does it matter if the tang gets 16in in 15 years?

I have a chevron tang I bought when he was the size of a quarter 5 years later he is only about 7 inches but I have seen 16in chevrons. IMO it would be unfair to say you can't put a chevron in a 75 when the Reef2Reef surveys show the average tank is up less than 5 years.

laverda · Feb 18, 2021

czoolander said:
Do they sailfins not get very large ? I heard up to 16" for these fish . I would love a sailfin they are beautiful fish !!!! might be too big for my 109 g tho

My salfin grew to 14" in about 5 years from silver dollar size. I had over 24 years. Sadly I died recently when my anemones spawned.

czoolander · Feb 18, 2021

laverda said:
My salfin grew to 14" in about 5 years from silver dollar size. I had over 24 years. Sadly I died recently when my anemones spawned.

Yes so definitely too big for my 5foot 109 gallon tank. Maybe one day if I get a 200-300 g tank LOL

czoolander · Feb 18, 2021

Montiman said:
The real question is does it matter if the tang gets 16in in 15 years?

I have a chevron tang I bought when he was the size of a quarter 5 years later he is only about 7 inches but I have seen 16in chevrons. IMO it would be unfair to say you can't put a chevron in a 75 when the Reef2Reef surveys show the average tank is up less than 5 years.

Well I have no plans to upgrade my tank right now so I would like to keep fish that potentially full grown would still enjoy being in a 5 foot 109 g tank.

I would say 16" sailfins and 16" chevrons would not fit this description haha

Montiman · Feb 18, 2021

czoolander said:
Well I have no plans to upgrade my tank right now so I would like to keep fish that potentially full grown would still enjoy being in a 5 foot 109 g tank.

I would say 16" sailfins and 16" chevrons would not fit this description haha

While this may be true in your case keep in mind the average tank is up less than 5 years and last I heard the average person moves every 7 years. You could easily keep either of these tangs that long and simply move them when the tank comes down. If you are looking for a 20 year fish in a 20 year tank then the yellow or purple will be a better choice.

Uncle99 · Feb 18, 2021

czoolander said:
Having kept a yellow tang before what do you think on the following

-aggression towards an established tomini tang ?
-yellow tang full size to big for a 109 g 5 foot long tank

- blue hippo tang too big for a 109 g tank?
- I was considering one too as they are known as a more chill fish then the yellow but not sure on the sizing recommendations

Thank you !

The issue of aggression is usually just a hit and miss.
My guess as good as yours. There will be some, but 109g has some room to play.

I have no issues or concerns with YT and BT in a 109G.
My yellow was a good 3” and the blue was 2”, both went in at same time after others went to sleep. I always put tangs in at night, they are famous for challenging their reflections when first added.

I had both in a 65 first for 4 years when they grew to 4.5” and 6”
I now moved everyone to a 180g.

While the BT grew faster and overtook the YT, his growth lately does seem as fast.

Have fun, just make sure you have a penalty bucket ready to separate a few times if necessary.

Usually these things work out if you help them, IMM

vetteguy53081 · Feb 18, 2021

hepatus or kole tang would be good choices based on tank size and disposition with others.

Tamberav · Feb 18, 2021

I would say get yourself a yellow. Less aggressive and brighter then a purple.

Sailfins grow really fast.

Zionas · Feb 19, 2021

Soon it will be the Tang Surveillance Agency providing 24/7 audio and video surveillance on people stocking Tangs for their tanks..... Not just in the States or the Five Eyes but the entire world.

And then there will be a whistleblower to expose their methods. I think any of the smaller Zebrasoma would be fine, but no more Tangs after that. What are the dimensions of your tank?

czoolander · Feb 19, 2021

Zionas said:
Soon it will be the Tang Surveillance Agency providing 24/7 audio and video surveillance on people stocking Tangs for their tanks..... Not just in the States or the Five Eyes but the entire world.

And then there will be a whistleblower to expose their methods. I think any of the smaller Zebrasoma would be fine, but no more Tangs after that. What are the dimensions of your tank?

hahaha its funny because the TSA is an actual thing !!!!!

So I have the red sea 525 xl its 60 x 24 x 24.5

I am really thinking of adding a purple and blue hippo . I think the 30 day QT in a 10 gallon will be very telling of aggression and compatibility . Saving grace is I would buy them small so the 10g wont be tragic for 30 days . My thought process is that if I add 2 tangs to the display the same night then it will cause so much chaos they wont know who to pick on and ill do a heavy feeding to distract them further then they can all be best buds forever on the reef?

How can a plan this beautiful fail? haha