Tang Suggestions

[Wrassenaround]

Hello all! I currently have a Reefer 350 (75 gallons) and I only have 3 fish at the moment. 1 Clown, 1 Anthias and 1 Melanarus Wrasse. I have been wanting to get more Lyretail Anthias, an additional clown (had a pair but one jumped) and 2 more wrasses along with a tang or 2 and maybe an angel or butterfly.

With that being said I was planning on introducing the tangs last (aggression) but my LFS has been having a lot of difficulty getting in my fish that are on order. Long story short I'm wanting to try and add my tangs first as they can get them in easier. I'm thinking a Purple Tang and a White Tail Kole Tang and maybe another zebrasoma tang. What are everyones thoughts? Be brutally honest. I welcome the #TangPolice

 

[fishski13]

There is no way I would put three tangs especially two of the three being of the same species, zebrasoma. A 75 gallon is best suited for one tang and at most 2. I would say you are pushing it with two especially since you want a purple tang which is one of the more aggressive tangs out there.

You also mention you want a butterfly, most of the species out there are not reef safe if you plan on doing coral and even those that are, they can go after certain corals.

And with angels, you will want to stick with the dwarf angels like the coral beauty or flame angel however these are also a slight risk with corals.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above. I tried a white tail bristletooth tang in my XL300 and tank was to small for him. You might be able to do one in a 350 but those other tangs you mentioned, no way they will work in there.

 

[GARRIGA]

Any plans to trade the tangs once too big for tank? They get big.

 

[4FordFamily]

If you insist on two I’d say a kole tang and yellow tang. Purple quote similar to kole.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello all! I currently have a Reefer 350 (75 gallons) and I only have 3 fish at the moment. 1 Clown, 1 Anthias and 1 Melanarus Wrasse. I have been wanting to get more Lyretail Anthias, an additional clown (had a pair but one jumped) and 2 more wrasses along with a tang or 2 and maybe an angel or butterfly.

With that being said I was planning on introducing the tangs last (aggression) but my LFS has been having a lot of difficulty getting in my fish that are on order. Long story short I'm wanting to try and add my tangs first as they can get them in easier. I'm thinking a Purple Tang and a White Tail Kole Tang and maybe another zebrasoma tang. What are everyones thoughts? Be brutally honest. I welcome the #TangPolice

Purple-kole-gem-tomini are the best but place purple last

Jerks: Yellow, clown, purple can be- sailfin-powder blue

 

[Wrassenaround]

Any plans to trade the tangs once too big for tank? They get big.

Yes absolutely, once they would get to big I would trade them. I have a friend that has a 180 gallon and he would be willing to take them. Even if he couldn't at the time of them being to big I wouldn't have any problems finding someone who could.

 

[Wrassenaround]

Purple-kole-gem-tomini are the best but place purple last

Jerks: Yellow, clown, purple can be- sailfin-powder blue

Thanks for the break down. In all likelihood I'll only do 2. I would love a gem but it's a little out of my price range. I have been intrigued by the convict but from what i've read and heard its hard to get a specimen that is healthy and eats.

 

[AC1211]

Thanks for the break down. In all likelihood I'll only do 2. I would love a gem but it's a little out of my price range. I have been intrigued by the convict but from what i've read and heard its hard to get a specimen that is healthy and eats.

I'm going to say no to a convict tang. They simply won't work with other tangs in that size tank most likely. In my nuvo 60 I had a kole and yellow together for a year before ich and velvet hit in conjunction and wiped out everything. I had 11 fish mostly gobies and firefish. Since then I have mostly kept damsels and clowns...
So a note with two tangs... get them healthy... at the same time... and about the same size... or make the kole tang slightly larger. I don't see it working with any other zebrasoma or any of the acathurus species. If you want to try another bristletooth aside from the kole it will probably work. Also note the reason why my tangs got sick where when I added a coral beauty angel at the same time I added a fish trap to lower bioload... because two tangs is a lot. Especially a mid size yellow on a smaller tank

 

[AC1211]

My best advice would be just to do a kole tang and a dwarf angel added at the same time

 

[Wrassenaround]

I'm going to say no to a convict tang. They simply won't work with other tangs in that size tank most likely. In my nuvo 60 I had a kole and yellow together for a year before ich and velvet hit in conjunction and wiped out everything. I had 11 fish mostly gobies and firefish. Since then I have mostly kept damsels and clowns...
So a note with two tangs... get them healthy... at the same time... and about the same size... or make the kole tang slightly larger. I don't see it working with any other zebrasoma or any of the acathurus species. If you want to try another bristletooth aside from the kole it will probably work. Also note the reason why my tangs got sick where when I added a coral beauty angel at the same time I added a fish trap to lower bioload... because two tangs is a lot. Especially a mid size yellow on a smaller tank

Ok cool, so do you think 2 bristletooths would be easier/less problematic than a zebrasoma and a bristletooth?

 

[AC1211]

Ok cool, so do you think 2 bristletooths would be easier/less problematic than a zebrasoma and a bristletooth?

That would be worse imo. Don't mix genus' in a tank under 6' length... much worse probably because a yellow and a kole probably won't fight that much after a while... a kole and a chevron or a tomini will likely kill each other. A kole and a yellow are your best bet or a tomini and yellow if you want two tangs that will work. Otherwise, get a bigger tank if you want more tangs. In my experience in anything under 90 to 125 most people should either do a yellow or Scopus (no purple tangs or sailfins) or a bristletooth that isn't a full grown chevron.

 

[AC1211]

Best option is a bristletooth tang and another nice open water fish like a flame angel or any dwarf angel you like. If you want two tangs it likely has to be a yellow/Scopus and either a kole/tomini.

 

[AC1211]

Consider this also yellows are rather expensive right now and I would never try a purple in a tank that small so a baby Scopus and a kole/tomini could work

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the break down. In all likelihood I'll only do 2. I would love a gem but it's a little out of my price range. I have been intrigued by the convict but from what i've read and heard its hard to get a specimen that is healthy and eats.

Convict - I myself gave up. There is a common problem with them the last 6 months. Sort of buy one and take lots of pics before it starves ad dies

 

[OrionN]

In a 75 I would only add one tang. The smallest of the tangs like a Tomini or a Kole tang. Too small of a tang to have two fish that stress each other out.

 

[doubleshot00]

Have you considered a FoxFace instead of one of the other tangs?

I would skip on the purple they get big compared to a yellow and scopus. And defiantly dont do two Zebrasomas unless you love to watch fish battle it out.

A scopus or yellow would be the best choice then a Yellow eye kole. Maybe a Foxface or flame angel.

I have a scopus and a foxface now and will be adding a flame angel after my scopus is done with his QT from flukes. Im going to add them at the same time.

 

[OrionN]

Foxface and scopa tang are not small fishes. They get bigger than the purple tang but bother are less aggressive than purple tang in general. In general because temperament of each fish varies somewhat.
I keep a numbers of fishes in my 40+ years keeping reeftanks. Tank size varied from 450 to nano of 2 gallon.

 

[doubleshot00]

Foxface and scopa tang are not small fishes. They get bigger than the purple tang but bother are less aggressive than purple tang in general. In general because temperament of each fish varies somewhat.
I keep a numbers of fishes in my 40+ years keeping reeftanks. Tank size varied from 450 to nano of 2 gallon.

A local reefer has a scopas in a 30 gal cube and its been in there for three years hasn't grown much (probably 3"-4"). Mine is bigger than his. I assume it because it doesn't have as much swimming space but i honestly don't know.

 

[Tamberav]

I would only do one Tang tbh. Especially since you also want a butterfly and angelfish.

Do not add the Tangs before a butterfly. Your LFS can get them eventually. Adding the tangs first in something as small as a 75 can mean a dead butterfly which is just sad because they have so much personality. It’s kinda like watching a puppy slowly die instead of a fish.

Trading in fish or rehoming generally means you bring in new smaller fish. This is a good way to introduce velvet and wipe your tank out. Buy things you can keep so you don’t keep swapping fish.