Tangs… What do you see in them?

[i cant think]

Personally I’m not a fan of many tangs, I really don’t see much in the non-Ctenochaetus species. But I can watch them sometimes, I just don’t find it relaxing how they pace around so much.
So…
1. what do you see in tangs and is there more than good CUC (which even then there’s other fish for that job)?
2. Do you have any alternatives to tangs that you prefer to watch?

P.S. the photo below is when I had a mirror against the wall of my tank for my wrasses and instead attracted my tang to it.

 

[DavidinGA]

Color
Size
Activity

What's not to love?

 

[Enderg60]

Color
Size
Activity

What's not to love?

And great algae eaters.

 

[i cant think]

Color
Size
Activity

What's not to love?

That’s the thing, you find all that in many other fish, most known ones being Labrids or the Wrasses. So why tangs and not other species?

 

[i cant think]

And great algae eaters.

Again, you can find that in many other species so why tangs out of them all?

 

[Enderg60]

That’s the thing, you find all that in many other fish, most known ones being Labrids or the Wrasses. So why tangs and not other species?

Who said anything about not having other species also?

 

[R33fDaddy]

Mine have personalities similar to puppies lol. Can't imagine not having them being apart of the family.

 

[Lavey29]

Kind of like clowns, they are just classic reef fish that I picture when I see a true ocean reef.

 

[i cant think]

Mine have personalities similar to puppies lol. Can't imagine not having them being apart of the family.

I wish my guy had that, instead he goes throughout the rocks and around them grazing all day. My wrasses and foxface are more like dogs than my tangs ever have been.

 

[reddevilant]

I agree, I'm not a fan of tangs either. But I'm biased. My main display is a macro algae tank so tangs are my mortal enemy lol

 

[WVNed]

I love to watch my Clown tang zoom effortlessly around the tank and surf in the flow of a powerhead. The angels weave in and out of the rocks appearing here and there. The butterflies stick their noses into every hole. The eels stick their heads out and wait to be fed.

Any don't like? Nah.

 

[i cant think]

I agree, I'm not a fan of tangs either. But I'm biased. My main display is a macro algae tank so tangs are my mortal enemy lol

Yeah, I dislike tangs a lot as I really don’t think their pros outweigh the cons. I also dislike watching them race around the tank as IMHO if I try to replicate a real reef then that would be the first thing I wouldn’t really want. My second thing I wouldn’t want is the aggression that comes with them as there are many reef fish that are peaceful and have the same aspects as a tang does.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I agree, nothing special about tangs. I have one and he is beautiful, but only eats Nori algae, no other algae, unlike my foxface. My hippo tang, does eat plenty of carnivorous food though.
If I could my fish of choice would be butterfly or angel rather than tangs.
Tangs are not anymore colorful than wrasses or angels, nor are they any more active than my group of green chromis.

 

[Zionas]

They swim a lot, poop a lot, and some get pretty big.

Jokes aside, I’m with you on this one and I’m really not the biggest fan of them compared to the beauty of other fish like angels and butterflies which I much prefer over Tangs. I would be OK going “Tang-less” although there are times where I find certain Tangs attractive but overall I’m a bigger fan of other laterally compressed fish namely the two families I mentioned above.

One of the biggest appeals for me when it comes to angels is that almost all (if not all) of them are known to be hermaphrodites, get 2 small ones or 2-3 with a size difference and you can end up with a pair or a harem with 1 male and a few females. The social aspect of angels is much easier to recreate whereas with Tangs they either don’t change sex or we don’t entirely know what their biology is in this regard.

While not all Tangs are known to be savage murderers, on average they are known to be a family of fish that have caused many a headache towards each other and towards other fish.

If I wanted a yellow fish, something like a Goldflake Angel or even a Lemonpeel is more beautiful to me than a Yellow Tang although I’m not saying Yellow Tangs are that unappealing.

I get that plenty of reefers love their Tangs, but I’m just too much of an Angel and butterfly fan.

They do seem to hold longevity records in many cases, as people have kept Yellows for 20+ years and copps has had his original Tomini for 18+ years, but with good care an Angel or butterfly can live just as long.

The swimming patterns of many angels (I haven’t observed butterflies as much) is really elegant. It’s more of a cruise and a glide more than a swim.

 

[doubleshot00]

And great algae eaters.

Color
Size
Activity

What's not to love?

All this. I want more.

 

[DJF]

Love my tangs- they have grown into a unique family both with a hierarchy & sibling rivalry. Zero algae problems in the tank. It’s neat to watch them swim together, pilot together chase each other (I have enough In there to distract major aggression). My hippo polices the tank and makes sure any aggression is turned toward him to which no one dares. It’s a strange question from where I sit… what’s not to love about them but to each their own~

 

[Miami Reef]

I like tangs. My favorite part is watching them huddle around the nori clip. It’s super entertaining for guests.

 

[DavidinGA]

That’s the thing, you find all that in many other fish, most known ones being Labrids or the Wrasses. So why tangs and not other species?

Easy.
Wrasses are too small and not as colorful.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yeah, I dislike tangs a lot as I really don’t think their pros outweigh the cons. I also dislike watching them race around the tank as IMHO if I try to replicate a real reef then that would be the first thing I wouldn’t really want. My second thing I wouldn’t want is the aggression that comes with them as there are many reef fish that are peaceful and have the same aspects as a tang does.

All those pretty wrasses do much of the same too in terms of spastic behavior, aggression and overall skittishness. Imho Its all personal taste. I love having a double digit number of wrasses, they are beautiful but almost nothing beats a show piece surgeonfish in home aquaria.

Angelfish will eat your coral and can be diffcult in terms of health, foxfaces & rabbitfish are cryptic, the whole venomous thing and will eat your coral (personal experience). Id be more of a rabbit guy but keeping a large, high bioload fish is a pain, lol. Butterflies are much the same issues as angelfish. Tangs imho are a fair balance with risk versus reward for the beginner, intermediate and advance aquarist.

 

[i cant think]

All those pretty wrasses do much of the same too in terms of spastic behavior, aggression and overall skittishness. Imho Its all personal taste. I love having a double digit number of wrasses, they are beautiful but almost nothing beats a show piece surgeonfish in home aquaria.

I’m intrigued you say that as I have never had my wrasses out right beat up a newcomer to the tank. Skittishness depends on species, most being much more boisterous and out. Spastic behaviour also depends on species but also tank size, if it’s too small then you will see that behaviour.

Definitely agree it’s all on personal taste, I’ve only ever really enjoyed the achilles outside of Ctenochaetus but again, it’s an Ich magnet and aggressive.