Tangs or Blue Throat Trigger first?

[Eggpaul]

Hello, I have a 150 gallon tank with the following fish:

2 gladiator clowns
Foxface -one spotted
Blue pygmy Angelfish
Diamond Goby
Purple firefish
Firefish
Yellow banded Possum Wrasse
Bi-Color Blenny
Cleaner Shrimp
Coral

I am planning to add a flame hawkfish, a reef safe butterfly, maybe an Anthias also. I am shooting for 2 tangs , most likely a Naso Tang/Purple Tang, or Naso/powder, or Naso/Kole Tang.

I know I should add the Tangs at the same time, but before or after the blue throat trigger? I will try to buy all 3 as small as possible.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

I'm not sure. Bump

 

[nereefpat]

What are the dimensions of the tank?

I would add the trigger before the purple or powder. With the Kole, it probably doesn't matter much.

Naso (which one?) tangs are gentle giants, but more than likely the tank isn't big enough.

 

[Mr. Limpid]

I agree with nereefpt. All tangs need a 6' long tank and Naso lituratus grow to 18" in the wild, minimum tank size 180gal. All tangs need to be QT'ed and Naso need at least 55gal. I've successfully QT'ed those other tangs you listed in 20 long. You don't have to add tangs at same time, unless from same family, but not recommended for smaller tanks then 200gal.

 

[Eggpaul]

I agree with nereefpt. All tangs need a 6' long tank and Naso lituratus grow to 18" in the wild, minimum tank size 180gal. All tangs need to be QT'ed and Naso need at least 55gal. I've successfully QT'ed those other tangs you listed in 20 long. You don't have to add tangs at same time, unless from same family, but not recommended for smaller tanks then 200gal.

Oops, I didn't check the specs, didn't know they grow to 1 foot 6 inches! well, that's out of the equation. I've been reading that some purple tangs are crazy. Is it worth the risk?

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Blue Throat first. They are shy and docile compared to Tangs. A Tang can live happily in a 150 for several years. Just start with the smallest possible size you can get. They adapt more easily to captivity that way anyways.

 

[Eggpaul]

I agree with nereefpt. All tangs need a 6' long tank and Naso lituratus grow to 18" in the wild, minimum tank size 180gal. All tangs need to be QT'ed and Naso need at least 55gal. I've successfully QT'ed those other tangs you listed in 20 long. You don't have to add tangs at same time, unless from same family, but not recommended for smaller tanks then 200gal.

Is a yellow and purple tang in the same family?

 

[Billldg]

Its six one way, half a dozen the other. Tangs r tangs, they may be mild or the may be wild. It's the luck of the draw. I have a purple tang and plan to add a gold rim tang and a tomini tang in a 120 gal tank. 1 on 1 aggression is far worse than 1x1x1. Powder blue and brown tangs can be very aggressive. Some r just known to be more aggressive than others.

 

[Billldg]

Is a yellow and purple tang in the same family?

Yes

 

[nereefpat]

Is a yellow and purple tang in the same family?

All tangs are in the same family, Acanthuridae.

Yellow and purple are, worse yet, in the same genus, Zebrasoma. In general, I wouldn't recommend mixing them in smaller tanks.

You could, however, possibly mix something like a yellow and kole...or a purple and tomini, etc..again depending on tank dimensions.

 

[Eggpaul]

All tangs are in the same family, Acanthuridae.

Yellow and purple are, worse yet, in the same genus, Zebrasoma. In general, I wouldn't recommend mixing them in smaller tanks.

You could, however, possibly mix something like a yellow and kole...or a purple and tomini, etc..again depending on tank dimensions.

Okay, my tank is 60 X 24 X 24. If they are in the same genus, I think I would prefer the purple over the yellow then. What other combinations other than Purple and tomini?

 

[Maritimer]

Best combinations would be smaller members of the Ctenochaetus genus; kole, tomini, truncatus, two-spot. Smaller, mellower members of Acanthurus, such as the convict or chocolate/mimic tangs might also be possible, though they'd likely prefer an extra foot or two (or thirty, but let's be realistic!) of running room.

~Bruce

 

[nereefpat]

Okay, my tank is 60 X 24 X 24. If they are in the same genus, I think I would prefer the purple over the yellow then. What other combinations other than Purple and tomini?

@Maritimer 's list is what I would recommend to mix with the purple. Any of the Ctenochaetus (bristletooth genus), besides chevron (gets bigger than the others), will work. The white tail is a showstopper, imo. C. truncatus is really pretty too. The purple, one of the bristletooths, and the foxface would be a really nice trio.

 

[Mr. Limpid]

Okay, my tank is 60 X 24 X 24. If they are in the same genus, I think I would prefer the purple over the yellow then. What other combinations other than Purple and tomini?

That is a size of a 180 gal. as for tangs it easy if they have the same body shape they are probably in the same family. I copied this from the top thread List of Tang Aggression:

1) powder blue (2)
2) purple (1)
3) Sailfin
4) yellow (1)
5) desjarini sailfin (1)
6) Sohal (1)
7) Clown (1)
8) powder brown (1)
9) Achilles (2) - most are docile but the nasty are up there with PBT
10) Atlantic blue (1)
11) goldrim/white cheek
12) Kole (1)
13) Hippo
14) YB hippo (1)
15) Chevron (1)
16) blonde naso (1)
17) Naso