Tangs

Susan Edwards · Jul 28, 2018

I'm getting ready to put in another fish order with LA. As my 125 gal tank is now getting some serious algae, 5 months old, I thinking of adding 3 tangs (after qt). I can't decide whether to add 3 yellows, or 1 yellow, 1 kole, and 1 other. I love the look of yellows in a school. My sil has a 300 gal and has a bunch of yellows and some others as well. I have a 37 gal qt.

Current fish list:
2 clowns
6 staghorn damsels (ordered lemon chromis....)
1 lyretail anthias
1 carberri anthias
1 gold head sleeper goby
1 yellow tail damsel

I'm also ordering an algae blenny and 2 lyretails which will go right into the display. I don't have good luck with anthias in QT, and the blenny has a good slime coat and there is no algae in the qt or not much. The other tank will get 2 more dispars.

Subsea · Jul 28, 2018

Whichever you decide to get, they should all be introduced at same time.

mmw64 · Jul 28, 2018

Susan Edwards said:
I'm getting ready to put in another fish order with LA. As my 125 gal tank is now getting some serious algae, 5 months old, I thinking of adding 3 tangs (after qt). I can't decide whether to add 3 yellows, or 1 yellow, 1 kole, and 1 other. I love the look of yellows in a school. My sil has a 300 gal and has a bunch of yellows and some others as well. I have a 37 gal qt.

Current fish list:
2 clowns
6 staghorn damsels (ordered lemon chromis....)
1 lyretail anthias
1 carberri anthias
1 gold head sleeper goby
1 yellow tail damsel

I'm also ordering an algae blenny and 2 lyretails which will go right into the display. I don't have good luck with anthias in QT, and the blenny has a good slime coat and there is no algae in the qt or not much. The other tank will get 2 more dispars.

Hey Susan, can't help with your decision as my tank only 72 so no Tangs. Just wanted to say hi.

Susan Edwards · Jul 28, 2018

@Subsea that is my plan and why I'm trying to decide in the next couple of days!

Hi back at you, @mmw64 Life has gotten in the way of all things fish.... Neighbor harassing me, and esp our dogs. Had to research lawyers, and restraining orders--civil harassments and other things. Also been trying to get some books ready to self pub--books I got the rights back to and want to get back out. Way behind....

Just got the 125 display & 40 g coral tank water changed and glass scrapped. Next the 66 gal and fish qt tank in my office! I've been so neglectful! Fish all happy though <g> and most corals.

mmw64 · Jul 28, 2018

Susan Edwards said:
@Subsea that is my plan and why I'm trying to decide in the next couple of days!

Hi back at you, @mmw64 Life has gotten in the way of all things fish.... Neighbor harassing me, and esp our dogs. Had to research lawyers, and restraining orders--civil harassments and other things. Also been trying to get some books ready to self pub--books I got the rights back to and want to get back out. Way behind....

Just got the 125 display & 40 g coral tank water changed and glass scrapped. Next the 66 gal and fish qt tank in my office! I've been so neglectful! Fish all happy though <g> and most corals.

Just as a side note when you get old, life sometimes get boring. Seems there is no in between. Hang in there Susan.

Susan Edwards · Jul 28, 2018

Lol's! @mmw64 I AM old and I've yet to see boring.... Boring I could live with. Frustration and all this drama and angst and cops showing up at my door (I can prove my dogs not an issue, but it is the neighbor), I can do without!

ca1ore · Jul 28, 2018

I think a bristle tang is always a good idea for a reef tank. I prefer the Chevie over Kole, though it's quite dear these days and perhaps gets a bit big for a 125. I'd think your tank a bit small for 3 yellow tangs, though one would be fine. Convict is a superb algae eater, if you can find a healthy one, and works in a 125.

Flippers4pups · Jul 28, 2018

ca1ore said:
I think a bristle tang is always a good idea for a reef tank. I prefer the Chevie over Kole, though it's quite dear these days and perhaps gets a bit big for a 125. I'd think your tank a bit small for 3 yellow tangs, though one would be fine. Convict is a superb algae eater, if you can find a healthy one, and works in a 125.

Tomini tang, koles.....

I have only a Tomini in my 125. Yellows might get cramped if multiples.

Susan Edwards · Jul 29, 2018

I was aiming to have 3 total tangs in the tank. Should I aim for just 2? Goal is a Max size 8 inches, and under 60ish bucks. I can always do a trade in later as it would take them a few years to get really big.. I may also do another upgrade which is in the back of my mind but not for a couple years at least. I'd like a 24 wide tank, 6 or 7 foot eventually.

I like the tomini and koles but they are the same family. I do like the convict. Will the yellow bully it? Can I do a kole, convict & yellow, or a yellow lemon mimic? I'm guessing I cannot do a tomini and a kole. How about 2 of one, like 2 convicts and one other? Maybe a kole or a lemon peel?

I like the yellow for the coloring.

ca1ore · Jul 29, 2018

Tomini was a good suggestion, but I'd think either that or a Kole, not both. I've kept yellow and convict together and the former mostly leaves the latter alone. Trouble with the mimic, it loses the yellow as it grows.

jda · Jul 29, 2018

I have never had yellow tangs be too aggressive. Mine picks with my pruple, but neither do any damage or disallow the other to feed. I do not find yellow tang to be any good at eating algae... bristletooths, sailfin, convict are way better.

BTW - adult coloration of the Chocolate tang is my favorite.. subtle and classy beauty. Second is the adult Chevron.

mmw64 · Jul 29, 2018

Susan Edwards said:
Lol's! @mmw64 I AM old and I've yet to see boring.... Boring I could live with. Frustration and all this drama and angst and cops showing up at my door (I can prove my dogs not an issue, but it is the neighbor), I can do without!

I'm sorry Susan. We have been blessed with great neighbors here. Hope things calm down for you.

PatW · Jul 29, 2018

In a similar situation, I have a Kole tang, yellow tang and a powder brown tang. The Kole tang was added first and is probably at his full growth. I added a yellow tang. The Kole tang was fine with it. Then I added the PBT. Both the yellow and Kole tang went after him. He could do ok against one but not both. The Kole tang gave up pretty fast. I noticed a bunch of small dings on the Kole so he decided it was a bad strategy. In a couple of weeks everything settled down. The are not really showy fish but there colors play well off of each other and they are all found in Hawaiian waters. My PBT is the dominant fish but he really does not harass anyone. It is a combination to consider.

Susan Edwards · Jul 30, 2018

Love the opinions.

So maybe:
One of : tomini/kole/two spot bristletooth/square tail bristle tooth All are on the smaller side. Live aquaria is out of the tomini's right now.
One of : convict or yellow mimic,
One of : yellow tang or powder brown tang.

I'm guessing a 6 ft 125 having 3 tangs is max.

Dr. Reef · Jul 30, 2018

In a 125 gallon tank most likely a school of yellow tangs will end up eventually in just one remaining
I would put one yellow one kole and tomini Tang. In fact I have same three along with an Achilles and a purple tang and a hippo in my 300.
And 3 tangs are probably the max your tank can handle

nereefpat · Jul 31, 2018

I think you are on the right track with your last post.

If you want three, I would suggest three from seperase genera.

Something like:
Yellow
Ctenochaetus (bristletooths you mentioned)
Lavender

I'm not positive that three will work long term, but the three I mentioned would be your best bet. I would stay away from larger, active, aggressive Acanthurus like the powder blue/brown. I don't have experience with convicts, but they are supposedly touchy.

Susan Edwards · Jul 31, 2018

Dr. Reef said:
In a 125 gallon tank most likely a school of yellow tangs will end up eventually in just one remaining
I would put one yellow one kole and tomini Tang. In fact I have same three along with an Achilles and a purple tang and a hippo in my 300.
And 3 tangs are probably the max your tank can handle

The kole and tomini are the same genus. I thought you couldn't have more than 1

@nereefpat I read that convicts are non aggressive, and more apt to be bullied. Will check more. And look at the lavender to see its grown size.

Dr. Reef · Jul 31, 2018

correct but different body shapes. mine are best friends, only aggression i see is yellow tang and purple tang (in my case)

pickupman66 · Jul 31, 2018

I would definately go with a bristle tooth variety. they are excellent glass cleaners and leave all sorts of kisses on the panes. I have a Striatus tang and love it. at times it looks dull but at times the lines are spectacularly orange. I have also had Tomini as well. I am not a fan of the Yellow tang so I wont recommend that one. you can also look at a juvi atlantic blue (yellow at first then they turn a lime green during tansition to blue).