Tank Sizes for Tangs

[a;lksdjf]

Hi everyone. I’m going to be upgrading my tank to a 6 foot long 125 gallon in about a year and i would love to keep some tangs in it. Ideally, I would like 1 of each family of tang (minus Naso because they get much bigger than the other families), so my questions are 1. Will 4 tangs do well together in a 125? and 2. Will a blue tang do well in that size of tank? I ask about the blue tang because I have heard conflicting information about them in 125s. Some say the most important thing is the 6 feet of swimming space and others say they need a bigger footprint. My ideal selection of tangs would be 1 yellow from Zebrasoma, 1 tomini or kole from Ctenochaetus, 1 either powder blue or atlantic blue, and 1 blue hippo.

 

[lapin]

Bump .....
Tang police any advice ?????????

 

[dwest]

I had a 125 for about 10 years and now I have a 180. I have 2 yellows, one purple, and a pacific blue now in my 180. I had 2 yellows, the same purple and a sailfin in my 125. I don’t think my 180 is big enough for the PBT to be honest. She is getting very big and an extremely active swimmer. If I were you I would do 2 things.

1. Consider a wider 6 ft tank. I felt my 125 was difficult to aquascape when my corals and clams grew. This is not for the fish as much.

2. Go for yellow, purple, and bristletooth (like tomini). And introduce them all at once.

 

[a;lksdjf]

I had a 125 for about 10 years and now I have a 180. I have 2 yellows, one purple, and a pacific blue now in my 180. I had 2 yellows, the same purple and a sailfin in my 125. I don’t think my 180 is big enough for the PBT to be honest. She is getting very big and an extremely active swimmer. If I were you I would do 2 things.

1. Consider a wider 6 ft tank. I felt my 125 was difficult to aquascape when my corals and clams grew. This is not for the fish as much.

2. Go for yellow, purple, and bristletooth (like tomini). And introduce them all at once.

I do like purple tangs, but I’m not in love with the price tag on them and I’ve heard they can be pretty nasty (of course I probably shouldn’t be talking because I’m considering a powder blue LOL). Thoughts on a combination of yellow tang, powder blue/atlantic blue tang, and kole/tomini tang?

 

[AZMSGT]

120 5’ is fine. Purple Tangs are fine, you just need to know how to deal with them. Give all the fish lots of places to hide, like caves or tunnels. Mirror trick works great when fish get aggressive.

 

[albano]

IMO forget the Atlantic Blue, gets too big, too aggressive. Also would skip Powder Blue in a tank less that 150-180 with multiple tangs

I have multiple tangs in 3 different tanks, (11 in my 6’x5’ 500g) that do fine together. Multiple yellows, mixed with Hippos, Nasos , Sailfin, Purples and Tomini that were not all added at the same time, but most have been together for years.

 

[a;lksdjf]

IMO forget the Atlantic Blue, gets too big, too aggressive. Also would skip Powder Blue in a tank less that 150-180 with multiple tangs

I have multiple tangs in 3 different tanks, (11 in my 6’x5’ 500g) that do fine together. Multiple yellows, mixed with Hippos, Nasos , Sailfin, Purples and Tomini that were not all added at the same time, but most have been together for years.

Seems like atlantic blues and powder blues both get to 9 inches and the powder blue is notoriously the most aggressive tang, but the seemingly more aggressive powder blue is listed as fine for a 125 and atlantic blues are listed as 180+ on liveaquaria. I just don’t understand the difference.

 

[nereefpat]

Powders don't always get big like Atlantic blues. Every adult Atlantic blue I've seen is a monster. Not all powders get that way.

I'm not sure what I would recommend for a tank size for Atlantic blues...but bigger than a 125.

I have seen the sites recommending 125 for powder blue and brown. I suppose it could work. The powder brown that I kept for a while in my 125 "paced."

For hippo/regal/Pacific blue tangs, I usually recommend a standard 180 - standard 240. But, they don't always get huge either, and people do keep them in smaller tanks. If you ever see a full-grown, master angler type hippo tang, you would wonder if a 180 is enough room.

If I had an empty 125, I would go along with your way of thinking. Maybe a purple tang, tomini tang, and a foxface...nice mix of colors and behaviors. Or maybe a yellow, lavender, and kole...something like that.

Hope that helps.

 

[Peach02]

For the tank size of tangs I often refer to this thread from ages ago https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-sizes-for-tangs-help-us-create-a-list.82891/
As for compatibility with eachother most of the same family tend to fight and when mixing its best to introduce them all at the same time at a similar size ideally just before lights go out or under red light.
Prestige reef did a great video on this aspect

 

[dwest]

I do like purple tangs, but I’m not in love with the price tag on them and I’ve heard they can be pretty nasty (of course I probably shouldn’t be talking because I’m considering a powder blue LOL). Thoughts on a combination of yellow tang, powder blue/atlantic blue tang, and kole/tomini tang?

Yes to the yellow and kole or tomini. No the blues. Just my opinion.

 

[Flame2hawk]

I’ve had a 125 & 180 gallons with tangs. 4 tangs in a 125g did not go well....4 tangs in 180 went much better. Tangs love to swim allot so the more space for them the less stress. Assuming you are going to keep the tangs in same tank until adult size, I Personally wouldn't keep more than 2 adult size tangs in a 125g. Tank Width also matters so going to a 180 would allow 4 tangs. PB w/b fine in 180...would hesitate in 125g with another tang. IF u must put 3 tangs in a 125g, go with nereefpat’s suggestion of foxface and 2 tangs....good luck....

 

[Vakko]

I have a scopas, squaretail, lavender, and atlantic blue all around the 2inch size coming out of their juvenile colors. The meanest fish in my tank is my female lyretail anthias.

 

[vetteguy53081]

48" minimum = 55g. . . 75g. . . or 90g
72 - 125 or 150 or 180 gallon as well as a 210g

 

[ca1ore]

How I think about tangs …..

1. Naso - 8' tank minimum …. 300 gallons or up. Not just a big fish in length but some serious girth (particularly vlamingii)
2. Zebrasoma - 6' tank; 8' for the two sailfin species.
2. Paracanthurus (hippo) - 6' ok, 8' better.
3. Ctenochaetus (bristles) - most ok in 4', though a few like Chevron get quite large and need 6'.
4. Acanthurus - highly variable. Some get really large and need an 8' tank (achilles, blue, thompsons, dussumieri), others ok in 6' (convict, mimic, powder blue)

 

[Vakko]

How I think about tangs …..

1. Naso - 8' tank minimum …. 300 gallons or up. Not just a big fish in length but some serious girth (particularly vlamingii)
2. Zebrasoma - 6' tank; 8' for the two sailfin species.
2. Paracanthurus (hippo) - 6' ok, 8' better.
3. Ctenochaetus (bristles) - most ok in 4', though a few like Chevron get quite large and need 6'.
4. Acanthurus - highly variable. Some get really large and need an 8' tank (achilles, blue, thompsons, dussumieri), others ok in 6' (convict, mimic, powder blue)

I feel like you're thinking maximum fish size as opposed to possible juvenile fish size.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I've always been a minimalist about tangs in a tank. Just me, but for some reason I hate seeing them pace back and forth when they get to adult. For that reason when I planned my 6' 125 back in 2014, I purposely chose just one, a tomini. It's gotten close to adult size and seems quite happy to cruise the tank with it's wrasse mates.

Just a perception of space, corals and fish is what I'm looking for, not jamming fish close together. Just seems unnatural, (well in a tank is unnatural, so go figure) JMTCW.

If I hit the lottery, yes 1200 gallon with all of them would be just fine to me!

 

[Zionas]

My opinion:

1. Zebrasoma- 5’ enough, 6’ ideal (7’+ for Sailfin)

2. Bristletooth- 4’ enough, 5’ ideal (7’+ for Chevron)

3. Blue Hippo- 7’ enough, 8’ ideal

4. Acanthurus- For smaller, 6’, larger 8’

5. Naso, 10’


I am a one Tang guy until I get 200 gallon tank or larger.

 

[ca1ore]

I feel like you're thinking maximum fish size as opposed to possible juvenile fish size.

I prefer to think that I'll have a fish under my care for years rather than killing it quickly. I plan, therefore, for 75% of wild size and tank accordingly.

 

[Zionas]

Good man. I completely agree. I would not buy a fish unless I knew it could is the entirety of its life in my tank.

 

[ca1ore]

I've been keeping reefs for decades. My experience has consistently been that larger fish under my care do not achieve their full wild size. Smaller fish do, but larger ones do not. My sailfin tang, for example, seems to have topped out at about 9". I've never had a Naso L. exceed 12". If Naso genus tangs did get to their full wild sizes, even a 10' tank wouldn't be enough.