To Sohal or Not to Sohal !

[Cabinetman]

I had one in a 180 and it was aggressive. Upgraded to a 350 8 ft tank and he was ok for a bit but once he hit 8” he was miserable and the most belligerent fish alive. Upgraded to a 10ft 560 and seamed to ease tensions for a while but even a tank that size you could tell he wasn’t happy. Chased everything. I ended up giving it away to a buddy with a 500. If you only got a 180 forget about it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I had one in a 180 and it was aggressive. Upgraded to a 350 8 ft tank and he was ok for a bit but once he hit 8” he was miserable and the most belligerent fish alive. Upgraded to a 10ft 560 and seamed to ease tensions for a while but even a tank that size you could tell he wasn’t happy. Chased everything. I ended up giving it away to a buddy with a 500. If you only got a 180 forget about it.

AND.....THEY'LL HIT 8" IN NO TIME

 

[RtomKinMad]

I guess I got lucky. Rescued ours from LFS. Was sold very small and in a 75 for almost 10yrs. Over six inches brought back to LFS and put into 120gal. We brought it home along with a Koran angel and put in our 180 FO tank. Is now 8” at least. Mine is a perfect citizen to all tank mates. We did put in a powder brown med size after one year and the Sohal almost killed it in 30min. We removed the PBT. About 2 months after we got the Sohal we added a scopa to the tank. We decided the tank for 3 days and then released. The Sohal never even paid any attention to it. We did the same when we added a majestic and emperor angel. The only fish that bothers the Sohal is Zeus the Koran which is the same size and is actually much more aggressive at feeding time. They usually just avoid each other. We also feed several once’s of large frozen food 2x/day and Sohal is very very fat! I think this helps with temperament. In our 180 we have jewel eel, Sohal, scopas, Koran angel, emperor angel, majestic angel, harlequin tusk, very large porcupine puffer, foxface, niger trigger, red tail trigger, and Picasso trigger. This is an agressive tank. I mostly worry about the majestic as it is the smallest in the tank. The niger is getting big and kind of agressive. Will not add anymore fish. We have a peaceful tank for what it is if you all can believe that! It is very open with lots of places for each fish to be and they all have their own sleeping spaces. Here are some pictures. I feel really lucky now, knock wood! I would try the Sohal since it’s small and see how it’s personality is seems like they are all different like people!

 

[fabutahoun]

I guess I got lucky. Rescued ours from LFS. Was sold very small and in a 75 for almost 10yrs. Over six inches brought back to LFS and put into 120gal. We brought it home along with a Koran angel and put in our 180 FO tank. Is now 8” at least. Mine is a perfect citizen to all tank mates. We did put in a powder brown med size after one year and the Sohal almost killed it in 30min. We removed the PBT. About 2 months after we got the Sohal we added a scopa to the tank. We decided the tank for 3 days and then released. The Sohal never even paid any attention to it. We did the same when we added a majestic and emperor angel. The only fish that bothers the Sohal is Zeus the Koran which is the same size and is actually much more aggressive at feeding time. They usually just avoid each other. We also feed several once’s of large frozen food 2x/day and Sohal is very very fat! I think this helps with temperament. In our 180 we have jewel eel, Sohal, scopas, Koran angel, emperor angel, majestic angel, harlequin tusk, very large porcupine puffer, foxface, niger trigger, red tail trigger, and Picasso trigger. This is an agressive tank. I mostly worry about the majestic as it is the smallest in the tank. The niger is getting big and kind of agressive. Will not add anymore fish. We have a peaceful tank for what it is if you all can believe that! It is very open with lots of places for each fish to be and they all have their own sleeping spaces. Here are some pictures. I feel really lucky now, knock wood! I would try the Sohal since it’s small and see how it’s personality is seems like they are all different like people!

Beautiful fish you got here! I am glad that it is working with you. any issues between Koran and Emperor Angels ?

 

[Feet4Fish]

Stunning. Lo e your tank and love so many statement fish!

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

holy bioload batman!!!

I would love those fish... my sps however, not so much.

 

[JasPR]

I entered the marine hobby in 1977. It was all new and all raw then. But we all had the same imaginations and fantasies back then as newbies have today. And OCD collecting fever drive the bus! One of every Angelfish, butterflies and moorish Idols were the dream. But soon we learned that compatibility and territory limitations in a glass box of 75-90 gallons made our fantasies totally unrealistic- and even cruel. But it wasn't until marine keeping lead to scuba diving in the 1980s that I learned about perspective and truth in my marine hobby ambitions and passions. Returning from a 10 day live aboard in the Caribbean or the Pacific would always bring instant guilt when I looked at my 600 gallon aquarium filled with every show fish I had got my hands on! Watching tangs and open water schooling butterflies in the wild work a 200 yard long reef instantly made me appreciate how active these fish really were. And in captivity I came to only see 'scaled tigers' pacing a narrow cage, and that was ALL I could see from that moment on. Now don't get me wrong- some species tend to occupy small sections of the reef and they are perfectly natural and perfectly happy in a 6 foot long glass box. In my current 8 foot long show tank many species stay in or near the reef structures in one side of the tank only, for instance. But the big ones- the big tangs and the big triggers, the mature pomachanthus? if you develop an infinitey with/for these species, you will 'feel' their desperation to swim far and wide. With big angels you will see them swim into, and weave through, well designed corals structures ( behavioral needs in mind) and they act much more natural in a reasonably sized system- at least for a few years until too big. So for me, that is the limit-- But tangs? Nope, its a dream for the scuba diver, not the aquarist. My observations for what they are worth

 

[RtomKinMad]

I entered the marine hobby in 1977. It was all new and all raw then. But we all had the same imaginations and fantasies back then as newbies have today. And OCD collecting fever drive the bus! One of every Angelfish, butterflies and moorish Idols were the dream. But soon we learned that compatibility and territory limitations in a glass box of 75-90 gallons made our fantasies totally unrealistic- and even cruel. But it wasn't until marine keeping lead to scuba diving in the 1980s that I learned about perspective and truth in my marine hobby ambitions and passions. Returning from a 10 day live aboard in the Caribbean or the Pacific would always bring instant guilt when I looked at my 600 gallon aquarium filled with every show fish I had got my hands on! Watching tangs and open water schooling butterflies in the wild work a 200 yard long reef instantly made me appreciate how active these fish really were. And in captivity I came to only see 'scaled tigers' pacing a narrow cage, and that was ALL I could see from that moment on. Now don't get me wrong- some species tend to occupy small sections of the reef and they are perfectly natural and perfectly happy in a 6 foot long glass box. In my current 8 foot long show tank many species stay in or near the reef structures in one side of the tank only, for instance. But the big ones- the big tangs and the big triggers, the mature pomachanthus? if you develop an infinitey with/for these species, you will 'feel' their desperation to swim far and wide. With big angels you will see them swim into, and weave through, well designed corals structures ( behavioral needs in mind) and they act much more natural in a reasonably sized system- at least for a few years until too big. So for me, that is the limit-- But tangs? Nope, its a dream for the scuba diver, not the aquarist. My observations for what they are worth

Thank you for your feedback. I do agree with you. Wish we had the floor support for a bigger tank. If they looked stressed or unhappy I would find them a new home. We took in the Koran, Sohal, puffer, and red tail trigger as adults. Was told they were all over ten years old per LFS who took them in as returns and didn’t have enough room for them. I shouldn’t have added the Niger was very small 2” and is now huge. The husk seems ok. We got the emperor as a juvenile and is turned now is year. We had the Picasso trigger in a 90 gal for three years before moving to 180. I didn’t really take into account their natural instincts which I should have instead of my own wants. Another local Fish store was closing and asked us to take the eel because we were the only ones he knew with big enough fo tank. We took him. Lov
The eel hand feed him. I think puff and the Niger need new home. Foxface was also in another tank we had. We combined a 90
And 120 tanks into this one. We set this tank up a year ago this week! Has been stable. Will watch and if anyone looks stressed will find new home. Thank you for your comments.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Beautiful fish you got here! I am glad that it is working with you. any issues between Koran and Emperor Angels ?

Only at feeding time the Koran chases the emperor and majestic away but they still find there food and he doesn’t hurt them just makes them leave the front feeding area. The Koran was 10yrs old when we took him in and the emperor was a juvenile. The majestic is too small to challenge either and keeps to itself. Will post video of feeding time as they are all waiting for me to feed this am! I tried to update video but was unable. Here are angels this am though.

 

[RtomKinMad]

holy bioload batman!!!

I would love those fish... my sps however, not so much.

Yes very big bioload. We have a home made sump with large skimmer and large filter socks. Skimmer fills in 2 days and we change the socks weekly. Weekly water change 10% and run carbon for 24 hrs every other week but too often as some angels I heard don’t like carbon. And that’s it. We feed mysis brine spiralina for the smaller guys and rotate krill, silversides, clams on half shell, and rods predator blend. The eel
And Koran are super prickly and we t eat same food two days in a row. They get nori 2 sheets 4 days a week. We supplement with large pellets for the Koran when he is finicky. Sometimes will eat whole silverside or krill and sometimes nothing. The
Koran will not
Eat mysis or brine at
All! Here’s a picture of homemade sump about 200$ turned 60 gal quarantine tank
From petsmart into sump. And a picture of skimmer bioload. Again no corals. I do have annularis angel in 300gal reef and is ok with corals! Fingers crossed ! Just got food order delivered. Hopefully will last 2 months!

 

[RtomKinMad]

Here are the Sohal and Koran just hanging out looking at me after feeding this am! My Sohal really is mellow and swims the tank calmly all day but not fast not crazy just kind of hangs out. Eats algae off the glass and bothers no one. Will eat from my hand and doesn’t mind being touched. We have reorganized the rock a few times to give open space for swimming and still have enough for bacteria. Have bioballs in sump so we could have less rocks. Three power heads. I think the puffer swims more than Sohal. And Sohal is a garbage can will eat anything! We joked about putting a rack of ribs in the tank for the Sohal! Lol

 

[RtomKinMad]

Beautiful fish you got here! I am glad that it is working with you. any issues between Koran and Emperor Angels ?

Thank you and if you have a mellow Sohal I would try it!

 

[fabutahoun]

The Sohal is in a better place now, it died in QT yesterday , 2 days ago It suddenly had a bad ICH outbreak and couldn't make it through. came back from work to see it dead.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

wasn't he getting copper in QT?

always treat tangs!!!

 

[DSC reef]

The Sohal is in a better place now, it died in QT yesterday , 2 days ago It suddenly had a bad ICH outbreak and couldn't make it through. came back from work to see it dead.

Sorry to hear man.

 

[RtomKinMad]

I’m so sorry. Sad to hear. take care