What Tang would you recommend for a first-timer?

[Zionas]

Lol tank too small for a Hepatus Blue. It’s only 5 foot long.

 

[ApoIsland]

Hi everyone, I am considering adding a Tang (recently jumped on the bandwagon after ditching the BF idea) as the last fish to my tank. I’ll make sure it’s got enough algae before I can support a Tang. Which Tang do you feel is the hardiest, most disease resistant, forgiving, easy conditioned and peaceful? Thanks and I would appreciate your opinions. 5 ft tank.

2 other 8” fish: One Spot Foxface and Marine Betta.

3-4” fish:

-Flame Hawk pair

-Ocellaris Clowns pair

-Trio of PJ Cardinals


All Tang lovers, experts, and Tang police can answer. Thanks.

I have nori, Hikari Algae Wafers, Hikari Mega Marine Algae as part of my diet for my Tang and FF. Also, fresh seaweed will be fed when possible.

Other (Acanthurus, Paracanthurus, Naso etc.)

Yellow tang all the way. I have had 4 tangs (yellow, blue, sailfin, kole) in a 120 4x2x2 for many years and just recently added a 5th (Naso)

Blue tang has been with me 7 years and is gorgeous but also the only one that ever gets a spot of ich from time to time when I fall way behind on water changes or feedings.

Sailfin requires the most food and the only tang I have to specifically feed nori to. All others get what they need from eat tank algae and the mysis I feed other fish.

Kole is just plain ugly in my opinion and is the most difficult to get trained on meaty foods / nori. In 2 years he has never taken one bite of anything except algae on the rocks. But dang that fish can clean a rock!!

Yellow tang is a rockstar with show stopping beauty. Been with me for 9 years through 3 moves and 1 early tank crash. Spent 2 years living in a 55g with the blue tang. Harrasses any new fish for 15 min or so but after that its all good.

Go with the Yellow. Can get tank raised yellows now too!

 

[Rmckoy]

Haven’t heard of Marine Bettas Eating any small fish apart from a couple of Cleaner Wrasses or very small gobies here and there. From talking to everyone who’s kept them, they mind their own business and are too shy to bother the vast majority of other fish.

I’d appreciate more votes on which Tang you feel is the best for a first-time hobbyist but it’s looking like a tie between the Kole Eye Yellow and the Yellow.

Search feeding marine betta .
I’ve also heard it a few times before when thinking of getting one Myself .

“ they will eat anything and everything that will fit In their mouth .
Beautiful fish but it has always scared me away from owning one .

 

[Zionas]

The prepared foods I will be getting are:

1. Ocean Nutrition Formula-1 Pellets (Meaty) Dry

2. Ocean Nutrition Formula-2 Pellets (Herbivorous) Dry

3. Ocean Nutrition Formula-1 Flakes (Meaty) Dry

4. Ocean Nutrition Formula-2 Flakes (Herbivorous) Dry

5. Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef Flakes (Meaty) Dry

6. Hikari Marine S and A Pellets (Mixed?) Dry


7. Hikari Mega Marine Marine Algae (Herbivorous) Frozen

8. Hikari Algae Wafers (Herbivorous) Dry

9. Hikari Ocean Plankton + Rotifers + Gammarus (Meaty) Frozen

10. Hikari Krill (Meaty) Frozen

11. Hikari Squid (Meaty) Frozen


12. Brine Cubes (Meaty) Frozen

13. Mysis Cubes (Meaty) Frozen

14. First Bite Fish Eggs (Meaty) Frozen

15. First Bite Calanus Liquid (Meaty) Frozen

16. First Bite Brine (Meaty) Frozen

17. Doctor Bassler (German brand) Caviar (Meaty) Frozen

18. AMF (Asian Marine Fantasy-Chinese company) Nori Sheets (Herbivorous) Dry

19. Julian Sprung’s Sea Veggies (Meaty) Dry

20. Omega One Shrimp Pellets (Meaty) Dry

21. First Bite Copepods (Meaty) Frozen

22. Bloodworm cubes (Meaty - but I heard they introduce diseases?) Frozen

23. Hikari Seaweed Extreme (Herbivorous) Dry


And adding frozen or fresh seafood and seaweed into the mix when possible.


Are Kole Tangs more difficult to get eating compared to the Zebrasoma tangs? Heard they’re hardcore grazers, them to grazing as Mandarins are to pods.

 

[Zionas]

Oh and I forgot Ocean Nutrition Spirulina Flakes. (Herbivorous) Dry

Main food soak will be Selcon whenever possible, + I am trying Aqua Forest V.

 

[JCOLE]

I have a Yellow Eyed Kole tang along with a Flame tang in my tank with a fox face, copperband butterfly, pink squared anthias, a couple Chromis and Damsels. They are model citizens and graze on algae all day. They are awesome fish.

I feed them pellets a couple times a day. Also, Rods Food herbivore blend a couple times a week. They eat everything just fine.

 

[ApoIsland]

The prepared foods I will be getting are:

1. Ocean Nutrition Formula-1 Pellets (Meaty) Dry

2. Ocean Nutrition Formula-2 Pellets (Herbivorous) Dry

3. Ocean Nutrition Formula-1 Flakes (Meaty) Dry

4. Ocean Nutrition Formula-2 Flakes (Herbivorous) Dry

5. Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef Flakes (Meaty) Dry

6. Hikari Marine S and A Pellets (Mixed?) Dry


7. Hikari Mega Marine Marine Algae (Herbivorous) Frozen

8. Hikari Algae Wafers (Herbivorous) Dry

9. Hikari Ocean Plankton + Rotifers + Gammarus (Meaty) Frozen

10. Hikari Krill (Meaty) Frozen

11. Hikari Squid (Meaty) Frozen


12. Brine Cubes (Meaty) Frozen

13. Mysis Cubes (Meaty) Frozen

14. First Bite Fish Eggs (Meaty) Frozen

15. First Bite Calanus Liquid (Meaty) Frozen

16. First Bite Brine (Meaty) Frozen

17. Doctor Bassler (German brand) Caviar (Meaty) Frozen

18. AMF (Asian Marine Fantasy-Chinese company) Nori Sheets (Herbivorous) Dry

19. Julian Sprung’s Sea Veggies (Meaty) Dry

20. Omega One Shrimp Pellets (Meaty) Dry

21. First Bite Copepods (Meaty) Frozen

22. Bloodworm cubes (Meaty - but I heard they introduce diseases?) Frozen

23. Hikari Seaweed Extreme (Herbivorous) Dry


And adding frozen or fresh seafood and seaweed into the mix when possible.


Are Kole Tangs more difficult to get eating compared to the Zebrasoma tangs? Heard they’re hardcore grazers, them to grazing as Mandarins are to pods.

They are the hardest of hardcore grazers. I severely regret the day I added this fish to my tank. Was a freebie from a buddy when he broke a tank down. Once I get this fish out I don't think you could pay me $1000 to take it back. Yellow, Blue and Sailfin were all fat and happy for years together. Add that lawnmower kole and he eats all the algae the blue and Sailfin were eating. I now have to hand feed the Sailfin and watch the blue get skinnier and skinnier. Yellow is the only one that is maintaining his weight. Worst fish I have ever added. Beware of that

 

[Blessed Tank]

Get a purple or yellow. If you go with bristle tooth I would only get a white tail because they are the best looking. Maybe one purple or yellow and one bristle tooth white tail or tomini if you have room for 2.

 

[Robertellis30]

Every time I’ve ever introduced a tang into my tank I’ve always had an ich break out. But that’s only my experience.

 

[Rrwilson1223]

My first tang was a yellow eye Kole tang. Also the easiest tang I’ve kept. He’s very chill and gets along with everyone.

 

[mar.deezy]

Wu-tang

 

[Zionas]

Out of these Tangs, which genus / species are relatively more disease resistant and less prone to ick / velvet?

 

[Zionas]

Scopas Tangs get to a foot long, Purples I heard get aggressive and still get to 10”. Seems like it’s down to the Yellow and the Bristletooths.

According to WWM the Tomini is “rarely seen” and “the hardest of its genus to keep” (according to Bob Fenner). I’d appreciate more insights on keeping the Bristletooth Tangs (different species) and getting them to feed.

Gemmatum and Black Sailfin both get to 9” and are super expensive.

 

[mort]

There are wild sizes and then aquarium sizes. I've never seen a captive kept yellow, scopas or purple much bigger than palm size, no matter how big the tank was. 6" would be considered a big one of any of those ime but they have the potential to be bigger.

Tangs have a lower resistance to parasites because of their thinner protective body mucus coating compared to other fish species. I wouldn't say any on your list have an advantage or disadvantage in terms of resistance, it's the acanthurus that has several species that are more prone but the zebrasoma and ctenochaetus are pretty similar. I'd always advise that if you aren't prepared for the possibility of disease and to prophylactically treat in qt or have a back up plan, then avoid that species.

 

[Zionas]

No way I’m getting an Acanthurus.

 

[Firthy13]

Other then the blue and sailfins, which I think probably get a bit big for your tank, any could work.
Rather then finding the perfect tang on paper, can I suggest picking the fish you want to keep the most. Pick something you love the look off, colours your immediately drawn to, something that interests you. Make your decision, research its needs and get prepared before you purchase it, which will sound like you will.

 

[DennistheMenace]

I have had all of the ones on your list. I have a pair of yellows in a 6', 165g tank for 16 years, they haven't gotten too big, but have stayed fat and happy, just grazing. I have 2 sailfins, that have gotten quite large. One in the 165 and 1 in a 5' 125, predator tank that is scaped with lots of swimming room. I have a tomini in the 165 for about 10 years now. He can get a little aggressive, and sporatic, but healthy. I have had bad luck with the kole tangs, but that is just trying to find a healthy one(bacterial infections that show up after a couple of weeks). I have 3 yellows in a 10 month old 180 reef tank, and one of them is a butt. It has killed a copper band, a purple tang and a smaller sailfin. If I were getting just 1, I would go with a yellow. Good grazer, and generally healthy.

 

[Zionas]

I’d say Yellow and Kole Eye Yellow are the two I like the most. Were the Kole Tangs you bought healthy at the LFS? Were they eating well and active, alert? Do you think a healthy one would be just as good as a Yellow?

The only thing that’s making me hesitate getting a Yellow is that my tank’s only 5’ and the Yellow will be sharing the tank with two other 8” fish: a Comet and a OSFF.

 

[Zionas]

My concern with a Yellow Tang in a 5’ is three fold, but I hope I’m worrying too much / overthinking:

1. It might bully the other fish, including the One-Spot Foxface and Marine Betta which are around the same size.

2. It will get stressed due to a lack of swimming room.

3. It will simply outgrow the tank.


My tank’s exact dimensions are: 1.5m long, 0.7m wide, 0.6m tall.

 

[Eva Rose]

TANK SIZE
Here is a thread addressing one of your concerns, which is tank size recommendations for different tang species.

Tank sizes for tangs: Help us create a list!

Let's put our heads together and come up with a good general rule of thumb for tanks sizes for specific tangs in gallons and in feet. Here is a list of tangs: (please let me know if I missed any) FISH - Minimum Gallons - Minimum Tank Size in Feet Achilles Surgeonfish - 180g - 6 ft...

www.reef2reef.com

HARDINESS
To be honest I feel it it best to quarantine all fish OR buy pre-quarantined fish by someone using proper protocols. Fish “suddenly’ show ich because ich is in the tank or a fish was added that had ich but was not showing symptoms. Ich can be introduced to a tank on a invert shell or coral that was not in a QT tank previously.


So it depends. Are you running a “Quarantined Tank” (where fish, corals & inverts are QT’’d) or a ‘Disease Management Tank” (where qt is not used).
In a Disease Management tank fish are fed nutritious foods, vitamins, UV sterilizer might be used etc. to help boost fish’s immunity. But the downside is a stressful event (even like a fish being territorial) can weaken their resistance.