Which Tangs better?

[Reesj]

Hi all,
I have a 3.5 x1.5 foot tank with about 1.8 hight tank. I recently removed my large clown and 2 giant damsels (You would not have seen bigger yellow tails as these.), and in need of a new stocking list. Currently, only a yellow wrasse. small clown male and damsel there.

I'm thinking of getting a small Blond naso or Sailfin tang if I can find either in stores here. I know they grow really big, but I will rehome them when they get bigger, like my last lot. So plz no tang police
Which of the 2 are less likely to munch on Corals, and which one will grow slowly ?
If some one started off with smaller blond naso and sailfin ;seen their growth rate, that would be amazing..

 

[Dolphins18]

Naso certainly wont grow slowly, though when put in a 3.5 foot tank it might. This causes their insides to outgrow their body, sounds pretty painful doesn't it?
I am not tang police, but if you want large tangs so bad maybe you should get a larger system?
A bristletooth would be fine...

 

[PeterC99]

I’ve had 2 Sailfins and they were both very aggressive towards other fish.

Have this Orange Shoulder Tang that has been a model citizen in my aquarium. Will eventually get too large but since you are rehoming not an issue.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hi all,
I have a 3.5 x1.5 foot tank with about 1.8 hight tank. I recently removed my large clown and 2 giant damsels (You would not have seen bigger yellow tails as these.), and in need of a new stocking list. Currently, only a yellow wrasse. small clown male and damsel there.

I'm thinking of getting a small Blond naso or Sailfin tang if I can find either in stores here. I know they grow really big, but I will rehome them when they get bigger, like my last lot. So plz no tang police
Which of the 2 are less likely to munch on Corals, and which one will grow slowly ?
If some one started off with smaller blond naso and sailfin ;seen their growth rate, that would be amazing..

Naso certainly wont grow slowly, though when put in a 3.5 foot tank it might. This causes their insides to outgrow their body, sounds pretty painful doesn't it?
I am not tang police, but if you want large tangs so bad maybe you should get a larger system?
A bristletooth would be fine...

I’ve had 2 Sailfins and they were both very aggressive towards other fish.

Have this Orange Shoulder Tang that has been a model citizen in my aquarium. Will eventually get too large but since you are rehoming not an issue.

Purposely trying to have their insides outgrow their outsides - EEW!!!

I had a small sailfin. Notice verb tense. Significant growth in past few months. In fact, had to go back East on trip, returned home and my sailfin noticeably grew more just while I was away. Agree sailfin tang aggression is problem; mine would already be in sump jail for bad behavior if it wasn't already so large

 

[Reesj]

I don't have much of a choice when it comes to fish selection. I have to source fish available in local water around Sri Lanka mostly.
I so far had a powder blue tang that started to munch on my goniopora after 3-4 months. So had to rehome him.
I had a purple tang (that cost a fortune over here) for the last 1.5 years. He was doing great till he went inside my anemon to grab his nori piece (Stupid clowns always take the break off nori inside anemon they host). Got his mouth stung by the anemon. He seemed to be in pain at that time and stoped eating aferwards. Starved to death in next 10 or so days after. So don't want another purple one.
We have Scopas tangs, that doesn't look that pleasing, and once like clown tangs seemed to be too aggressive.

 

[Reesj]

Btw, anyone have experience on Dusky wrasse? Thinking of adding one to my yellow wrasse

 

[HD_Reefer]

Tomini or 2 Spot Bristletooth would be my recommendation. Scopas as an alternate.

 

[Tamberav]

Hi all,
I have a 3.5 x1.5 foot tank with about 1.8 hight tank. I recently removed my large clown and 2 giant damsels (You would not have seen bigger yellow tails as these.), and in need of a new stocking list. Currently, only a yellow wrasse. small clown male and damsel there.

I'm thinking of getting a small Blond naso or Sailfin tang if I can find either in stores here. I know they grow really big, but I will rehome them when they get bigger, like my last lot. So plz no tang police
Which of the 2 are less likely to munch on Corals, and which one will grow slowly ?
If some one started off with smaller blond naso and sailfin ;seen their growth rate, that would be amazing..

My sailfin tang grew very very fast. I do not recommend getting this one in hopes of it staying small.

 

[Tamberav]

Btw, anyone have experience on Dusky wrasse? Thinking of adding one to my yellow wrasse

Grow large and don’t always place nice with others like it. Can be rough in the CUC. Varies per individual.

 

[Tamberav]

Blue hippo tangs I believe are slower growers and available there?

 

[Kevin80]

Blue hippo tangs I believe are slower growers and available there?

Mine almost doubled in size in a little more than a month

 

[Reesj]

Blue hippo tangs I believe are slower growers and available there?

They are have to be caught in a bit deeper waters, but they are available at a bit higher price. I was 8nitially considering getting one.
But the problem seems to be that, one of the guys I know had one and it started to nip at his zoas. I have a large zoa collection and a but afraid after having had the powder blue Tang experience.

 

[Dolphins18]

Bristle tooth tangs make great pets. Purples live for 20 years and are some of the strongest fish relative to their size and they live alongside anemones without problems, your anemone didn't kill that fish, it took what was left of a weak fish that didn't have much time.
A bristle tooth would do great, one of the larger tangs will not last. 3.5' tank is no different than putting a tang in a 40 gallon. The squaretail bristletooth is native to Sri Lanka, it shouldn't be expensive nor hard to get.
If you don't want to take peoples advice, get either one and don't ask lol. Those are two of the largest species of tang in a tank hardly suitable for the smallest species of tang.

 

[Tamberav]

They are have to be caught in a bit deeper waters, but they are available at a bit higher price. I was 8nitially considering getting one.
But the problem seems to be that, one of the guys I know had one and it started to nip at his zoas. I have a large zoa collection and a but afraid after having had the powder blue Tang experience.

You can find posts of large tangs eating or pecking at corals sometimes. Probably unusual but they also have big appetites and corals have algae in them.

For example, you said sailfin but I can find posts of them picking at corals using the search function.

You are probably safer with a smaller tang and corals or skip the tang all together. Do they have Genicanthus angels there? They are active fish and pretty. I don’t believe they grow fast and have a much smaller terminal size then those large tangs.

 

[Reesj]

Bristle tooth tangs make great pets. Purples live for 20 years and are some of the strongest fish relative to their size and they live alongside anemones without problems, your anemone didn't kill that fish, it took what was left of a weak fish that didn't have much time.
A bristle tooth would do great, one of the larger tangs will not last. 3.5' tank is no different than putting a tang in a 40 gallon. The squaretail bristletooth is native to Sri Lanka, it shouldn't be expensive nor hard to get.
If you don't want to take peoples advice, get either one and don't ask lol. Those are two of the largest species of tang in a tank hardly suitable for the smallest species of tang.

My purple tang lived in my tank for over 1.5 years and was in great helth prior to the incident. Your anology is like saying, there are sharks in ocean, they ive beside them. So sharks should not harm a tang!!!

Tahnks for the info on Bristle tooth tang. I'll look in to it. BTW you don't have to act as a jerk..

 

[Reesj]

You can find posts of large tangs eating or pecking at corals sometimes. Probably unusual but they also have big appetites and corals have algae in them.

For example, you said sailfin but I can find posts of them picking at corals using the search function.

You are probably safer with a smaller tang and corals or skip the tang all together. Do they have Genicanthus angels there? They are active fish and pretty. I don’t believe they grow fast and have a much smaller terminal size then those large tangs.

I have no idea about the Genicanthus angels. Don't think have seen one in here. I'l have to do soem research and see. Thanks.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I have no idea about the Genicanthus angels. Don't think have seen one in here. I'l have to do soem research and see. Thanks.

Researching Sri Lanka, google indicates an export of 111 species of fish, so glad someone not-local found local-to-you fish other options than those two large fish for small tank.

While you asked for no 'tang police' many also feel proper responsible animal husbandry is always desired.

Hoping you make good choices going forward

 

[Reesj]

You can find posts of large tangs eating or pecking at corals sometimes. Probably unusual but they also have big appetites and corals have algae in them.

For example, you said sailfin but I can find posts of them picking at corals using the search function.

You are probably safer with a smaller tang and corals or skip the tang all together. Do they have Genicanthus angels there? They are active fish and pretty. I don’t believe they grow fast and have a much smaller terminal size then those large tangs.

Unfortunetly, Genicanthus angels are not found in local waters and no one is selling them. Was looking for a tang anyway and might have to settle maybe for a scopas or bristle tooth if can find one(Seems a bit rare).

These below are all the fish that can be found anywhere remotely close to Sri Lankan waters. Ofc the Aquariums and exporters don't always catch the whole lot .