can tangs live together or not
- Thread starter harman
- Start date
gemini
Member
Probably the best thing to do is buy a good saltwater fish book. We use "Marine Fishes" by Scott W. Michael almost every day. There are several good books out there though. Check the scientific names of the tangs and if they don't have the same scientific name, it is generally ok to put them together. They can be very aggressive so make sure the other fish in the tank can handle aggressive fish - this is more important in smaller tanks. 150 gallons is a pretty good sized tank so you should easily be able to put a couple tangs in there. Good luck! 
tony detroit
Active Member
My girlfriend and I love all the tangs especially for reef tanks, I'll get some pictures of our tank up soon but we have
2 yellow tangs
1 blonde naso tang
1 sohol tang (which is absolutely beautiful under MH/pc lites)
1 regal blue/hippo tang
1 scopas tang
1 purple tang
and yes you should add them all at the same time. That is very important. If you already have tangs in the tank like I did, take all of the fish out, put each one in its own bucket for about two hours while you acclimate the new fish. Rearrange your aquascaping and liverock so it looks new when you put the fish back in. I have also found as well that tangs with the same body shape seem to be more aggressive toward each other than the other tangs. My scopas is really pissy some days and others they get along fine. Another problem you may run into is ich. A good way to stay straight that I have found is Tropical Sciences Marine Max, which is great for reef tanks being copper free and has kept all of my tangs ich free for some time now. We really don't add it to the tank anymore juse initially when you add the fish and for maybe the next month should be just fine. I added my new tangs first, then my original ones. Buy some chip clips with suction cups on them and some Seaweed selects. Brown and green Seaweed selects seem to be the most sought after by my tangs, but I also use red and it gets completely eaten as well. You must keep good water quality for tangs, this is a must. Powder blues, Powder browns, are especially somewhat non-hardy so you may want to stay away from them. Also try to buy bigger tangs if you can because they are less dependent on naturally growing algae in your tank. Try feeding multiple times daily as they like to graze on algae all day. I bought a lifegard automatic feeder and use 7 different kinds of pellets/flakes which are fed 4 times daily to the fish. I have healthier tangs than I ever see at fish stores. Tangs are great fish once you can appreciate them and are great for reef tanks almost always leaving corals alone, only very rarely nipping at corals, but that is a very slim chance.
2 yellow tangs
1 blonde naso tang
1 sohol tang (which is absolutely beautiful under MH/pc lites)
1 regal blue/hippo tang
1 scopas tang
1 purple tang
and yes you should add them all at the same time. That is very important. If you already have tangs in the tank like I did, take all of the fish out, put each one in its own bucket for about two hours while you acclimate the new fish. Rearrange your aquascaping and liverock so it looks new when you put the fish back in. I have also found as well that tangs with the same body shape seem to be more aggressive toward each other than the other tangs. My scopas is really pissy some days and others they get along fine. Another problem you may run into is ich. A good way to stay straight that I have found is Tropical Sciences Marine Max, which is great for reef tanks being copper free and has kept all of my tangs ich free for some time now. We really don't add it to the tank anymore juse initially when you add the fish and for maybe the next month should be just fine. I added my new tangs first, then my original ones. Buy some chip clips with suction cups on them and some Seaweed selects. Brown and green Seaweed selects seem to be the most sought after by my tangs, but I also use red and it gets completely eaten as well. You must keep good water quality for tangs, this is a must. Powder blues, Powder browns, are especially somewhat non-hardy so you may want to stay away from them. Also try to buy bigger tangs if you can because they are less dependent on naturally growing algae in your tank. Try feeding multiple times daily as they like to graze on algae all day. I bought a lifegard automatic feeder and use 7 different kinds of pellets/flakes which are fed 4 times daily to the fish. I have healthier tangs than I ever see at fish stores. Tangs are great fish once you can appreciate them and are great for reef tanks almost always leaving corals alone, only very rarely nipping at corals, but that is a very slim chance.
flamehawk
Active Member
Long term success with many tangs in same tank is tricky. Just noticed on another post that Tony has a 180g and didn't add all 7 tangs at same time. Good to see. As far as 7 tangs in a 180...good luck. May work now but the future?...hope so.Would not advocate a YT and PT together in a 55.
In any event you can get away w/ 3 tangs in a 150g. Agree w/ Logan and Gemeni . All should come from different families and as different in shapes as possible. In an established 150 you s/b able to add the three together. Good luck.
In any event you can get away w/ 3 tangs in a 150g. Agree w/ Logan and Gemeni . All should come from different families and as different in shapes as possible. In an established 150 you s/b able to add the three together. Good luck.
tony detroit
Active Member
It's a 180 gallon reef/fish. For some reason I can't attach photos, possibly because I'm using dial up. I'm absolutely addicted to tangs and sharks. There's also a brownbanded bamboo shark,and a round stingray in there. I plan on splitting up the fish load soon. I have a used 300 gallon in the garage, just waiting for tax return, etc. I'll try and attach some pics, but it always tells me my file is too big, no matter what picture I use.
tony detroit
Active Member
That is sweet. Can you tell me how to attach photos please.
emperorangel
Member
Plum incredible tank, great looking fish.
lemonshark
Member
I added two tangs to my 125, Powder Blue and Blue Hippo. I will add another powder blue and two yellow tangs in about two to three weeks. I’m planning on moving soon, so I will put them in the tank after all the moving is complete since the rocks will be moved around. I will add two false perculas and that will be the end of the fish addition frenzy.
The powder blue I currently have as the most active swimmer. The hippo will swim with the powder in some occasions (as best friends) but it will sleep hiding in the rocks most of the time. When feeding, the tank becomes active, my cleaner shrimp, arrow crab, helmet crabs, brittle star, serpent star, two Caribbean carpet anemones and my (Tank Cycling Machine) Domino Damsel.
When I add the two percs in the near future, I know they won’t need much space, and they will remain in one place. That place will for sure be where the anemones are.
When adding fish, I think of their behavior, temper, care level, etc. That way I know I won’t have problems in the end. I do a lot of research before buying and that helps a lot.
Good luck!
The powder blue I currently have as the most active swimmer. The hippo will swim with the powder in some occasions (as best friends) but it will sleep hiding in the rocks most of the time. When feeding, the tank becomes active, my cleaner shrimp, arrow crab, helmet crabs, brittle star, serpent star, two Caribbean carpet anemones and my (Tank Cycling Machine) Domino Damsel.
When I add the two percs in the near future, I know they won’t need much space, and they will remain in one place. That place will for sure be where the anemones are.
When adding fish, I think of their behavior, temper, care level, etc. That way I know I won’t have problems in the end. I do a lot of research before buying and that helps a lot.
Good luck!
aquarius 1
Member
In one tank I have an Orange-Shoulder, Powder Blue and Sailfin tang. In another I have a Powder Brown and a Hippo. And my Uncle has a 150 with a Powder Blue, a Sohal, a Yellow, a Hippo, a Sailfin, and an Achilles. All of these fish coexist in their tanks with no real problems besides the occasional challenge match. But other than that, they're great together.
flamehawk
Active Member
Lemonshark- It would be quite beautiful colors to have 2 PB's , 2 yt's and a hippo in a 125g. Unfortunately the odds will be stacked against you that it would work for a long period of time. 2PB's will most certainly harass and terrorize each other to death and the 2 YT's together in crowded conditions is a toss up. IMO I would not put more than 3 tangs in a 125g. A hippo, YT and PB would go great. You could still add the percs but I wouldn't add them last because the tangs would have already staked their territories and may harass them too much. In addition the domino damsel is notoriously aggressive and territorial. I doubt he'll allow the introduction of the Percs w/o a huge fight and he will probably not let up. I would return him to LFS, next add the percs and then the 1 additional tang(YT). You still would have room for a couple more smaller size fish or one rather med to large fish, your choice.
Hope you reconsider your stocking plans but I wish you luck either way.
There are some who claim success overstocking tanks with tangs and other fish but again we don't want fish to just exist but flourish in the best artificial environment conditions we can provide. Overcrowding is the number cause of stress and shortened life span for captive fish. I also would ask anyone who claims success w/ overcrowded conditions the following question...How many outbreaks of desease have they had? How many fish have they lost? How long have they had the fish? How robust are there colors? etc.etc.
Hope you reconsider your stocking plans but I wish you luck either way.
There are some who claim success overstocking tanks with tangs and other fish but again we don't want fish to just exist but flourish in the best artificial environment conditions we can provide. Overcrowding is the number cause of stress and shortened life span for captive fish. I also would ask anyone who claims success w/ overcrowded conditions the following question...How many outbreaks of desease have they had? How many fish have they lost? How long have they had the fish? How robust are there colors? etc.etc.
lemonshark
Member
I know many people had succeeded keeping more than 6 tangs in a 75gls tank. I’m not getting another powder blue after these few days that have past. Because, I study their behavior and I notice the space and conditions required for that particular fish. I’m not getting two yellows, because I’ve seen one harassing the other at other aquariums. I’ve visited many friends these days to see what they got and how his livestock behaves. Thank you for your concern. I’m going with just one yellow tang, two percs and small fishes like the green chromis and some other less demanding small fish.
