Help! tang police!

[dana&pj]

OK. I want to do this right the first time so my tank can be healthy and balanced.
I have a 100 gal reef and within the limits of the bio load I'd like to keep a tank where most of my fish are tangs. Is this possible? And then, Is it a good Idea?
I now have a Naso, a small perc clown a flame hawk and a flame angel. over the course of about six months I want to add a blue hippo, a purple tang, and last because of aggression a very small yellow tang.
What do you think?

 

[tizzo]

Originally posted by Dana&PJ
I'd like to keep a tank where most of my fish are tangs. Is this possible? What do you think?
Yes this is possible, here's how;
Get rid of the small perc, flame hawk and flame angel- then most of your fish will be tangs.
Otherwise you may not be able to keep them throughout their life span, and you will have to give them back to the lfs. By then they will be to big and nobody else will want them either then who knows what??

 

[jdogg2432]

You might be able to get away with putting in a Blue Tang or a Yellow, but not both. Naso Tangs love tons of swimming space and rock to graze on, and may get stressed if they have to share space with another tang in your 100 gallon. I would highly discurage putting a yellow and a purple together in a 100 gallon. Purples are expecially territorial, and you should try to keep them separated from other tangs in their class, which the yellow tang is. Some can get away with putting them in the same tank, but usually have bigger setups. Sorry to be such a pain in the butt. I love tangs as well, and have been told the same thing as I'm telling you in the past when I wanted to put a couple of tangs together in the same tank. I just recently started up a 210 to elimate that problem though. Good luck!

 

[stacyt]

To answer your 1st question. It's possible. If all the tangs where extremely small, and for a short period of time it may work.
To answer your second question. Tangs need their space or they will become aggressive towards each other. The way it is the Naso will get to big for a 100 gallon tank. So IMO it's a bad idea.

 

[dana&pj]

My Naso is small now (about 2 inches) and I want to find a small blue -the smaller the better. and I have made arrangements with a tank service provider friend of mine to trade them out at four inches or so, for him to put into larger set-ups.
Do you think I can keep the naso and the blue if they are both small?

 

[nicky1.8t]

even know you have abig tang i would only do 2-3 tangs top id stick with 2 imo and some of those other fish will prolly get beat by the tangs so i would lose them to.

 

[harlequin]

Theres room for the yellow and purple, although since both are already aggressive and territorial, and they are of the same genus, they will have issues. Its way too small a tank for any of the Naso species longterm, and will get too small for the blue when it gets bigger. Tangs are a family of fish that really enjoys rough water and short bursts of speed through it, but not so short that they can do them in normal sized tanks.

 

[harlequin]

If you want hardier and more survivable relatives of tangs, look into rabbitfish. There are several really bright and colorful species that will do fine + they grow pretty slow too.

 

[dana&pj]

Thanks so much. I want happy fish, even if it means not having all the stuff I wanted.
Thanks,
Dana

 

[marineman]

i have 4 tangs doing fine together in a 175g so size does really help if you want alot of tangs together. mine include a purple, yellow, naso and clown and have had them all several months now. in a 100g a yellow and blue hippo may work out, add the hippo first. If keeping the naso i might add a blue hippo with him but dont forget alot of live rock for escape holes/caves.