Hey tang people

[nitro dave]

I am getting a 240g tank

that is 72" buy 24" buy 31" and want to know how many tangs I can have safely in this tank this is what I would like to have.
1 yellow tang
1 blue hippo tang
1 clown tang
1 achilles tang
whould this be ok.

 

[saltfan]

Tank is only as long as my 135, hmm.. Tangs need the length in the tank, not necessarily the depth. Swimming room from side to side. But yes, I think you will be ok. The Achilles, good luck.. Tough one there.

 

[salix]

Id think you would be ok. you should have as much lr as possible. you might also try to add them all at the same time, so nodoby thinks they are the boss. I currently have one powder blue and five yellow tangs in a 240 long. their is one small yellow i have that seems to get picked on by the other larger ones, but most of the time they seem to get along. I am not an athourity on the fish you choose so hopefully somebody else will chime in, with better info.

 

[boalgf]

The clown tang would do much better in an 8' tank as an adult. They are incredibly aggressive little killing machines who get large (15"). You might want to reconsider that one. It is also in the same family as the achilles, which is almost a guaranteed dead achilles.
The yellow, blue, and achilles will be fine in there assuming you can keep the achilles alive. Good luck. Visually speaking, I like the fish you picked. Even if they aren't compatible. :happyfish

 

[bang guy]

Nice post boalgf

 

[lion_crazz]

Yep, good post boalgf. I would personally drop the clown and achilles and do fish (tangs?) that are a little more hardy like a purple, kole, or naso. All are stunning fish and much more hardy.

 

[boalgf]

Thanks lion and bang.

Atlantic blue is an underappreciated tang as well, I've had them and they are great. If you feel comfortable with tangs in the future, powder browns are a safe alternative to the achilles.

 

[lion_crazz]

Boalgf, how long have you successfully kept an atlantic blue tang? I am just curious. I have nothing but negative feelings toward them. They are one of my favorite fish, but in my opinion, rank right up there with species like clowns and achilles.

 

[boalgf]

I've had one personally and quarantined a 2nd one for a relative who didn't have a QT tank. Both are still alive and doing well. I had to move mine out after I got my powder blue, they just weren't compatible and I think PBT's are the best looking fish out there. I had it for about 10 months before giving it away to a local guy with a reef tank. Have you tried keeping one before? If so, what happened? All sources I've ready mark them as about the same difficulty as a hippo tang and I feel that's about right. I bought mine from SWF.com.
nitro dave, I hope you don't mind us gettin a little side tracked.

 

[nereef]

i have also read that atlantic blues are one of the easier acanthurus species to keep. we discussed them on this board about a week ago and all i got were negative comments about them. strange

 

[lion_crazz]

No, I have never kept one because each and every one I have dealt with at my LFS and in customers' tanks never do all that great. They come down with blotchy color, start to look malnourished (regardless of how varied the diet may be), and just perish. I have always felt they do better in schools, because every place I see them (hotels, public aquariums, etc.) they are always in schools as adults.

 

[nitro dave]

I think I will forget about the clown tang did'nt know they got that big until today and maybe try and find a altrenative to the achilles tang. thank you for the replies :joy: also a lfs near me just called me back and said they can get me a 210 for 699$ might go with this, it is onsale for 30% off normaly 1000$. It is only 2" shorter in hight, 29" instead of 31"

 

[lion_crazz]

Wow, thats the only difference between a 210 and 240? I didn't know that. $700 is about what my 210 cost. With it all set-up, it cost me about $3700 for supplies and live rock.

 

[nitro dave]

I think I am going to still try a achilles tang :thinking: and only have three tangs in my 210, a yellow a hippo and the achilles. I really want to try one so any one who has had one and it lived please give me some tips.

 

[barkdog]

I never had an achilles, but I have had some success with a powder blue tang, so maybe my experience can relate. I think this can really apply to any fish, its all pretty obvious stuff, but not everyone does it.
Have plenty of live rock, and let the tank get established. My tank was about 18 months old when I added my PBT.
Have good water quality. Invest in an RO filter if you dont have one. Also make sure you have a good protein skimmer. I battled bad water quality for months before I bit the bullet and bought the right equipment.
Provide a good diet. I feed spectrum pellets, seaweed, mysis shrimp, and frozen tang formula. I also feed macro alge that I grow in my fuge. I also feed fresh shrimp and squid from the grocery store. My PBT seems to like the spectrum pellets and seaweed the most.
When picking the fish ask to see him feed. Make sure you get one that is eating. I know in the case of powder blue tangs they starve to death in captivity. Also make sure the fish has good color, fins, is active.... obvious stuff.
Finally when bringing the fish home try to make the transition smooth and stress free. I rearranged the rocks in my tank to dsestroy the territories. I turned off the lights. I drip acclimated the fish for about 3 hours, then put him in.
I'm not claiming this is the only recipe for success, but it worked for me.

 

[puffer32]

I am sooooooooo tempted to get a PB for my 150, besides a mandrin, my fav fish! But I have nightmares i will turn my lights on one morning and have a tank full of ick covered fish.

 

[nitro dave]

I have about 100 pounds of rock in my 75 right now that will go in with about 150 more, I do use ro water and I have a good skimmer also. I think Im on the right track. I use a 55g tank as my holding tank befor I put fish in my display to. I just hope that I do eveything I can the right way so I can have a good shot at keeping this fish and I still know that it dont mean I can keep it alive even if I do eveything prefect.

 

[barkdog]

Dont put all of these tangs in a 75 though. Just wait until you get a bigger tank. My PBT is in a 200, but is so active, I wish I had something bigger.

 

[nitro dave]

all these fish will be in a 210. I have the tank and i am just waitting for my stand to come in.

 

[supalupa]

Sure you don't want a clown tang? Mine is doing great and never had a spot of ick. Oh no did I say that I better go check him.