killer clown tang?

john harlan

Member
hey all I just bought a new clown tang about 3-4 in and i was wondering if he would kill my engineer goby and green chromis
 

martymcfly

Member
I am definately not an expert nor do I have one but the majority of what I have read about them states that they are pretty aggressive and hard to keep. Not sure if this really helps...I'm sure someone who knows more will chime in.
 

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by john harlan
http:///forum/post/3012654
hey all I just bought a new clown tang about 3-4 in and i was wondering if he would kill my engineer goby and green chromis
I doubt it. Clown tangs are one fish I just gave up on. I tried 3, over several years, and never had one last more that a few months. He was very aggressive toward similar sized fish, but didn't bother smaller ones...and all fish gave him the right-of-way. IMO, this is a fish that will be a little more civil in a big tank. How big a tank is he in?
 

pastor b.

Member
Dear hobbyist, as a Clown tang matures, it will become more aggressive. I have one in my 150 gallon aquarium. I brought it when it was 2.5" - 3",now it's 8" . Water quality is a must for Clown tangs since they are susceptible to ick. I've had mine for almost 4 years now,and the fish it will spar with aren't damsels at all. It will spar with my queen angel fish which is 8.5" . Soon the two are friends again
,and go their own directions .
 

john harlan

Member
okay so the clown tang probably would not kill my gobie but my water quality is fairly high and their the only ones in the tank
 

hlcroghan

Active Member
good job for not overstocking! unfortunately you prolly cannot add any other fish as they are aggressive so if you decide to maje sure it is at night and that it is not also aggressive...
 

john harlan

Member
i am about to add a pair of blue throat tiggers both 4-6 in do you think they could hold their own and not get killed
 

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by john harlan
http:///forum/post/3013397
i am about to add a pair of blue throat tiggers both 4-6 in do you think they could hold their own and not get killed
In my limited opinion, this is really a "individual" fish thing. One source I trust recommends 180 gallons as minimum for a grown Clown Tang. I would expect most of their aggression would be toward fish of similar size, fish that could be seen as threats to their dominance. (I don't like playing fish Psychiatrist, but wth.) There just isn't any way way of knowing what would happen; but I wouldn't put these 3 fish together in a 100. The triggers may take some whuppin' before they learn their place, or the CT could end up being on the wussy side. All of this is guessing and, I think, a little too optimistic. In any case, a CT in a 100 is probably going to be the alpha fish and really limit what you can put with him.
 
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