Tang Planning

sh2000

sh2000

Member
I have experience with 2 simillar shaped tangs in a 120 gal. tank that have been fighting for months now it's almolst inevetable that one will dominate the other ...of course some of you know they are all in a 55 gal QT being Hypo'd but this is a hypothetical question for down the road so lets focus on that.
Introducing 3 simillar shaped tangs in a 120 would they get along I read an odd number of tangs work but even numbers are tricky..so here is the plan.1 Yellow tang 1 Black tang 1 Purple tang.
or 3 yellow tangs
or 2 yellows and 1 purple
I think you get my question basically will 3 simillar shaped tangs of the same family shape be compatable.
TY
 
sk8shorty01

sk8shorty01

Active Member
I had triplet hippo tangs in my 220g and they didnt fight for very long. The first day they would have their little bouts, but after that they started swimming together and realized that the other fish (triggers, angels) didn't pick on them when they schooled together. I think you would be better off with three but you might run into some problems with your tank size down the road if all live to full potential.
 
ameno

ameno

Active Member
I think what your planning is the best chance of it working out. around equal size and more then two seems to work best. I had a chance to see a 400 gal. system this last weekend that had I believe every type tang there is and had 3 yellows, all swimming together in harmony, really neat to watch.
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by SH2000
http:///forum/post/2482117
I have experience with 2 simillar shaped tangs in a 120 gal. tank that have been fighting for months now it's almolst inevetable that one will dominate the other ...of course some of you know they are all in a 55 gal QT being Hypo'd but this is a hypothetical question for down the road so lets focus on that.
Introducing 3 simillar shaped tangs in a 120 would they get along I read an odd number of tangs work but even numbers are tricky..so here is the plan.1 Yellow tang 1 Black tang 1 Purple tang.
or 3 yellow tangs
or 2 yellows and 1 purple
I think you get my question basically will 3 simillar shaped tangs of the same family shape be compatable.
TY

Yes, that will absolutely work. Although going by shape works in the case of the Yellow/Purple/Sailfin types (which are zebrasoma), you should probably look to the family name instead of body shape. There are some Ctenochaetus tangs that look very close to Acanthurus tangs and it would be tough to distinguish them without knowing what tangs belong to what families. For example, you wouldn't want a convict tang and a powder blue tang (both acanthurus) in the same tank unless the tank was large enough that you could do 3 (though this might be a bad example of the grouping of 3, I've read that powder blues are staunch defenders of their territory). Convict tangs look fairly similar to several types of bristletooth tangs, though bristletooth are in the ctenochaetus family, so one yellow eye kole (from the later family) would do well in a tank with one convict.
Hope that helps, without being too much info.
 
sh2000

sh2000

Member
so here's the situation...I have 2 yellow tangs in QT going through HYPO they are fighting alot and became quite aggresive...When putting them back into my 120 DT after 6 weeks also doing major aquascaping and in the process of curing 50 lb of lr...should I introduce the 2 yellows and the purple together...or is it tricky since the 2 yellows have been fighting for months and might have issues with a purple tang...any input would help...I dont want to take a chance of harming the prurple tang as it is my prized fish and I saved up for a while to be ready to get one when they become available which in NJ is RARE...am I better off placing a yellow in my 80 and a purple in my 120 and taking the other yellow and trading it in to the LFS ? or can I attempt knowing it won't cause harm to the fiah and they will all live 3 simillar shaped tangs of the same family in harmony in the 120 ??
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by SH2000
http:///forum/post/2482899
so here's the situation...I have 2 yellow tangs in QT going through HYPO they are fighting alot and became quite aggresive...When putting them back into my 120 DT after 6 weeks also doing major aquascaping and in the process of curing 50 lb of lr...should I introduce the 2 yellows and the purple together...or is it tricky since the 2 yellows have been fighting for months and might have issues with a purple tang...any input would help...I dont want to take a chance of harming the prurple tang as it is my prized fish and I saved up for a while to be ready to get one when they become available which in NJ is RARE...am I better off placing a yellow in my 80 and a purple in my 120 and taking the other yellow and trading it in to the LFS ? or can I attempt knowing it won't cause harm to the fiah and they will all live 3 simillar shaped tangs of the same family in harmony in the 120 ??
Well, a 120 is a bit small for 3 tangs, even though these are one of the smaller families, but it's still a tough call. I would do this:
when re-introducing the yellows into the 120, add the purple at the same time. The re-aquascape will help break any territory that they might "remember", but do the acclimation with the 120's lights off. If after 1 week they're still fighting, take one yellow back to the LFS and put one in your 80, like you said. Just be sure you don't re-add them before at least 6 weeks of the 120 being empty of fish to ensure the ich doesn't come back. Best of luck!
 
sh2000

sh2000

Member
good advice will do..but if i remove the bully yellow that leaves the other yellow and the purple 2 tangs simillar shaped sizes doesn't that= problem ?
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by SH2000
http:///forum/post/2484285
good advice will do..but if i remove the bully yellow that leaves the other yellow and the purple 2 tangs simillar shaped sizes doesn't that= problem ?
I did mention putting the other yellow back in the 80.
So, question, between this thread and a few others that you have open, I'm under the impression that the following is true:
1. You have a 120g that's had an ich outbreak
2. You have an 80g that may or may not have any fish right now
3. You have a 55g being used for QT right now where the fish from the 120 are all residing
4. You have some other QT available and want to put a purple tang in there?
Between all the threads, and if the above is true, it might be prudent to slow down and wait before getting any new fish. Be sure that your current treatment works, and that all of your fish survive before adding new ones to the mix. For all you know, one of your yellow tangs might end up dying during the hypo process, then you'd be left with a purple and a yellow, and no idea how you want to do things. Just my 2 cents, but I've lost fish during hypo before, and I've lost fish to ich, so I would take the possibilities into account before adding new variables.
 
sk8shorty01

sk8shorty01

Active Member
Originally Posted by m0nk
http:///forum/post/2484297
I did mention putting the other yellow back in the 80.
So, question, between this thread and a few others that you have open, I'm under the impression that the following is true:
1. You have a 120g that's had an ich outbreak
2. You have an 80g that may or may not have any fish right now
3. You have a 55g being used for QT right now where the fish from the 120 are all residing
4. You have some other QT available and want to put a purple tang in there?
Between all the threads, and if the above is true, it might be prudent to slow down and wait before getting any new fish. Be sure that your current treatment works, and that all of your fish survive before adding new ones to the mix. For all you know, one of your yellow tangs might end up dying during the hypo process, then you'd be left with a purple and a yellow, and no idea how you want to do things. Just my 2 cents, but I've lost fish during hypo before, and I've lost fish to ich, so I would take the possibilities into account before adding new variables.


I second m0nks suggestions. This is of course, cosidering all of the cases above are true. I would wait and make sure your fish are healthy before you add another stressor to the mix.
 
sh2000

sh2000

Member
pretty much u guys got it I do also have a 30 gallon tank with frshwater fish...not that it applies I have a trigger..niger and picasso with a puffer and a foxface in the 80 gal fowlr...the 55 is going great params are in check and hypo is in progress the fish all look good already oddly they are getting along..the 120 is going through the cycle to get out the ick/ich...the 10 is the qt and the purple tang I got today is going in there until march 12...I will try and setup a new qt 20 gallons to give the PT more room...I agree with you I should not have gotten anymore fish at this time but when the oppertunity came for the purple tang I simply could not pass up this deal as soon as I get everything in order I will post some pics..It might be the most splended PT I ever saw.
 
sh2000

sh2000

Member
Yes! they fight all day and night it's inevetable that one will succumb to the other ...It was a mistake to add two yellow tangs and not 1 or 3...i came to the conclusion im going to just put my new purple tang in my 120 in 6 weeks then put 1 yellow in my 80.. and take one back to the fish store...there's a small chance I might add my rock in 6 weeks re aquascape and add the 2 yellows and the purple at the same time and that might work...I'm leaning towards the former
 
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