Tang ?

[tunatamer4]

We have a 75gl. tank with approx. 50-60lbs. of live rock.
Currently it houses a clown, lawnmower blennie, pacific blue tang, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp, a long-spined urchin and a BIG hermit crab.
The animals get fed every other or three days and only what they will eat. We have had a Caulerpa problem for a long time. The tang grazes ALL DAY LONG and the hermit, blennie and urchin do their share also but they still can't keep up with it.
My question is, can another type of tang be introduced, say a sailfin or a purple or must I try to find another type of herbivore?
Thanks in advance.

 

[reefforbrains]

try backing off on the lights for a bit to let the crew get ahead of the growth.

 

[beatlesfan]

only a kole or a yellow tang will be suitable for a 75g. The blue tang can grow to 16". I highly suggest taking it back and getting a yellow tang or somthing that isn't a tang. I cannot stress that enough that the hippo will out grow your tank.

 

[beatlesfan]

Also like said back off on the lights and possibly get a bigger cleaner crew.

 

[dogstar]

Macro algeas can often over run a tank. Consider the amounts of nutrients that you are introduceing into the system that the macros need and try to reduce them...Most people with this problem just have to remove it by hand. ( pull it out )
Also might consider a fuge to grow macros to help absorb the nutrients from the water so that the macros cant grow so easy in the main tank.

 

[tunatamer4]

As far as a yellow tang goes, been there. All it did was eat the roots off the "runners" and even with the supplimental feedings, starved to death.
The hippo nor the blennie are active during lights out, so the cutting back option is out.
The fuge seems like a reasonable solution except for the additional plumbing and electrical components involved.
As far as the nutrients are concerned, how can I cut back on them without risking the health of the other inhabitants? The skimmer is doing it's job quite well and we have noticed a huge differance in the amount we have to empty from it.
Also I don't think the original question was answered. Can we put a different type of tang in there along with the hippo? BTW- If it comes down to the hippo getting too large for the 75, I do know someone who will take him for display in an office with a 280.

 

[wangotango]

if there wasnt enough food for the yellow tang there certainly isnt enough for two tangs. i would give the hippo to someone and try a dwarf angel instead of a tang. as for cutting down nutrients try doing some more water changes. if anything excess nutrients are a bad thing. and like mentioned i would increase the size of you cleanup crew.
-Justin

 

[tunatamer4]

You know what? It's very simple. Y'all are analyzing this too much. It was simple YES or NO question. Can more than one type of tang be kept in a tank at one time without killing each other?
The yellow attempted to eat ONLY the roots. It didn't graze on anything else at all. Not the little bit of hair that sprung up from time to time nor the nori or other veggie matter I tried to feed it to keep it alive. It picked at the roots and waited for the brine or mysis shrimp I was feeding the others.
There is MORE THAN ENOUGH to sustain multiple herbivores in the tank. When the hippo was purchased, I had jsut had eye surgeryand could not see it very well. My wife looked it over and gave the ok. When my vision was back to normal(a few days later) I thought the fish looked a bit thin in the shoulders. Three months later the fish is as thick as I have ever seen a tang anywhere. Almost obese!
I wish I was able to figure out how to post pics on here to show the amount of growth in the tank, but I am a computer idiot and just get by with turning it on.
Tango, thank you for the suggestion of the pygmy.
If there is anyone who knows how to type the words YES you can ,or NO you can't, please let me know. Otherwise I will seek help from other "experts"

 

[promisetbg]

No

. And as stated, the blue tang will outgrow a 75. True fact, take it or leave it.

 

[lazypinoy]

ill save u the bs. yes you can or i would do it. tangs that look a a like might not get along. exampleuple and yellow tang. same shape (purple killed my yellow) is that simple enough of a answerR?

 

[lazypinoy]

ill save u the bs. yes you can. tangs that look a a like might not get along. exampleuple and yellow tang. same shape (purple killed my yellow) is that simple enough of a answerR?

. but do consider that its not recomended for ur tank.

 

[promisetbg]

Sure, you CAN add the tang. The question should be..should I add the tang? No, is the answer. You should'nt do this either really, but if you must..I would consider a foxface instead of another tang.

 

[66chuck]

Actually, it wasn't just a yes or no question. It was a two part question - "or must I try to find another herbivore". You'll get better responses by phrasing your questions more succinctly and by being more polite.

 

[symon]

No you should not add another tang! You may consider a sea hare, i am sold on them! Eating machines!

 

[vtfishies]

Originally Posted by tunatamer4
As far as a yellow tang goes, been there. All it did was eat the roots off the "runners" and even with the supplimental feedings, starved to death.
The hippo nor the blennie are active during lights out, so the cutting back option is out.
The fuge seems like a reasonable solution except for the additional plumbing and electrical components involved.
As far as the nutrients are concerned, how can I cut back on them without risking the health of the other inhabitants? The skimmer is doing it's job quite well and we have noticed a huge differance in the amount we have to empty from it.
Also I don't think the original question was answered. Can we put a different type of tang in there along with the hippo? BTW- If it comes down to the hippo getting too large for the 75, I do know someone who will take him for display in an office with a 280.
IMO they can be put in a 75 together * its been stated the hippo if/when large enuff will be put in biggersize tank.* that said..try to cut back a bit on lights..i would also bulk up with a cleaning crew ...*i think those who jump with the whole tang police should back off give opinions and be done with it....if u need any assistance jot me an email at luv2snuggwithu@yahoo.com..i'll give some info to u there considerding u cant put other site links here...

 

[hot883]

Like I always say about tangs; IF you have to ask, you are not ready to have them. You honestly did not want the truth, you just wanted answers to back up your want.
Thats a dangerous practice in this hobby as it will become frustrating AND expensive. Hippo's are OPEN water swimmers.

 

[wangotango]

like said before, can it be done: YES, should it be done: NO. if you want multiple herbivors go with a foxface and an angel, along with your blennie. a larger cleaning crew will help substantially. as for the whole "tang police" thing. if someone is doing something that will cause problems down the road and be detrimental to the health of their livestock then people are going to say something regardless. people ask a question, it gets answered, and if the majority of people are telling you something, then its probably right. for suggesting to go to another forum you're going to get the same responces over there too, and a lot of people here (inluding myself) are on other those forums. we're not trying to insult you or anything, we're just concerned about the longterm health of your system.
-Justin

 

[montdj]

I agree the TANG POLICE are getting old. I have started to stay away from this site because you get bashed and really never get your question answered.
Yes you can keep two tangs together just make sure there differnt shapes. Like a purple and yellow would not get along. (well they might if introduced into the tank at the same time) I cant say that it will take care of your problem thou. I dont know of anything that will eat Caulerpa for sure. I googled it and found some good info thou.
And for hot833 I thought that was the main perpose of this site was for people to do reserch.
Oh well I hope the founders of this site are happy with the way its been running. I realize i have not been a member of this site long but i can say that i came here alot before coming a member and it wasnt allways this bad.
It is one thing to point out some faults or mistakes but they way this is going people are getting bashesd for no reason.
Well in closing i would say have a good day but i think i just pissed off enough people so that wont be happening.

 

[66chuck]

As to the tang police - the LFS store owner I deal with (hint: he sells fish for a living) told me not to put a hipo into my 125 with my yellow tang. He said that they would not get along and the hipo would get very big.
If you ask for someone's opinion, generally speaking, you'll get such, wether you like it or not.

 

[mombostic]

I think people get really into the whole tang discussion. I also think people don't ever really want to hear anything that is contrary to their desires or personal opinion, whether it's about fish or dogs or cats or whatever. I have no doubt that you could argue that it's inhumane to keep fish in a microscopic ecosystem at all. The bottom line is, it is your tank. People are going to get on here, ask for opinions, and then do exactly what they want to do anyway. A 75 really is too small for a hippo. But lots of people keep them in smaller tanks than that. You have to make that decision, but I think getting a crappy attitude because someone tells you what is the truth is a bad way to get information. If you get offended by hearing what is contrary to what you believe, then maybe this type of forum isn't for you. When you have ten thousand people, you'll have ten thousand different opinions. You can take it with a grain of salt, or you can get mad and say "Fine, I'm not getting on here any more." Yellow tangs can be aggressive to ANY fish, not just other tangs. Mine does a little dominance display to the Coral Beauty on occasion.
Sorry if I offend, but I don't understand people who get so bent out of shape over this stuff.