5 tangs in a 150 gallon???

[Dburr1014]

Dont see an issue with this especially with 6 ft run and 2 foot depth. Add in order of temperament and focus on potential size ranges full grown

Just to correct you, it's a 5 foot run.

 

[Uncle99]

I have somewhat the same list in a 160g, 4 years now. I don’t have the purple, instead of Tomini, I’m bristletooth.

When added, 1st was everyone else not tang, then blue and yellow, then Sailfin and Bristletooth.

Now in 4 years, the blue went from 2” to 7” and yellow from 2” to 4” by year 2 (growth slowed now).

The Bristletooth in 3 years stayed relatively the same, maybe 5” at best.

The Desjardins was the fastest grower. In 3 years, when from 2” to 7”

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I have a Yellow and Blue in a 120 gallon, 4 x 2 x 2, the rock is arranged in the middle, with various size places to swim through. Also I have three Clam Shells, leaning on the back, as quick hiding spots. Both of these fish were rescued from different hobbyists, with smaller tanks. Everyone gets along, including Vox Angel, Indian Ocean Flameback Angel, Two Yellow Watchmen Gobies, Mandarin Goby “another rescue,” and a Cleaner Goby. I think the key to calming everyone, is my Automatic Feeder.

 

[reefinginBD]

If added at the same time they will develop a pecking order.

If added at the same time they don't have established territories.

If added at the same time the other tangs will have to choose who to chase so one won't get the brunt of all the attacking.

More upside to adding at the same time.

Your first idea of putting the yellow in the sump is good while the purple is in the QT. Then to the display at the same time.

You are going to QT, right?

No that’s not my plan,

Basically the blue tang that I have is about a little bigger than 4 inches right

And the yellow tangs that come here are like an inch and a quarter at most, so I hat I was planning on doing is after getting the yellow tang, I’ll keep him in the refugium for a good 3-4 months until he fattens up and also grows bigger. Then I’ll move him into the tank and in the meanwhile I’ll add all the other wrasses and other fish into the tank, as well as some more corals.

After about 3 months once he is bigger and fatter I’ll add him into the main display, and after about a week or so of adding him to the display I’ll add the purple tang.

The reason for this is because the purple tangs that are found here are usually about 3-4 inches in size and since it’s one of the most aggressive fish I want it to be added after the smaller yellow tang settles in and also after all the other fish have been added into the tank. What do you think?

Ok so if we talk about qt, no I don’t have any separate qt tanks at home since I simply don’t have the space for one.

And the fish store that I get it from is one of the best in the country (there are like only 6 or 7 stores that are bringing in saltwater fish and corals into the country), they buy fish that have been quarantined and also after getting the shipment they quarantine it just to be sure. After the fish have been in the store for atleast a month or so and is feeding properly, only do they put it up for sale.

Even then just to be safe I always check the fish for any external parasites and also check if it is swimming Alr and eating food. Then I finally check all the other fish in the tank to see if they have anything weird going on, and if they don’t then I go ahead and buy the fish. (I’ve personally never seen any problems with the other fish and after taking to many of the other hobbyists I’ve found that they never had issues with the fish dying from this store, other than them jumping out.

 

[reefinginBD]

Dont see an issue with this especially with 6 ft run and 2 foot depth. Add in order of temperament and focus on potential size ranges full grown

The tank is 5 feet not 6 feet, would it still work? With that many wrasses and other fish will I be able to keep all these tangs? Even the Desjardinii?

 

[reefinginBD]

I have somewhat the same list in a 160g, 4 years now. I don’t have the purple, instead of Tomini, I’m bristletooth.

When added, 1st was everyone else not tang, then blue and yellow, then Sailfin and Bristletooth.

Now in 4 years, the blue went from 2” to 7” and yellow from 2” to 4” by year 2 (growth slowed now).

The Bristletooth in 3 years stayed relatively the same, maybe 5” at best.

The Desjardins was the fastest grower. In 3 years, when from 2” to 7”

Oh wow those tangs look amazing! The yellow tang that I’ll be getting will be only 1.25 inch in size and it’s like one of the first shipments into the country after a long time. It’s still expensive, about 350 dollars. The bigger 4 inch ones that are available are the ones that came before the ban and they are about 1,000 US dollars a piece here.
If I keep the yellow tang in my refugium for about 3-4 months, how much do you think he might grow? If I feed frequently, like 3-4 times a day and there is a constant source of hair algae as well as nori a few times a week?
Let me know please!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hey guys I have a 5x2x2 feet 150 gallon tank. I love how tangs look and was making a list of the ones that I want.

Tangs that I currently have:
Blue tang x 1
Tomini Tang x 1
Yellow Tang x 1 (it’s on pre-order)

The tangs that I want:
Purple Tang x 1
Desjardinii Tang x 1

Now before you guys get all tang police on me please hear me out

The tank has a somewhat open scape and it will be lps and soft coral dominated with some sps corals.

The tomini tang and blue tang are are already in the tank and I’m getting the yellow tang soon. Since the yellow tang will be really small I’m planning on keeping by him in my refugium for 2-3 months before adding him to the main tank.

Other than that, I really want the yellow tang in order to make the “Golden Trio of Tangs” as they call it which consists of the yellow, purple and blue tang, or so that’s what I read at least. Even if it’s not, I still really like the purple tang!

That makes it a total of 4 tangs, I really love the Desjardinii tang and would love to have it, from what I’ve read they grow very fast and get very big, but I know someone who has a Red Sea 750XXL with a Desjardinii tang that is about 6 years old and it’s not even 7 inches yet. So I was hoping that I could get the Desjardinii as well, do let me know!

The other fish that I have (ticked ones) also want to get are:
Clownfish x 2
Purple Firefish x 1
Royal Gramma x 1
Midas Blenny x 1
Blue Streak Cleaner Wrasse x 1
Yellow Wrasse x 1
Naoko Fairy Wrasse x 1
Red Head Solon Wrasse x 1
Earmuff Wrasse x 1
Ornate Leopard Wrasse x 1
White Leopard Wrasse x 1
Lyretail Anthias x 4 (1 male and 3 females)
Chromis x 6

If I exclude the tangs, I basically have 10 more fish to add. Initially I planned on a mixed reef tank with all types of corals but then I changed it to a tank which is dominated by soft and lps corals. I have a plate like rock which I will fill with meaty corals and in the back I will put soft corals that grow kind of like trees, like colt, Kenya and gorgonians. Plan on making a rock with mushrooms and toadstools. I will also get some easy to keep sps.

My swimming space calculator works fairly well in determining swimming room needed by individual fish, but as others said, you’ll also need to manage any incompatibility issues between the various tangs.

Estimating the Need for Swimming Space for Aquarium Fishes

This article explores required aquarium sizes for marine fishes

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[reefinginBD]

I have a Yellow and Blue in a 120 gallon, 4 x 2 x 2, the rock is arranged in the middle, with various size places to swim through. Also I have three Clam Shells, leaning on the back, as quick hiding spots. Both of these fish were rescued from different hobbyists, with smaller tanks. Everyone gets along, including Vox Angel, Indian Ocean Flameback Angel, Two Yellow Watchmen Gobies, Mandarin Goby “another rescue,” and a Cleaner Goby. I think the key to calming everyone, is my Automatic Feeder.

Ooo that’s cool! Would love to see how your tank looks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

The tank is 5 feet not 6 feet, would it still work? With that many wrasses and other fish will I be able to keep all these tangs? Even the Desjardinii?

Yes. Not that its practical but I had 14 tangs in a 135g for about a year until current tank arrived. In this scenario, you want to maintain Good water quality and diet.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just to correct you, it's a 5 foot run.

Yes just saw that.

 

[reefinginBD]

ah I see that makes sense

Well for feeding since already have the chromis and will be getting the anthias soon, so I believe the tank will have plenty of food with around 3-4 feedings a day as well as nori. Although my blue tang and tomini tang seem uninterested by the nori sheets. Don’t know why

For water quality if we are talking about nitrates and phosphates will keeping it below 20 and below 0.5 respectively be ok? I said these numbers because it will be a lps and soft dominated tank. If not I can reduce the numbers more as well.

 

[reefinginBD]

My swimming space calculator works fairly well in determining swimming room needed by individual fish, but as others said, you’ll also need to manage any incompatibility issues between the various tangs.

Estimating the Need for Swimming Space for Aquarium Fishes

This article explores required aquarium sizes for marine fishes

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

Ah I see thank you so much for the calculator! So I have this one question, the tank dimensions are 5x2x2 feet right, and my scape is such that the rocks are not touching any of the glass, even on the back wall there is about a 3-4 inch gap between the glass and rock.
So, when adding up the swimming space do I do 2+5+2+5? Or do I completely leave out the back wall?

I’m asking this because due to the scape, the fish are able to swim uninterrupted all around the tank, from the back wall to the front without any stoppages. Just because the scape is like an island with sand all around it and the rocks not touching any of the glass panels (a minimum of 3 inch gap all around).

 

[Dburr1014]

So, when adding up the swimming space do I do 2+5+2+5? Or do I completely leave out the back wall?

60"+24"=84"

84/size of fish x 0.8 = display is big enough or not

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ah I see thank you so much for the calculator! So I have this one question, the tank dimensions are 5x2x2 feet right, and my scape is such that the rocks are not touching any of the glass, even on the back wall there is about a 3-4 inch gap between the glass and rock.
So, when adding up the swimming space do I do 2+5+2+5? Or do I completely leave out the back wall?

I’m asking this because due to the scape, the fish are able to swim uninterrupted all around the tank, from the back wall to the front without any stoppages. Just because the scape is like an island with sand all around it and the rocks not touching any of the glass panels (a minimum of 3 inch gap all around).

I would leave out the back wall. The calculation is basically length plus width, NOT length plus length plus width plus width....

 

[Doctorgori]

A yellow and purple is an awful idea. Good chance one will die and you'll be out the big price tag you paid

There a many shots of tanks with both, not sure how or in what order they stocked it however…that might be the rub

The yellow tangs that come here are very small (little bigger than quarters), so I was thinking of getting him and keeping him in my refugium for about 3 months so that he grows a bit bigger and after than I’ll add him to the main tank.

I’ve had several Atlantic blue tangs… there might be something to that yellow juvenile coloration as a anti-aggression thing with adults…eitherway nature has a reason for them going from yellow to blue…
Anyway, I have mixed small “true yellow” tangs with Atlantic Blue tangs without issue… I’m doing so now, my larger Atlantic tang interacts positively with the smaller pacific yellow … maybe it’s the coloring or maybe it’s the different genuses…dunno

 

[reefinginBD]

60"+24"=84"

84/size of fish x 0.8 = display is big enough or not

I would leave out the back wall. The calculation is basically length plus width, NOT length plus length plus width plus width....

Ah I see thank you! Sorry I didn’t understand it properly at first now its clear!

 

[reefinginBD]

There a many shots of tanks with both, not sure how or in what order they stocked it however…that might be the rub

I’ve had several Atlantic blue tangs… there might be something to that yellow juvenile coloration as a anti-aggression thing with adults…eitherway nature has a reason for them going from yellow to blue…
Anyway, I have mixed small “true yellow” tangs with Atlantic Blue tangs without issue… I’m doing so now, my larger Atlantic tang interacts positively with the smaller pacific yellow … maybe it’s the coloring or maybe it’s the different genuses…dunno

Ah I see, yeah from what I read and heard they said that the purple tang should be the last fish added to the tank as they can be major jerks, that’s what I’m planning to do basically.

Ooo I’ve never seen any Atlantic blue tangs before! That might be the case with your success! Would love to see a few pictures of them!

 

[Dburr1014]

Ah I see, yeah from what I read and heard they said that the purple tang should be the last fish added to the tank as they can be major jerks, that’s what I’m planning to do basically.

Ooo I’ve never seen any Atlantic blue tangs before! That might be the case with your success! Would love to see a few pictures of them!

I've had a purple for years now. I have added fish with no aggression. But I have not added a tang with him.
I have added different wrasse, blenny, royal Gramma. Never looked twice at them.
I recently added 2 bellus angels but sumped the tang before adding. Waited a couple weeks before putting the tang back in the main. No issues with that either.

With Zebrasoma tangs, IMO, it's a roll of the dice. Again, IMO, best to add at the same time.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Ooo that’s cool! Would love to see how your tank looks!

 

[Cool tangs]

The tangs will have a growth spurt and then it will slow down. They kind of grow with the tank in my experience. So big tank, they grow quick. Small tank they grow slow. Purple, yellow, tomini all small tangs and should be fine. Sail fin and hippo should be fine for a long time in a 5 ft. Yes you can make it work by having a more open aquascape and more swim space. Give them lots of open spaces in the rocks so they have there own territory. Tangs are very territorial and I find having lots of spaces for them helps reduce aggression. I wouldn't be putting the yellow in the sump though for 2-3 months. The longer you wait to introduce all your tangs the harder it will be to add more as they will get territorial, personal experience. Although you can reduce the aggressiveness when adding a new tang by either adding another rock structure for them or by re-arranging the rock scape. You can also leave them in an acclimation box for a few weeks to see if they finally get over the each other. I honestly think those 5 tangs will be fine. I have 9 in a 6 ft tank and they seem fine. One lives in the sump, and has stayed tiny compared to the others. I really want him in the main display but 2x powders just don't always work. I'm going to attempt again once I get my new tank setup and probably introduce a powder blue along with the powder black and brown to disperse the aggression. The blue hippo is the boss though! They are a entertaining and weird fish to say the least

Edit to add more context, I've had most my tangs for almost 4 years and youngest 2 years. They are probably one of my favourite fish. Oh and bonus, they are awesome cleanup crew! I have no snails or crabs in my tank believe it or not, the tangs do a great job