Considering additional tangs

[DustinDec]

We just upgraded to a Red Sea S 550 (118.4g Display, 145g total) and it's 47.3" L x 26.8" W x 25.6" H. We just picked up a few Green Chromis and have them in our old Fluval Flex 32.5g to QT. We're thinking we want to add a Royal Gramma and a couple additional tangs in the near term. At this point in time, we rather not do another tang just to rehome it when it gets too large. Our daughter is already suggesting upgrading again when Dori out grows the Red Sea (I really don't see that happening). Anyways, we're leaning towards a Lavender Tang and a Yellow Tang. I was hoping that by adding them at the same time, it would result in less risk of fighting as they both would be new to the tank. In addition, the Blue Hippo Tang we have is still somewhat small.

Current Fish:

• 2 x Clown fish
• 1 x Multicolor Fairy Wrasse
• 1 x Cleaner Shrimp
• 1 x Blue Hippo Tang (this will eventually be moved to a new home)

In QT Now:

• 3 x Green Chromis

Looking to get feedback, is this a bad idea? Any other fish you would suggest on top of this?

Note: We have a Duncan and Zoa corals as well as plan to add more.

 

[eelman07]

How about a yellow, purple or kole tang?

 

[DustinDec]

How about a yellow, purple or kole tang?

Since we already have the Hippo Tang, even if it's not for the long term, we want to keep it down to two additional Tangs. We're absolutely getting a Yellow Tang, so the second one is what we're still trying to figure out.

We did look at Purple and Kole Tangs. Kole Tangs, we thought we liked Lavender more, though honestly still not certain. Purple Tang, we would love, but I thought our tank would be too small, no?

 

[eelman07]

Your tank is plenty big for a purple tang

 

[LPS Bum]

You can definitely put a Purple Tang in a 550 Reefer. A Powder Brown Tang might also be a good addition. Both stay relatively small, and both are easy to keep if you keep the parasites off of them.

I've kept a Purple, Powder Brown and Hippo together for years in my 625 Reefer.

 

[PharmrJohn]

I'm gonna try a White Tail Tang and a Kole tang in a 90 to 120G (haven't decided on size yet). Both on the smallish size as full size adults and I'm gonna get them small. I wanna watch 'em grow.

 

[DustinDec]

You can definitely put a Purple Tang in a 550 Reefer. A Powder Brown Tang might also be a good addition. Both stay relatively small, and both are easy to keep if you keep the parasites off of them.

I've kept a Purple, Powder Brown and Hippo together for years in my 625 Reefer.

The 550 is only 4' wide though, while the 625 is 5' I believe. You still think I could keep a Powder Brown Tang or Purple tang?

 

[eelman07]

The 550 is only 4' wide though, while the 625 is 5' I believe. You still think I could keep a Powder Brown Tang or Purple tang?

Yes while I would not recommend the powder brown tang as it is very susceptible to disease

 

[vetteguy53081]

We just upgraded to a Red Sea S 550 (118.4g Display, 145g total) and it's 47.3" L x 26.8" W x 25.6" H. We just picked up a few Green Chromis and have them in our old Fluval Flex 32.5g to QT. We're thinking we want to add a Royal Gramma and a couple additional tangs in the near term. At this point in time, we rather not do another tang just to rehome it when it gets too large. Our daughter is already suggesting upgrading again when Dori out grows the Red Sea (I really don't see that happening). Anyways, we're leaning towards a Lavender Tang and a Yellow Tang. I was hoping that by adding them at the same time, it would result in less risk of fighting as they both would be new to the tank. In addition, the Blue Hippo Tang we have is still somewhat small.

Current Fish:

• 2 x Clown fish
• 1 x Multicolor Fairy Wrasse
• 1 x Cleaner Shrimp
• 1 x Blue Hippo Tang (this will eventually be moved to a new home)

In QT Now:

• 3 x Green Chromis

Looking to get feedback, is this a bad idea? Any other fish you would suggest on top of this?

Note: We have a Duncan and Zoa corals as well as plan to add more.

Tomini
lavender
eiblii
chocolate

 

[DustinDec]

Tomini
lavender
eiblii
chocolate

As always, I greatly appreciate your feedback and time Vettguy53081!

 

[LPS Bum]

The 550 is only 4' wide though, while the 625 is 5' I believe. You still think I could keep a Powder Brown Tang or Purple tang?

Yeah. There will be some people on this forum that say you can't of course, but having done it, I don't agree. Of course the extra foot of space helps, but I kept them both in a 4 foot, 90 gal before upgrading to the 625. And they did great. Adding them at the same time and having a lot of live rock and caves definitely helps.

 

[OrionN]

I agree with yo that the Purple will get large for a 120 gal tank IME. If you only want 3 tangs, I would add the Yellow and another smaller tang: Powder brown, Convict, Tomini, are possible choices.
IME your tank is just a tad small for Purple or Powder Blue, both of which are my favorite tangs.

 

[DustinDec]

I agree with yo that the Purple will get large for a 120 gal tank IME. If you only want 3 tangs, I would add the Yellow and another smaller tang: Powder brown, Convict, Tomini, are possible choices.
IME your tank is just a tad small for Purple or Powder Blue, both of which are my favorite tangs.

I ended up ordering a yellow tang and white tail bristle tooth tang.

 

[Uncle99]

I put in a bristlettoth and Sailfin at the same time at night to existing blue and yellow.

Worked well.

 

[OrionN]

I ended up ordering a yellow tang and white tail bristle tooth tang.

Perfect choice

 

[littlefoxx]

The 550 is only 4' wide though, while the 625 is 5' I believe. You still think I could keep a Powder Brown Tang or Purple tang?

Would not do a powder brown. Mine is my most active tang. He is in a six foot 125 at the moment. Will be going into a 300 within the next week. He uses every bit of room. I think a powder tang will get too aggressive in a 4 foot. I think they yellow and lavender are good choices. The hippo probably will outgrow that tank, they get bigger than people think they do. Ive seen massive ones at LFS displays! Ive never had an issue with my blue hippo being aggressive with any other fish. He does his own thing.

Edit just saw you got a white tail. Good fish great at eating algae

 

[Rappa]

I know you decided on other tangs but figured I would share this input just in case anyone else reading the thread wants to know... I had a Powder Brown in my 6ft 220gal. He swam every inch of my tank and he definitely didn't say small. He also was the King of the tank and would beat the crap out of my other tangs until I took him out and gave him a time-out in the QT tank for a couple of months. I almost didn't put him back into the display, but he was our favorite fish and my kids had named him "Charlie" (Charlie Brown). Every day I would hear, "When's Charlie coming back upstairs?" I put him back in, and he became a model citizen, surprisingly. Still the leader, but not a bully. Then one day, I fed them breakfast, and a few hours later Charlie was laying dead on the sand bed. He was still beautiful, had no signs of illness, no marks on him, nothing... Like he just had a heart attack and died! I had him for maybe 7 months. He did get Ich when I first got him, but I treated him in QT knowing that Powder's are Ich-Magnets anyways. I was heart broken as I really did like this fish! Anyways... moral of the story is Powder Brown Tangs do not stay small in my opinion (mine grew quick from 1.5" to 4"-ish), and they can get aggressive in my experience. I've also had other people tell me, "Oh man you should have added that tang last! They are aggressive!". And out of my 6 tangs (Hippo, Purple, Flame-Fin, juvenile Atlantic Blue, Sail-fin), he was by far the swimmer of the group, doing laps around the tank always... This pic was taken during his QT time-out.

 

[DustinDec]

I know you decided on other tangs but figured I would share this input just in case anyone else reading the thread wants to know... I had a Powder Brown in my 6ft 220gal. He swam every inch of my tank and he definitely didn't say small. He also was the King of the tank and would beat the crap out of my other tangs until I took him out and gave him a time-out in the QT tank for a couple of months. I almost didn't put him back into the display, but he was our favorite fish and my kids had named him "Charlie" (Charlie Brown). Every day I would hear, "When's Charlie coming back upstairs?" I put him back in, and he became a model citizen, surprisingly. Still the leader, but not a bully. Then one day, I fed them breakfast, and a few hours later Charlie was laying dead on the sand bed. He was still beautiful, had no signs of illness, no marks on him, nothing... Like he just had a heart attack and died! I had him for maybe 7 months. He did get Ich when I first got him, but I treated him in QT knowing that Powder's are Ich-Magnets anyways. I was heart broken as I really did like this fish! Anyways... moral of the story is Powder Brown Tangs do not stay small in my opinion (mine grew quick from 1.5" to 4"-ish), and they can get aggressive in my experience. I've also had other people tell me, "Oh man you should have added that tang last! They are aggressive!". And out of my 6 tangs (Hippo, Purple, Flame-Fin, juvenile Atlantic Blue, Sail-fin), he was by far the swimmer of the group, doing laps around the tank always... This pic was taken during his QT time-out.

dang, in such a large tank too. Sorry to hear there way no happy ending here. But I’m sure someone will look at this thread and learn larger tanks really do require larger tanks and even then, do not always work out. Thanks for your story!