Hey Tang Police, I need your input!

[KWolfe81]

I have a 120-gallon (standard 4'x2'x2') with the following fish already stocked:

• Flame Angel
• 4x Blue/green chromis
• 2x Clowns
• 2x Orchid dottyback
• Midas blenny
• 3x dispar anthias

I think this is a good base. All the fish get along with no hostilities observed, and I'd like to top it off with a tang. I originally was planning a Purple Tang, but have recently been recommended a White Tail Kole Tang. Would it be possible to add both without everything being hyper-crowded? Any other recommendations or thoughts?

 

[i cant think]

I have a 120-gallon (standard 4'x2'x2') with the following fish already stocked:

• Flame Angel
• 4x Blue/green chromis
• 2x Clowns
• 2x Orchid dottyback
• Midas blenny
• 3x dispar anthias

I think this is a good base. All the fish get along with no hostilities observed, and I'd like to top it off with a tang. I originally was planning a Purple Tang, but have recently been recommended a White Tail Kole Tang. Would it be possible to add both without everything being hyper-crowded? Any other recommendations or thoughts?

I don’t recommend adding both in that small of a tank. Stick to the Ctenochaetus species first and wait to see how active they actually are.
The reason I say this is I have the same tank size with a Ctenochaetus binotatus (IMHO this is prettier than a white tail long term) and this guy will be gliding all over the tank. For the most part he isn’t hyper however when he is he will go from one end of the tank to the other within a good 3-4 fin flaps.

With tangs when I personally recommend them, I don’t go off of size and instead their activity levels. Many will go off of their size and honestly this can lure people quite a bit as you can have some 9” fish that are calm and not hyper active (Siganids for example) but you can have some fish that are the same size but 10x more active (Powder Blues for example).

 

[doubleshot00]

Get both if you want both. They dont get real big.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have a 120-gallon (standard 4'x2'x2') with the following fish already stocked:

• Flame Angel
• 4x Blue/green chromis
• 2x Clowns
• 2x Orchid dottyback
• Midas blenny
• 3x dispar anthias

I think this is a good base. All the fish get along with no hostilities observed, and I'd like to top it off with a tang. I originally was planning a Purple Tang, but have recently been recommended a White Tail Kole Tang. Would it be possible to add both without everything being hyper-crowded? Any other recommendations or thoughts?

My 120 has
2 clowns
1 purple tang
1yellow tang
1 sailfin tang
1 copperband butterfly
1 foxface
3 green chromis
2 blue reef chromis
1 Moyer red scooter
5 princes Anthias
1 Midas blenny
1 yellow strip cleaner goby
1 royal gama
2 fire fish

 

[KWolfe81]

My 120 has
2 clowns
1 purple tang
1yellow tang
1 sailfin tang
1 copperband butterfly
1 foxface
3 green chromis
2 blue reef chromis
1 Moyer red scooter
5 princes Anthias
1 Midas blenny
1 yellow strip cleaner goby
1 royal gama
2 fire fish

Looks like I have a bunch more room

 

[Tamberav]

I tried a kole and a yellow tang in a similar footprint and it didn’t work for me. They fought now and again and I got sick of it stressing out the other fish and seeing Tangs with fight marks. I got rid of the Kole and the fish are all happier now. They were added at the same time.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[KWolfe81]

The reason I say this is I have the same tank size with a Ctenochaetus binotatus (IMHO this is prettier than a white tail long term)

Thanks for the tip! Any thoughts on how good of a work-horse the Ctenochaetus binotatus is against blue/green algaes?

 

[OfficeReefer]

I have a 120-gallon (standard 4'x2'x2') with the following fish already stocked:

• Flame Angel
• 4x Blue/green chromis
• 2x Clowns
• 2x Orchid dottyback
• Midas blenny
• 3x dispar anthias

I think this is a good base. All the fish get along with no hostilities observed, and I'd like to top it off with a tang. I originally was planning a Purple Tang, but have recently been recommended a White Tail Kole Tang. Would it be possible to add both without everything being hyper-crowded? Any other recommendations or thoughts?

Yeah, I think so. I just picked up a Tomini and its totally at peace with the Coral Beauty... hasn't touched a coral at all yet. Then again, its pretty new and both fish are 1-1.5" - the other thing I just found out is you really do need algae in the tank, not just toss some nori in there. Not all will eat your macro from your fuge either, another topic for consideration.

 

[i cant think]

Thanks for the tip! Any thoughts on how good of a work-horse the Ctenochaetus binotatus is against blue/green algaes?

Mine constantly eats algae (I only have 2 Algae eaters out of my 13 odd fish). He will eat the algaes that are stuck to the rock work such as Film algaes. My Siganus magnificus will feed on the much longer algae such as Hair algaes.

I recommend a Ctenochaetus and Siganus species for your algae clean up, they work much better than any other two tang gang I’ve seen.

 

[Gtinnel]

Since you asked for the tang police answer then I would recommend getting the Kole tang and skipping the purple tang.
I have a purple and tomini tang in my 6’ 125g tank and the purple is a very active fish that is constantly swimming around the tank. Now that I have one and see how active it is I probably wouldn’t put one in a 4’ tank as a permanent home.
You pointed out that there is no hostility in your tank, if you add a purple there is definitely a chance of aggression. The only thing that helps is that I assume the tang(s) will be your last addition. Any fish I’ve added after my purple tang (bad planning on my part not to make him last) has been a pain to keep him from constantly attacking it.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Looks like I have a bunch more room

Lol yes

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Since you asked for the tang police answer then I would recommend getting the Kole tang and skipping the purple tang.
I have a purple and tomini tang in my 6’ 125g tank and the purple is a very active fish that is constantly swimming around the tank. Now that I have one and see how active it is I probably wouldn’t put one in a 4’ tank as a permanent home.
You pointed out that there is no hostility in your tank, if you add a purple there is definitely a chance of aggression. The only thing that helps is that I assume the tang(s) will be your last addition. Any fish I’ve added after my purple tang (bad planning on my part not to make him last) has been a pain to keep him from constantly attacking it.

I will 100% agree to this any fish added after purple tang has been beat up by him and had to be he homed. I e seem the most aggression from purple tangs in my life over most all other tangs

 

[Jeffcb]

Sir, Step away from the Tang please.

There is no exact answer. What you try may not work and you may have to re-home.

I added 3 Zebras all at once (Purple, Scopus and Gem). A couple of other species also. No one bothered the Gem but the Scopus kept the Purple tang backed if a cave for at least 6-8 weeks. He would only sneak out to get a bite of food and then chased back in his cave. I couldn't of caught them if I wanted to.

After about 2 months the Purple popped out and beat the you know what out of the Scopus. I thought he killed him. Didn't see the Scopus for a week. When he did finally start coming out the Purple Tang would chase him back in his cave. The tables had turned. Eventually he let the Scopus out in open waters. Its been over a year now and the are all buddies like nothing ever happed.

I think the most important thing is they all need there own hiding place. So have several caves.

 

[TheyGaveItToMe]

Since you asked for the tang police answer then I would recommend getting the Kole tang and skipping the purple tang.
I have a purple and tomini tang in my 6’ 125g tank and the purple is a very active fish that is constantly swimming around the tank. Now that I have one and see how active it is I probably wouldn’t put one in a 4’ tank as a permanent home.
You pointed out that there is no hostility in your tank, if you add a purple there is definitely a chance of aggression. The only thing that helps is that I assume the tang(s) will be your last addition. Any fish I’ve added after my purple tang (bad planning on my part not to make him last) has been a pain to keep him from constantly attacking it.

How do you like the Tomini? It is one of the fish on my list for my future build. What is his activity and aggression like?

 

[Gtinnel]

How do you like the Tomini? It is one of the fish on my list for my future build. What is his activity and aggression like?

I never really liked the way the tomini tang looks, but that’s just personal preference. As for activity he is constantly swimming around the tank eating the film algae from the glass and sometimes rock. Mine is only agressive towards my lawnmower blenny, but some of that may be because he was quickly put in his place by my purple tang.

 

[Squidward]

White tail bristletooth may work but I would dismiss the bully purple tang for a Lavendar Tang.

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Id be more concerned with the 2 dottybacks

 

[lulubap]

Id be more concerned with the 2 dottybacks

Well, yes and no. Captive bred dottybacks do much better than wild dottybacks. Captive breds can be placed together 3 at a time with no issues, but it's a different story for wild dottybacks.

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Well, yes and no. Captive bred dottybacks do much better than wild dottybacks. Captive breds can be placed together 3 at a time with no issues, but it's a different story for wild dottybacks.

Lol id still be wary - captive bred or not. Especially when there are so many other fish that could be added w/o that heightened risk of two of the same fish in the tank.

 

[bnord]

Well, yes and no. Captive bred dottybacks do much better than wild dottybacks. Captive breds can be placed together 3 at a time with no issues, but it's a different story for wild dottybacks.

have a CB splendid that is a perfect gentleman in with a gramma and black cap (I know they are different fish but similar niches - might want to think about that instead of multiple Dotties
And in my tanks, I find tang stocking and aggression can be positively affected by hiding spots and multiple swim lanes supported by powerhead induced flow