Putting Tangs together in a 240 gal tank?

[Rocky Mountain]

I have two tangs around 20 years old. I purchased 5 new small tangs a year ago and put them in a 100 gal tank because I thought the other 2 older ones would pick on them if they were in the same tank. The idea was to move the 2 old tangs into the 100 gal and the new 5 tangs into the 240 gal display tank and everyone would be safe. I was able to catch the blue hippo tang in the 240 gal tank right off with a trap that I purchased. I missed catching the yellow tang 4 times in the trap and now he won't go near it. My rock structure makes it very difficult to even try a net capture. So now I currently have the blue hippo tang by himself in a tank, the yellow tang with a single clown fish in the 240 gal and the 5 other tangs in the 100 gal tank and I am about to give up trying to catch the yellow tang. THE BIG QUESTION: Can I try to put all 7 tangs in the front tank safely??? I just moved some of my rocks around in the 240 gal tank. The blue hippo tang was the dominate tang between him and the yellow tang. My thought was to move all 5 of the younger tangs who are now the same size as the two older ones in with the yellow tang at night in the dark and then add the blue hippo tang last that night or the next night. I think this is pushing my luck a little so I looking for suggestions. (I have been fighting an bad algae problem which I am finally gaining on so my tank is not looking very good and another good reason to get these fish moved.)

 

[Rocky Mountain]

The other option I was considering is to drain up to 180 gallons out of the 240 gal tank to see if I could then net the yellow tang. My concern is how much would it set back my corals not being under water even if I try to keep them wet while partial draining the tank and again during the refill?

 

[OrionN]

I think you can add the 5 tangs into the 240 with the yellow and they will be fine. You can then add the Blue tang back in.

 

[Rocky Mountain]

Thank you very much for your help. That sounds easier than trying to drain the tank and refill.

 

[DrMMI]

You can always put up a mirror to distract the older tang when you add the new ones. I do that every time I add a new tang and the older ones don't even notice the new addition is even there because they're too busy attacking their reflection.

 

[littlefoxx]

I think if you add them all you would be fine! The yellow probably will be a butt for a few days lol. What kind of tangs??

 

[Bruttall]

The other option I was considering is to drain up to 180 gallons out of the 240 gal tank to see if I could then net the yellow tang. My concern is how much would it set back my corals not being under water even if I try to keep them wet while partial draining the tank and again during the refill?

Your coral should be fine for an hour or more out of water. There is a guy on these forums, cannot remember his name, but he cleans his tank by draining it regularly and his corals are completely out of the water during this. Tidal pool coral at low tide sometimes is exposed to air and they survive.

HOWEVER with a tank the size of yours, if it was me, I'd go and put all the fish into the 240g, shut the lights off till tomorrow and let nature take it's course.

 

[radreef02]

Throw em in!

 

[exnisstech]

What kind of other tangs? I'm in a similar situation. I have 5 old tangs yellow, purple, hippo, naso and convict that will be coming out of my 180 and going into my new WB 330.7. I bought a powder brown that I'm keeping in a stock tank and plan to add it first then bring the old gang over. I tried two yellows once and that ended badly so now I have two yellows in separate tanks. I bought 3 biota baby yellows recently to grow out and plan to add them all at once later when they have grown some. It should be interesting.

 

[Rocky Mountain]

The 5 tangs I have together in my 100 gal tank are clown tang, powder brown tang, naso tang, achilles tang, and blonde naso tang. I also have 40 blue neon gobies with them, and a couple other small fish. All will be moved into the 240 gal tank. I am going to start today moving them into their new home.

 

[Rocky Mountain]

Well it looks like all 7 tangs are doing well and getting along after being moved into the 240 gal tank together. I started moving them last night at 11:30 pm using two red flashlights and everything else blackout. I drained the 100 gal tank with the 5 younger tangs down to 1/3 of water volume, I removed everything in the tank (rocks, heaters, and wave pumps), and used a net to catch my fish with the red flash light. The water was drained into another 100 gal tank and the rocks and corals were placed there during the fish move. After moving all of the fish to the 240 gal tank, I just replaced everything back into the orginal 100 gal and top it off with fresh salt water. I missed catching a few of the blue neon gobies because they stayed inside the rocks when I moved them both directions, but that is ok. This was a year long project to raise the new tangs and move them into the display tank with the older ones. Thanks for all of the support from everyone!

 

[crazyfishmom]

Gorgeous tank and tang gang!!!!

 

[Weaverjay101]

Can't go wrong with the mirror trick.