Should I roll the dice on a white tail kole tang?

[nim6us]

I've never been a fan of highly stocked fish tanks. I've always imagined fish like there space and I don't want to overcrowd them. That said I've been having an issue with algae control. All my params are in line. I normally run about 10ppm NO3 and 0.07ppm PO4. I'll get a sea hare to knock all the GHA back, and the tank will look great, but then after about 4 months it starts creeping back in, and it's sea hare rental time again.

My darn yellow tang is spoiled for nori and other foods, same for my blenny. Neither are interested in the naturally growing green stuff anymore. However the tank is just over 3 years old, the last fish I added was over a year ago. Everyone in there is super chill, and the tank is very much 'coasting'. I'd really like to add something that I can keep long term that will help with algae control, but I don't want to screw up the vibe I have going.

The fish I'm looking at is a white tail kole tang. I have three concerns:

• Are they ich magnets like the powder blues or otherwise prone to disease?
• My yellow tang is a giant wuss, would the kole tang and he get along?
• Is my tank too open and not enough spots for the new kole tang to make his own?

Below is a list of my current stock and a picture of my tank. Interested to get some feedback if I should be okay with the new edition or not worth the gamble

• Yellow tang
• Starry blenny
• Pair of storm clownfish
• Coral beauty
• Ornate Leopard wrasse
• Mandarinfish

Tank is a Reefer 425XL - 4x2x2

 

[Zach B]

Beautiful tank! If you want to get the fish to have it as an addition, I would go for it with proper quarantine. However, if you're looking for algae control I'm not sure this is the road I'd take. I would make sure all nutrients are in control and maybe add some turbo snails. I do love tangs though & kole and yellow are usually OK. However, if the yellow has been in there a long time, it's a possible gamble. I wish you the best of luck

 

[albano]

However if the yellow has been in there a long time, it's a possible gamble. I wish you the best of luck

Agree… my yellows are always the first to ‘explain the rules’ to new comers

 

[nim6us]

“Explain the rules”.

 

[Zach B]

They will put them in their place for a bit. There are tricks like the mirror in the corner, moving the rock around, adding more rock, adding at night also can also help. Best of luck again, sure would look cool in that tank

 

[nim6us]

Aww thanks man!

 

[Zach B]

Aww thanks man!

Absolutely

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

White tail Bristletooth and Kole tangs are both bristletooth tangs in the genius ctenochaetus.

They are the Workers! I don't see any issue in adding a WT. No they are not ick magnets like some other genus of sturgeon fish.

Proper qt and Acclimatization will help ensure your happy tank, stays happy.

There's no saying for sure how your yellow tang will react. That's a big enough space for them to get away from each other. But not much room to hide.


"Is my tank too open and not enough spots for the new kole tang to make his own?"
-possibly... This is a major issue with NSA scapes. They're often lacking in much-needed fish habitat. With your low stocking, It's worth a try.

​

Edit: I have a WT Bristletooth and they are a pleasure to watch swim and work.

 

[nim6us]

I appreciate the thoughtful response!

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

The Whitetail Bristletooth is one of the most stunning fish I have. I absolutely love it. If you hand feed, it'll be one of the first to nibble on your fingers. The colors on them get better over time as they get established.

 

[Gatorpa]

“Explain the rules”.

literally Lol on that

 

[nim6us]

Not to raise the dead, but I always find it's helpful for others finding the thread if the OP shares what happened.

I did end up getting the white tail kole tang, and I'm so glad I did! Aside from being a beautiful fish he is indeed a worker, just non-stop all day cleaning the rocks. In fact my yellow tang and blenny who had got a bit lazy actually started cleaning the rocks more often, I'm guessing because they saw the kole tang doing it. Either way bonus!

However interesting, my yellow tang that had always been quite timid did go into boss mode when I introduced the kole tang. There was some aggression and nipping for the first few weeks, but once the kole tang showed he was submissive to the yellow tang it settled down. Not that they're BFFs or anything but they get along.

 

[Tamberav]

Glad it worked out. I have a tail spot blenny my and yellow tang and they both work hard to keep the tank clean. They better not turn lazy. They got jobs to do!