The most aggressive tang vote

[Coralsdaily]

Would like to gather community opinion on the most aggressive tang they have personally experienced.
in my tank maintenance days I have personally witnessed sohal tangs murder an entire tank. What tang belongs in the asylum in your opinion?

Even though tangs live and move in large congregation in the wild, like this school of zebra, the stress of limited resource and hiding space may cause them to turn against one another at home

To avoid tang aggression, the best tenets in tang keeping are:
1. Provide appropriate space. Only obtain tangs that can roam and grow in your tank. Follow other experienced hobbyists’ recommendations in this community and do not “hope” to tame a tang in an undersized tank. Please don’t ask us what tangs are good for a 55 gallon- the answer is none!
2. Provide plenty of hiding spaces and scape to give less aggressive fish a chance to break away from fights and recover.
3. If at all possible, avoid known aggressive species unless your other tankmates are also know aggressive to semi aggressive (angels, wrasses, other tangs).
4. If you absolutely are determined to get an aggressive fish, be sure all fish are thoroughly quarantined and introduce the aggressor last. If any of your fish isn’t properly quarantined and is a disease carrier, the added stress of an aggressor will help set up an outbreak and may easily wipe out your whole tank, including the aggressor.

Some people have experience of diffusing the aggression by obtaining multiple tangs so that no single fish is being targeted at a time. Although I have seen success with this, I generally consider this an expert, or at least experienced move in stocking strategy. Also you have to have a large enough tank to begin with. If anything, just think of the thousands of dollars that can go down the drain (figuratively and literally) if things don’t pan out well.

I want to believe that majority of our fellow hobbyists are here to enjoy and hopefully feel relax when viewing our tanks. So it is best to avoid the fish(es) that too our poll here if you cannot meet any one of the tenets listed above.

Happy to hear any other pro-tips from fellow tang keepers on what actions you have taken to manage your tang aggression.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I only have personal experience with four types listed above and of those purple tang gets my vote, He's quite the domestic terrorist.

 

[ca1ore]

There is a list in the tang aggression post in the sticky section. Not a poll, though. For me, sohal was the most aggressive tang I have ever kept - not even close frankly. Was ok when small but homicidal when larger. Otherwise, depends a lot on the individual. Purple, powder blue and Achilles would be candidates for the #2 spot.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

My damsel will beat up your tang!


In all seriousness though I had a right nasty Kole that would even swipe at me when I was in the tank. Seemed to only go after things that w

 

[DaneGer21]

My purple has always been very very timid until recently. Once it hit roughly 4” it has started to not only defend itself, but show others who’s boss. Up to that point it was my lavender tang who was in charge. Now they seem to bicker back and forth equally. My yellow seems to get caught in it more than entices it.

 

[jmichaelh7]

As i am about to break down my tank to capture my blue tang i read this post.

Long story short, i have peaceful community in my tank. I realized some weren't able to eat or come out due to blue hippo constantly being a bully.

She will be donated to LFS this morning.

 

[dennis romano]

I bought a cute little hippo tang at quarter size. As soon as he got to four inches, he went homicidal. Within two days, he killed a harlequin bass, a six inch queen angel, a five inch blue face angel and de-finned a harlequin tusk. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I found him pounding the poor tusk in a corner of the tank.

 

[DaneGer21]

I also had a hippo. It was roughly 5-6” when i rehomed it. It would pick up my 3” maxima clam and throw it around when it was hungry, no joke! I mostly got rid of the hippo because it had outgrown my tank, but when it started harassing and then killed my clam, that was the last straw! Haha

 

[jmichaelh7]

My blue hippo chased around a Melanurus wrasse, Sand sifting Goby, dominated all the Chromis. I mean it’s time.

it’s sad because i am doing it but that’s not

 

[Coralsdaily]

I only have personal experience with four types listed above and of those purple tang gets my vote, He's quite the domestic terrorist.

I have heard that a lot too, though personally I have never (fingers crossed) had a purple tang who kills tankmates. But I do agree they dont have the best temper

 

[Coralsdaily]

There is a list in the tang aggression post in the sticky section. Not a poll, though. For me, sohal was the most aggressive tang I have ever kept - not even close frankly. Was ok when small but homicidal when larger. Otherwise, depends a lot on the individual. Purple, powder blue and Achilles would be candidates for the #2 spot.

Yes, personal experience is also sohal take the crown in the baddest gangster in the reef. I have heard that clown tangs are just as bad, but they are as commonly available (or easy to keep) as sohals

 

[Coralsdaily]

My damsel will beat up your tang!


In all seriousness though I had a right nasty Kole that would even swipe at me when I was in the tank. Seemed to only go after things that w

I too have some close calls with cuts to my fingers from just doing maintenance. But tangs usually are just mean to other fish, I get the worst from clownfish, they are like vampires always draw blood when I get anywhere close

 

[Coralsdaily]

My purple has always been very very timid until recently. Once it hit roughly 4” it has started to not only defend itself, but show others who’s boss. Up to that point it was my lavender tang who was in charge. Now they seem to bicker back and forth equally. My yellow seems to get caught in it more than entices it.

Hope your yellow has enough muscle to stand its own ground

 

[Coralsdaily]

As i am about to break down my tank to capture my blue tang i read this post.

Long story short, i have peaceful community in my tank. I realized some weren't able to eat or come out due to blue hippo constantly being a bully.

She will be donated to LFS this morning.

So sorry to hear, they are beautiful, but alas a tang. I hope all your other fish now throw a post terror party to celebrate

 

[Coralsdaily]

I bought a cute little hippo tang at quarter size. As soon as he got to four inches, he went homicidal. Within two days, he killed a harlequin bass, a six inch queen angel, a five inch blue face angel and de-finned a harlequin tusk. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I found him pounding the poor tusk in a corner of the tank.

Wow that is pretty extreme, I have not seen a tang able to intimidate my harlequin tusk. Do you have any plans to isolate this terror?

 

[Coralsdaily]

I also had a hippo. It was roughly 5-6” when i rehomed it. It would pick up my 3” maxima clam and throw it around when it was hungry, no joke! I mostly got rid of the hippo because it had outgrown my tank, but when it started harassing and then killed my clam, that was the last straw! Haha

Hard to imagine hippo tang can pick up a clam with that tony mouth! Sounds like so far there’s a lot of terror stories shared on hippo tangs!

 

[Kaiser]

My entire time working the retail part of the hobby, I've heard that sohals are insane, however I had a client that swore that maculiceps tangs are as nasty as they come.

 

[Tamberav]

I tried two different Koles and they were both flippin jerks!

 

[ReefRondo]

My powder blue is horrible to all my other tangs. He’s a nightmare.

 

[Coralsdaily]

My entire time working the retail part of the hobby, I've heard that sohals are insane, however I had a client that swore that maculiceps tangs are as nasty as they come.

Dont say that I am still hopinh to have a maculiceps one day. But I guess they dont have as bad of a rep because they are quite rare