Adding tangs

[Mark Bianco]

Not exactly new, but I have a question. I also posted this in another forum as well.

I have two well established reef tanks that have been going for over 2 years. I have recently set up a 210gl with 150lbs dry rock and 20 live rock between the tank and a 100gl sump. This setup has been going for a little over a month ghost feeding and outside of a little green algae on the tops of the tank rock. The cycle has completed. I am currently working on the algae with GFO.

What my plans are to take my favorite fish and corals out of both tanks, then sell off the other two tanks. Now my problem. In one tank I have one Read Sea purple tang about 4” and a yellow tang about the same length. In the other tank I have two blonde naso tangs one 4” long and the other 9” long.

Being as tangs are territorial some say its best to add them all at once, but being as this a new tank or any tank for that matter is it wise to add that many fish at once, not giving the tank time to build up the added bacteria it needs to accommodate the extra bio load?

Thanks in advance
Mark

[nynick]

You can add the most timid tang first and work your way up saving the bossiest one for last. I added a large purple tang into the existing territory of a much smaller yellow tang with no major problems. The yellow tried his best but...really, what was he gonna do

THey lived happily together for years and even seemed to bond a little. THey would hide out in the same cave at night even.

I am guessing the big Naso or the Red Sea last. I have never kept either of them but the Naso is HUGE and the Red Sea Purple sure has a reputation

[bnumair]

in my personal experience (that doesnt mean set on stone) u will be fine. Naso are not aggressive. but i would add in order of least to most aggressive tangs.
Note: in a 240 i had achillies hippo yellow and 1 blonde naso and 1 naso tang with no problems.
Naso's both got about 10" long then i took them out as they knocked all corals and rocks over.