How to keep tangs healthy?

lwillis22 · 09/16/2012, 05:31 PM

Tangs are probably my favorite fish but in the past I have not had the best of luck with them. I now have a yellow tang, blue tang, naso tang and a sailfin tang in my 125 gallon. As of now, they all look healthy but I am wondering if anyone has any advice for keeping them healthy.

usmc121581 · 09/16/2012, 05:37 PM

Lots of seaweed!

cloak · 09/16/2012, 05:38 PM

A varied diet.

reeferstace · 09/16/2012, 06:02 PM

You could start by putting them in a properly sized tank. Sailfins and Nasos need much bigger tanks than what you have.

Ryand63 · 09/16/2012, 06:32 PM

+1 on all responses. Good varied diet and lots of room. I think a 125 is on the small side for all those tangs long term. But awesome fish!

zoafarm · 09/16/2012, 08:14 PM

Tangs are beautiful fish, and share your appreciation for them. However, your tank is too small. Okay, the yellow tang maybe, but the others really need more room.

andy2966 · 09/16/2012, 08:20 PM

I feed my yellow tang Omega One Green seaweed on a clip and he goes straight for it before I even get the clip secure. Also Eats Mystis or Brine shrimp and any flake foods I put in there. I have had him for about 3 months. But I had one for years in the past.

ajcanale · 09/16/2012, 08:33 PM

I think Nori sheets paired with spirulina flakes make the best staple food. Supplemented with occasional vitamin/HUFA and garlic enriched mysids or cyclops.

ajcanale · 09/16/2012, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarrWalterl

You could start by putting them in a properly sized tank.

Wow lots of tang police on patrol this evening. It's a 125, not ideal, but could be much worse... Though I will say way undersized for a Na

fishchef · 09/16/2012, 10:47 PM

Wow, that's a lot of Tangs in a 125. I have a Purple and a Kole in a 125. Yes, not recommended. Its a 6 ft and plenty of room to swim for the past 3+ years. We use Selcon in the diet and lots of Nori.

reeferstace · 09/17/2012, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajcanale

Wow lots of tang police on patrol this evening. It's a 125, not ideal, but could be much worse... Though I will say way undersized for a Naso.

The OP asked how to keep tangs health. Most people here are giving answers that relate to diet only. There are many other factors that contribute to the overall health and well being of fish in our tanks. Housing fish in tanks that are too small for them can lead to aggression, stress, and general decline of health.

Also, I would refrain from using the term tang police here. It is not looked upon favorably.

cloak · 09/17/2012, 03:21 PM

Woops... (wrong thread)

aandfsoccr04 · 09/17/2012, 03:50 PM

I agree with keeping them in the appropriate sized tanks so they have enough room to swim. The naso and sailfin and probably the blue tang are all going to get huge! Might want to think about trading those in for a smaller model.

Breakbeats2334 · 10/14/2012, 01:11 AM

From a diet stand point i feed sea weed daily //nls pellets and pe mysis

erock68 · 10/14/2012, 04:52 AM

I feed my yellow a combo of Two Little Fishies Jules green and red seaweed. As stated above...he goes after it even before I can get it on the clip. This is on the diet side.

I have a 75g and it will be the only Tang I keep

Palting · 10/14/2012, 10:36 AM

I've had 4 tangs for over 2 years, got them as 2"-3" juveniles and now are quite large. A purple, a tennenti, a hippo, and a naso. They eat anything, more omnivore than herbivore, and I feed them IO gelfood omnivore blend once daily, plus nori on a clip once or twice a week, plus flakes and sinking shrimp pellets for variety. They are actually easy fish to keep, not finicky at all.

Here is a pic where I got lucky and all 4 are in the same frame, taken about a year ago.

They are pigs and easy to feed. How about hand feeding?

Nori, anyone?

09/16/2012, 05:31 PM	#1
lwillis22 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 303	How to keep tangs healthy? Tangs are probably my favorite fish but in the past I have not had the best of luck with them. I now have a yellow tang, blue tang, naso tang and a sailfin tang in my 125 gallon. As of now, they all look healthy but I am wondering if anyone has any advice for keeping them healthy.

09/16/2012, 05:37 PM	#2
usmc121581 Where am I? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Abingdon, maryland Posts: 1,671 Blog Entries: 1	Lots of seaweed! __________________ I prefer not to think before I speak, I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth. Current Tank Info: I have a 180 gal mostly LPS corals, it contains 1 Val. Tang, 1 yellow striped clown fish, 3 percula clownfish, a blood shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a sand shifting goby, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 green chromis. Also a 75 gal. sump/fug.

09/16/2012, 06:02 PM	#4
reeferstace I'm a little people Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Over Yonder Posts: 1,392	You could start by putting them in a properly sized tank. Sailfins and Nasos need much bigger tanks than what you have. __________________ Stacy

09/16/2012, 08:20 PM	#7
andy2966 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Saint Louis, MO. Posts: 376	I feed my yellow tang Omega One Green seaweed on a clip and he goes straight for it before I even get the clip secure. Also Eats Mystis or Brine shrimp and any flake foods I put in there. I have had him for about 3 months. But I had one for years in the past. __________________ Just a little patience Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon (FOWLR) and 29 Gallon used for QT mostly

09/16/2012, 08:33 PM	#8
ajcanale Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Memphis 10 Posts: 1,098	I think Nori sheets paired with spirulina flakes make the best staple food. Supplemented with occasional vitamin/HUFA and garlic enriched mysids or cyclops. __________________ If the spirit moves ya, let me groove ya Current Tank Info: 150g Starphire Pensinula SPS

09/16/2012, 05:38 PM	#3
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	A varied diet.

09/16/2012, 06:32 PM	#5
Ryand63 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,045	+1 on all responses. Good varied diet and lots of room. I think a 125 is on the small side for all those tangs long term. But awesome fish!

09/16/2012, 08:14 PM	#6
zoafarm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 306	Tangs are beautiful fish, and share your appreciation for them. However, your tank is too small. Okay, the yellow tang maybe, but the others really need more room.

09/16/2012, 10:47 PM	#10
fishchef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,222	Wow, that's a lot of Tangs in a 125. I have a Purple and a Kole in a 125. Yes, not recommended. Its a 6 ft and plenty of room to swim for the past 3+ years. We use Selcon in the diet and lots of Nori.

09/17/2012, 03:21 PM	#12
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Woops... (wrong thread) Last edited by cloak; 09/17/2012 at 03:38 PM.

09/17/2012, 03:50 PM	#13
aandfsoccr04 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 3,561	I agree with keeping them in the appropriate sized tanks so they have enough room to swim. The naso and sailfin and probably the blue tang are all going to get huge! Might want to think about trading those in for a smaller model. __________________ 120 gallon mixed reef

10/14/2012, 01:11 AM	#14
Breakbeats2334 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Endwell NY Posts: 862	From a diet stand point i feed sea weed daily //nls pellets and pe mysis

10/14/2012, 04:52 AM	#15
erock68 It costs how much? Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Aurora, Oh Posts: 443	I feed my yellow a combo of Two Little Fishies Jules green and red seaweed. As stated above...he goes after it even before I can get it on the clip. This is on the diet side. I have a 75g and it will be the only Tang I keep __________________ I may make mistakes...just not twice. Eric (Zoa Addict) Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Reef DT: All Pukani LR, 30g sump.

10/14/2012, 10:36 AM	#16
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	I've had 4 tangs for over 2 years, got them as 2"-3" juveniles and now are quite large. A purple, a tennenti, a hippo, and a naso. They eat anything, more omnivore than herbivore, and I feed them IO gelfood omnivore blend once daily, plus nori on a clip once or twice a week, plus flakes and sinking shrimp pellets for variety. They are actually easy fish to keep, not finicky at all. Here is a pic where I got lucky and all 4 are in the same frame, taken about a year ago. They are pigs and easy to feed. How about hand feeding? Nori, anyone? __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam