Tang for my 120g reef

albertan22 · 04/26/2010, 06:39 PM

So my tank has been set up for about 8 months now and I think I'd like to add a tang. Many of the LFS's in the area all seem to advocate adding whatever tang I want to the tank, but my 120g is only 4' long so I don't know if that's the wisest thing to do. I am considering adding one of the following:

Powder Blue Tang
Powder Brown Tang
Kole Tang
Purple Tang
Yellow Tang

Any advice from those with any of these tangs, or the tang police, would be much appreciated.

So far the tank contains:
4 blue green chromis
2 occelaris clowns
1 yellow watchman goby
3 purple queen anthias
various LPS, SPS, zooanthids and inverts

In the future I'd like to add a foxface and a mandarin. Thanks for the help.

disciple · 04/26/2010, 07:39 PM

You should have no problem adding another tang. I would choose between the powder blue or the purple tang. You didn't mention a chevron tang? They can be a nice addition as well. Always when adding more fish make sure you system can handle the extra load.

SNAKEMANVET · 04/26/2010, 07:51 PM

I have a 5'' yellow tang and a 6'' blue in my 120.I made it open to have more swimming room.the purple tang would be a nice addition for you.I better run before the tang police get me. lol

Brndn0515 · 04/26/2010, 09:02 PM

The yellow and purple tangs are def the easiest the keep IMO of the above listed tangs. Also powder blues can be fairly aggressive and require pristine conditions. I would start with the yellow or purple. Then move to some of the others the more you have success with the first.

albertan22 · 04/26/2010, 09:03 PM

I've heard that purples can be rather agressive as well. Is this not the case?

Brndn0515 · 04/26/2010, 09:30 PM

Im not sure i've never heard that about purples. But one thing is for sure. The purple will have much more of a chance imo, powder blues require almost perfect conditions. The purple would leave you a little more room for error.

Tschupe · 04/26/2010, 10:00 PM

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=739380

Toddrtrex · 04/26/2010, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albertan22

I've heard that purples can be rather agressive as well. Is this not the case?

IME, they are very aggressive. The one I USED to have would draw blood on my male Clarkii.

For your tank I would stick with either the yellow or kole. IMO, a 4 foot tank isn't big enough to keep either "powder" long term.

Tuscaquatics · 04/26/2010, 11:49 PM

The powders are ich magnets. These guys WILL have ich at some point. If you do get one, make sure and QT the guy and watch him before you add him to your tank or you might be sorry.

ziyaadb · 04/27/2010, 01:02 AM

i would stay away from any of the acanthurus species for such a short tank will be too cramped in the long run, rather stick with a zebrosoma species

Beaun · 04/27/2010, 07:50 AM

I would only keep a kole in a 4' tank, everything else will get too big. (Im assuming that this is a 4' 120.)

Whisperer · 04/27/2010, 08:32 AM

Always a hot topic. I have a powder brown that I got from Petco with ich and survived without any treatment. It is a slow grower for me and he is not as aggressive as my scopas.

Indymann99 · 04/27/2010, 12:26 PM

My YT and Hippo tangs are doing well in my 4' 120g. I left my rock scape as open as I could to permit lots of swimming room (the fish can swim behind, through, around all the rockwork. Both tangs pick at the LR all day but I do supplement with Nori every other day. If the tangs get too big (in many years) I will just sell them to the LFS.

(oh and the reason the fish are just swimming in 1 place in the video is because I am behind the camera and they are "begging for food"...)

albertan22 · 04/27/2010, 05:57 PM

I had been planning on putting in a kole tang then a foxface for my "big fish", but then a few people at my LFS's started trying to talk me into other tangs. I think I may stick with the original plan. In regards to pristine water conditions that a few people mentioned, my tank is young, but parameters have never been a problem. My skimmer is pretty oversized for my tank (rated for a 175g tank under heavy bioload and I run a reactor with phosban in it pretty much all the time.

04/26/2010, 06:39 PM	#1
albertan22 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 83	Tang for my 120g reef So my tank has been set up for about 8 months now and I think I'd like to add a tang. Many of the LFS's in the area all seem to advocate adding whatever tang I want to the tank, but my 120g is only 4' long so I don't know if that's the wisest thing to do. I am considering adding one of the following: Powder Blue Tang Powder Brown Tang Kole Tang Purple Tang Yellow Tang Any advice from those with any of these tangs, or the tang police, would be much appreciated. So far the tank contains: 4 blue green chromis 2 occelaris clowns 1 yellow watchman goby 3 purple queen anthias various LPS, SPS, zooanthids and inverts In the future I'd like to add a foxface and a mandarin. Thanks for the help.

04/26/2010, 10:00 PM	#7
Tschupe Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: chandler, AZ Posts: 1,144	http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=739380 __________________ TIM Current Tank Info: 29 biocube. Rkl with alc. mp-10. DIY CREE LEDs. Tunze 9002. 10 gallon with kessil 150 ocean blue

04/27/2010, 07:50 AM	#11
Beaun It's pronounced Bone Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Hampton, NY Posts: 1,967	I would only keep a kole in a 4' tank, everything else will get too big. (Im assuming that this is a 4' 120.) __________________ -Tyler "The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games." -Eugene Jarvis Current Tank Info: None

04/27/2010, 08:32 AM	#12
Whisperer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Punta Gorda, FL Posts: 4,020	Always a hot topic. I have a powder brown that I got from Petco with ich and survived without any treatment. It is a slow grower for me and he is not as aggressive as my scopas. __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. --------- No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Current Tank Info: 120G reef, 30G sump, 10G QT tank

04/27/2010, 12:26 PM	#13
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	My YT and Hippo tangs are doing well in my 4' 120g. I left my rock scape as open as I could to permit lots of swimming room (the fish can swim behind, through, around all the rockwork. Both tangs pick at the LR all day but I do supplement with Nori every other day. If the tangs get too big (in many years) I will just sell them to the LFS. (oh and the reason the fish are just swimming in 1 place in the video is because I am behind the camera and they are "begging for food"...) __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

04/26/2010, 07:39 PM	#2
disciple Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 155	You should have no problem adding another tang. I would choose between the powder blue or the purple tang. You didn't mention a chevron tang? They can be a nice addition as well. Always when adding more fish make sure you system can handle the extra load.

04/26/2010, 07:51 PM	#3
SNAKEMANVET PREMIUM MEMBER Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: TRENTON Tn Posts: 4,486	I have a 5'' yellow tang and a 6'' blue in my 120.I made it open to have more swimming room.the purple tang would be a nice addition for you.I better run before the tang police get me. lol

04/26/2010, 09:02 PM	#4
Brndn0515 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 30	The yellow and purple tangs are def the easiest the keep IMO of the above listed tangs. Also powder blues can be fairly aggressive and require pristine conditions. I would start with the yellow or purple. Then move to some of the others the more you have success with the first.

04/26/2010, 09:03 PM	#5
albertan22 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 83	I've heard that purples can be rather agressive as well. Is this not the case?

04/26/2010, 09:30 PM	#6
Brndn0515 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 30	Im not sure i've never heard that about purples. But one thing is for sure. The purple will have much more of a chance imo, powder blues require almost perfect conditions. The purple would leave you a little more room for error.

04/26/2010, 11:49 PM	#9
Tuscaquatics Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 1,324	The powders are ich magnets. These guys WILL have ich at some point. If you do get one, make sure and QT the guy and watch him before you add him to your tank or you might be sorry.

04/27/2010, 01:02 AM	#10
ziyaadb Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South Africa - JHB Posts: 733	i would stay away from any of the acanthurus species for such a short tank will be too cramped in the long run, rather stick with a zebrosoma species

04/27/2010, 05:57 PM	#14
albertan22 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 83	I had been planning on putting in a kole tang then a foxface for my "big fish", but then a few people at my LFS's started trying to talk me into other tangs. I think I may stick with the original plan. In regards to pristine water conditions that a few people mentioned, my tank is young, but parameters have never been a problem. My skimmer is pretty oversized for my tank (rated for a 175g tank under heavy bioload and I run a reactor with phosban in it pretty much all the time.

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