How peaceful is your Sailfin Tang?

jfingers8 · 10/16/2009, 05:21 PM

I am looking to buy a Sailfin Tang for my 125 gallon FOWLR. I wanted to know if they are peaceful or not because I just had to get rid of my yellow tang because he was so aggressive and my blueface angel would not eat for a month and a half and as soon as i took out the yellow tang he started to eat right away so obviously stress was the problem. I don't want it to happen again and i need to keep my blueface angel as the boss of the tank. How good of a addition will the sailfin tang be? Tankmates right now is Porcupine Puffer, Foxface, Copperband Butterfly, Flame Angel and Blueface Angel.

mrkalel · 10/16/2009, 05:25 PM

Every fish is a little different, but they are not passive... they will hold their own...
What will def. help is that the Blueface is established already... and if you are gonna get a Sailfin... get one smaller than the Angel...
Sailfin's are quick growers and love to eat... so it will usually take no-time for them to get larger...

mcoomer · 10/16/2009, 05:58 PM

I have a Desjardin Sailfin and he's really mellow. He will display and chase other fish on occasion but no more than my other fish do to each other. I agree with what was said in the post above. Get one that is a bit smaller than the angel and I think you'll be fine. There are other tangs, including Yellow's, that are much more aggressive than Sailfins.

Mike

ludnix · 10/16/2009, 06:52 PM

I had a sailfin in my 120g for a while before returning him to the pet store. In my case he was extremely aggressive and I found he needed a much larger tank than a 4 footer.

hitachi753 · 10/16/2009, 06:54 PM

I have one in my 150, he is very passive. I actually got rid of my blue tang because he was chasing the sailfin

blueye · 10/16/2009, 07:49 PM

my sailfin tang is the most peaceful out of all my tangs, purple,clown,and blonde naso.He is the oldest 12 yrs and counting.

plancton · 10/16/2009, 08:01 PM

I have a big sailfin in my 160 gal, and he´s absolutely peaceful, I can´t imagine this fish being agressive at all, I know every tang is different, but even an agressive sailfin shouldn´t be that much agressive.

It only eats nori and algae, I´ve been having it for 6 months now, and it is finally starting to eat pellets once in a while, but doesn´t do it often.

david pinder · 10/16/2009, 09:01 PM

Mine is one of the most passive tangs in the tank

tufacody · 10/16/2009, 09:07 PM

I added a desjarni to a tank with an establish purple tang. Those two fought each other for about two weeks, and now they act like mated clownfish. The are always side by side when they swim. I have never seen him act aggresive to any other fish.

jfingers8 · 10/16/2009, 09:09 PM

The one I have on hold at the fish store is probably about 4 inches or so and my blueface is like double that so i hope i'm good.

regina · 10/16/2009, 09:42 PM

I obtained my sailfin and a kole tang at the very same time in 75gal wanted to test the waters so to speak before I put them in the 125gal. After two weeks no signs of fighting and all was well but the third week I began to notice the kole was hiding in the rocks and the next morning he was found dead. Now the sailfin is very protective of the whole area of the tank. I dont dare add anything in there with it.
I honestly didnt think they were having trouble never once seen signs, they both were the same size. I guess I was wrong so wrong.
Now he lives with two clowns and a alage blenny that is it.

Just like human beings some have good personalities and others can be jerks.

10/16/2009, 05:21 PM	#1
jfingers8 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: MA Posts: 562	How peaceful is your Sailfin Tang? I am looking to buy a Sailfin Tang for my 125 gallon FOWLR. I wanted to know if they are peaceful or not because I just had to get rid of my yellow tang because he was so aggressive and my blueface angel would not eat for a month and a half and as soon as i took out the yellow tang he started to eat right away so obviously stress was the problem. I don't want it to happen again and i need to keep my blueface angel as the boss of the tank. How good of a addition will the sailfin tang be? Tankmates right now is Porcupine Puffer, Foxface, Copperband Butterfly, Flame Angel and Blueface Angel.

10/16/2009, 05:25 PM	#2
mrkalel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Long Island Posts: 614	Every fish is a little different, but they are not passive... they will hold their own... What will def. help is that the Blueface is established already... and if you are gonna get a Sailfin... get one smaller than the Angel... Sailfin's are quick growers and love to eat... so it will usually take no-time for them to get larger... __________________ Able to spend a ridiculous amount of time staring at a fish bowl... https://twitter.com/MrKal_El https://instagram.com/mrkal_el/ Current Tank Info: Oceanic 144 Gal Half-Circle Display / AGA 72 Gal Bow-Front Fuge / Oceanic 60 Gal Sump 3 / ReeFlo Hammerhead Return / AquaC EV-240 Skimmer w. Mag 18 / Basement Sump & Fuge / 4 Reefbreeders Supernova's

10/16/2009, 05:58 PM	#3
mcoomer Rat Bastard! Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sammamish, WA Posts: 1,487	I have a Desjardin Sailfin and he's really mellow. He will display and chase other fish on occasion but no more than my other fish do to each other. I agree with what was said in the post above. Get one that is a bit smaller than the angel and I think you'll be fine. There are other tangs, including Yellow's, that are much more aggressive than Sailfins. Mike __________________ Spending exorbitant amounts of money on this hobby since 1998! My wife thought the tank would be cheaper and easier to keep than a dog...no seriously! Current Tank Info: 180 gallon mixed reef; Reeflo Barracuda, Tunze 6105 (X3), 250W Radiums with dual HQI Blue Wave 7, Reefkeeper Elite controller, custom sump with ASM G4, carbon and GFO reactors

10/16/2009, 06:52 PM	#4
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	I had a sailfin in my 120g for a while before returning him to the pet store. In my case he was extremely aggressive and I found he needed a much larger tank than a 4 footer. __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

10/16/2009, 08:01 PM	#7
plancton Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mexico Posts: 1,866	I have a big sailfin in my 160 gal, and he´s absolutely peaceful, I can´t imagine this fish being agressive at all, I know every tang is different, but even an agressive sailfin shouldn´t be that much agressive. It only eats nori and algae, I´ve been having it for 6 months now, and it is finally starting to eat pellets once in a while, but doesn´t do it often. __________________ Hansel, he´s so hot right now...

10/16/2009, 06:54 PM	#5
hitachi753 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Columbia SC Posts: 35	I have one in my 150, he is very passive. I actually got rid of my blue tang because he was chasing the sailfin

10/16/2009, 07:49 PM	#6
blueye Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 49	my sailfin tang is the most peaceful out of all my tangs, purple,clown,and blonde naso.He is the oldest 12 yrs and counting.

10/16/2009, 09:01 PM	#8
david pinder Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: houston tx 77316 Posts: 538	Mine is one of the most passive tangs in the tank

10/16/2009, 09:07 PM	#9
tufacody Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,890	I added a desjarni to a tank with an establish purple tang. Those two fought each other for about two weeks, and now they act like mated clownfish. The are always side by side when they swim. I have never seen him act aggresive to any other fish.

10/16/2009, 09:09 PM	#10
jfingers8 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: MA Posts: 562	The one I have on hold at the fish store is probably about 4 inches or so and my blueface is like double that so i hope i'm good.

10/16/2009, 09:42 PM	#11
regina Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Tampa Bay area Posts: 121	My sailfin I obtained my sailfin and a kole tang at the very same time in 75gal wanted to test the waters so to speak before I put them in the 125gal. After two weeks no signs of fighting and all was well but the third week I began to notice the kole was hiding in the rocks and the next morning he was found dead. Now the sailfin is very protective of the whole area of the tank. I dont dare add anything in there with it. I honestly didnt think they were having trouble never once seen signs, they both were the same size. I guess I was wrong so wrong. Now he lives with two clowns and a alage blenny that is it. Just like human beings some have good personalities and others can be jerks.