Naso Tangs

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

How well do they get along? I am just talking about the regular "Lipstick" Naso Tangs. I have seen a few people keep them in pairs. I guess they are not actually pairs but do tolerate each other. From what I have read, they are one of the most passive tangs out there.

What I am getting at, is that I have always wanted a "pair". If Im being honest with myself, I kind of know my tank is not really big enough but for some reason I am still looking into it :neutral:

I am not even sure the tank is big enough for one :( They get so huge.

But what was your experience if you tried two?

I doubt I will try it but again...for some reason I am looking into it :)

[my2rotties]

Strange I was wondering this same thing myself. I don't want to keep a pair but they are so easy to sex, I would think people would have done it.

When I asked at the LFS as the why it is not common I was told if the male does not accept the female he will kill her. I don't know much truth there is to it, but it must have happened before t have that info.

My naso is my favorite fish. She is so interactive and such a peace keeper of my tank.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Yeah mine is one of my fav fish too. "He" is soooo docile and calm. Seems like such a thoughtful fish. I would love a "pair" but don't know that I would ever risk it and don't think my tank is big enough anyways.

I also don't know yet if mine is male or female. "He" is a little too small still to know. It does look like "he" may be getting the streamers but maybe not. Hard to tell.

[my2rotties]

They really do seem insightful and thoughtful for sure. When my Majestic fell ill and I was trying to to swim her around, my naso came and helped me with her. She would swim on the other side of my hand to hold the angel upright, and would watch her and not allow other fish to come near the angel. It was very touching to see. She guards the baby fish and makes sure no harm comes to them. If the three other tangs quarrel, she comes and breaks it up. When the other tangs see her coming they disperse very quickly. I know that fish thinks and has feelings more so then the others.

From a terrified fish that almost starved to death she has become robust and will eat nori from my hands (only thing she eats to this date but working on it and giving selcon to compensate). She swims into my hand and I can run my fingers along her topline. She looks like velvet but she feels like sandpaper.

If I could only keep one fish, she would be the one to stay. I would never part with her.

Yeah mine is one of my fav fish too. "He" is soooo docile and calm. Seems like such a thoughtful fish. I would love a "pair" but don't know that I would ever risk it and don't think my tank is big enough anyways.

I also don't know yet if mine is male or female. "He" is a little too small still to know. It does look like "he" may be getting the streamers but maybe not. Hard to tell.

[digital-audiophile]

I love Naso tangs but I would never keep one unless I had 500+ gallons. When they grop up they get huge!

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

I love Naso tangs but I would never keep one unless I had 500+ gallons. When they grop up they get huge!

Seems kind of excessive. With this kind of thinking (relative fish size to tank size), there are not many fish you can keep in any tank.

[lastlight]

Seems excessive until you walk into Ocean City in Calgary. Theirs is the biggest I've ever seen and he's not done growing. I planned for a Naso as my main fish but have since decided to go with smaller fish...a Kole being my largest.

It's all up to you of course...any of this is just opinion. I think you're pushing it a bit with one Naso...two would be too much I think.

[my2rotties]

There is one that same size at Wais to this day but the tank is tiny. I wanted to rescue the poor guy, but was discouraged from doing so. I notice these fish at these stres have giant overgrown teeth and mine does not. I wonder if they keep their teeth down on liverock from eating algae, or if their teeth turn into monster size when they get that big. I did notice the tanks with the big fish have no rock, so I am thinking the teeth are overgrown,

Seems excessive until you walk into Ocean City in Calgary. Theirs is the biggest I've ever seen and he's not done growing. I planned for a Naso as my main fish but have since decided to go with smaller fish...a Kole being my largest.

It's all up to you of course...any of this is just opinion. I think you're pushing it a bit with one Naso...two would be too much I think.

[digital-audiophile]

the Oceans fish, that's the exact fish I was thinking of. Beautiful fish but it needs something big to swim in.

Call me the tang police, but IMO Zebramosa sp. are much better suited to aquarium life :)

The problem with the hobby, and to the fault of LFS when you see Naso's and unicorns tangs and so forth they are fairly small specimens that do not really give you an idea of what they are going to grow up to be.

In the end this is just my opinion, everyone can stock their tanks however they see fit, I just know that unless I had a HUGE tank I would not even consider one.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Seems excessive until you walk into Ocean City in Calgary. Theirs is the biggest I've ever seen and he's not done growing. I planned for a Naso as my main fish but have since decided to go with smaller fish...a Kole being my largest.

It's all up to you of course...any of this is just opinion. I think you're pushing it a bit with one Naso...two would be too much I think.

Yeah like I said, I doubt I would ever do it.

I have seen one pretty close to full grown (about 14") in a 180G tank and IMO he was fine.

[my2rotties]

I guess I need to think of my next tank build for when my naso grows up... I will do whatever it takes to keep her happy. Right now she has a lot of space and rocks and caves t hide in. These days she is visiting with the cleaner shrimp and begging for nori. I will always try to keep her happy.

the Oceans fish, that's the exact fish I was thinking of. Beautiful fish but it needs something big to swim in.

Call me the tang police, but IMO Zebramosa sp. are much better suited to aquarium life :)

The problem with the hobby, and to the fault of LFS when you see Naso's and unicorns tangs and so forth they are fairly small specimens that do not really give you an idea of what they are going to grow up to be.

In the end this is just my opinion, everyone can stock their tanks however they see fit, I just know that unless I had a HUGE tank I would not even consider one.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

I guess I need to think of my next tank build for when my naso grows up... I will do whatever it takes to keep her happy. Right now she has a lot of space and rocks and caves t hide in. These days she is visiting with the cleaner shrimp and begging for nori. I will always try to keep her happy.

She will be just fine in your tank. You don't need a bigger tank for your Naso. She will most likely not grow to 16" in your tank but thats fine. They seem to max out around 12-14" in aquariums unless they were caught much bigger already.

[my2rotties]

Well I have a few fish that will grow bigger and need to take them into consideration. I am keeping Griffie since I just don't have the heart to let him go and he is being stellar these days. I really love all my fish and can't bear to part with any of them. My angels do pick things but I have moved them out of reach and do my best to accommodate everyone. So far s good, and I really want to keep things happy and peaceful.

She will be just fine in your tank. You don't need a bigger tank for your Naso. She will most likely not grow to 16" in your tank but thats fine. They seem to max out around 12-14" in aquariums unless they were caught much bigger already.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Well I have a few fish that will grow bigger and need to take them into consideration. I am keeping Griffie since I just don't have the heart to let him go and he is being stellar these days. I really love all my fish and can't bear to part with any of them. My angels do pick things but I have moved them out of reach and do my best to accommodate everyone. So far s good, and I really want to keep things happy and peaceful.

Griff is fine in that tank too for life ;)

[my2rotties]

Shhhh... it's a great excuse to go even bigger in the future, maybe three to four years. My hubby wanted two tanks on the same water supply but in an L shape. One side for non reef safe fish and the other for my reef. They would be built together as one but be divided in the corner of the L in a way you would not notice. We would tile saw the rocks flat and lay them back together on the dividing piece of glass so it would like one piece. It's in the thought stage but if my fish get too big, it will maybe become a reality...:wink:


Griff is fine in that tank too for life ;)

[Trigger Man]

I like your husbands idea, I figure I will run a double tank system on my next system in order to have fish that can not be kept in a reef as well as a reef system. Right now my Scribble nips at my corals but the corals are still doing well, so no real issues. Yet when the Scribble grows larger I may have some probs, and hence the need for another tank.


Shhhh... it's a great excuse to go even bigger in the future, maybe three to four years. My hubby wanted two tanks on the same water supply but in an L shape. One side for non reef safe fish and the other for my reef. They would be built together as one but be divided in the corner of the L in a way you would not notice. We would tile saw the rocks flat and lay them back together on the dividing piece of glass so it would like one piece. It's in the thought stage but if my fish get too big, it will maybe become a reality...:wink:

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Shhhh... it's a great excuse to go even bigger in the future, maybe three to four years. My hubby wanted two tanks on the same water supply but in an L shape. One side for non reef safe fish and the other for my reef. They would be built together as one but be divided in the corner of the L in a way you would not notice. We would tile saw the rocks flat and lay them back together on the dividing piece of glass so it would like one piece. It's in the thought stage but if my fish get too big, it will maybe become a reality...:wink:

I designed a system for a friend that is three tanks plumbed together. I just designed the look though. Its all in a 24' false wall. There are two 180G tanks on either side of a 8' 400G tank. The two sides are reefs with metal halide lighting and the middle is a shark/predator tank with some MH lights on the edges that fade a bit to PC's. So you get the look of two reefs with open sand between for sharks and rays. Very little to no LR in the middle tank. He is using a 300G sump and 300G refugium too. He is going to aquascape it with two drop offs in the 180's. The shark tank will hopefully be kind of dim and deep water looking.

There should be a build thread on RC soon. He lives in Florida.

The wall does have 2" between each tank though, so they are not butted right up against each other but the end result should look like one big tank. I mean you will most likely be able to tell its three but thats fine.

I will look for my drawings and designs later.

[my2rotties]

Pictures please!!! That is awesome although I feel sharks should be in the ocean, but most fish should be as well. I wish I had that kind of money to do a build like that. Mine pretty much broke the bank, but it is winter so I don't do anything else.

I designed a system for a friend that is three tanks plumbed together. I just designed the look though. Its all in a 24' false wall. There are two 180G tanks on either side of a 8' 400G tank. The two sides are reefs with metal halide lighting and the middle is a shark/predator tank with some MH lights on the edges that fade a bit to PC's. So you get the look of two reefs with open sand between for sharks and rays. Very little to no LR in the middle tank. He is using a 300G sump and 300G refugium too. He is going to aquascape it with two drop offs in the 180's. The shark tank will hopefully be kind of dim and deep water looking.

There should be a build thread on RC soon. He lives in Florida.

The wall does have 2" between each tank though, so they are not butted right up against each other but the end result should look like one big tank. I mean you will most likely be able to tell its three but thats fine.

I will look for my drawings and designs later.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Pictures please!!! That is awesome although I feel sharks should be in the ocean, but most fish should be as well. I wish I had that kind of money to do a build like that. Mine pretty much broke the bank, but it is winter so I don't do anything else.

I don't know...small sharks fine IMO. He already has 2 Bamboo Sharks and a ray in a 300G and will be adding another Bamboo or two I think to the new tank.

Im never too concerned about tank size as long as its within reason. Its starts to get ridiculous. Its still a tank regardless of size. Fish are not going to act like they would in the ocean in your tank unless its massive...like maybe 10 000 G.

I still wouldn't keep tangs in 4' myself (don't think its wrong either) and do feel my 200G is maybe a little small for a Naso but not small enough that it would ever stop me from keeping one.

I just have drawings I did of the system. He may have pics of the actual tanks in his garage. I think the big tank actually ended up being bigger than 400G but I don't know--haven't talked to him in...wow, about 6 months :)

[untamed]

I'm a bit partial to Nasos... I suppose some people like their angels and tangs... but I got hooked on Nasos.

Everyone knows what I have:
N. literatus (female)
N. elegans (male)
N. vlamingi
N. unicornis

OK...so is elegans different from literatus? I don't know, but the female is black and the male is blonde. (I didn't intend to add the female. She was a mistake that we thought was unicornis. It is so difficult to tell them apart when they are juv.) So that is four potentially enormous Nasos in my 400 gallon system.

They get along with every other fish, with one exception. None of them really like the female literatus. It's not a huge problem, but whenever they get stirred up you can bet that the she is in the middle of it. Unintentially, I might be conducting an experiment on keeping a pair "Nasos", even though one is black and one is blonde.

As for size....I'm not sure my tank is large enough for them in the longer term. The vlamingi grows so fast that I'm currently thinking he outgrows me in less than 2 years. The others grow much more slowly. I suspect that grow speed correlates to achieved maximum size as well.

Too many words...not enough pictures.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/untamed_photos/Fish%20pictures/100_0418.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/untamed_photos/Fish%20pictures/100_0399.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/untamed_photos/Fish%20pictures/100_0502b.jpg

[my2rotties]

WOW!!! That is so impressive to look at. I would spend all day staring at your tank, it is amazing!!! Beautiful fish, just beautiful!!!