Compatability

[Snoop Dog]

I have a 3.5 inch purple tang in my tank and I realley want to get a Bluetang (Hipo), 1 - 1.5 inch.

Would they get along, or am I just setting the seen for the Ick factory to make an entrance?

[Aquattro]

Genrally purple tangs are aggresive and should be added last. If the blue is big enough, it might do OK, but it might get kicked.

[sumpfinfishe]

I agree with Brad that purple tang has most likely claimed alot of territory, so adding a smaller tang to your tank may bring on some battles.

[bulletsworld]

I think it really depends on the temperament of your tang. You would know best how your purple responds to other fish added. My yellow tang is the bully usually for all fish that first enter the tank. She lets them know she is the boss then will leave them alone.

I agree though that a bigger Hippo than your purple tang would be better.

[StirCrazy]

[quote="bulletsworld"]I think it really depends on the temperament of your tang. You would know best how your purple responds to other fish added. [quote]

I think we should be striving to supply the more likely information and not the exception.

Steve

[bulletsworld]

Hey how about adding your 2 cents, Stircrazy


BTW, everything above is my own experiance only and used at your own risk.

[AJ_77]

Take it easy, dude. How about if Bob Fenner gives his 2 cents? Is an expert better for you?

quoted without permission:
Inter- and Intra-specific Aggression:

Purple Tangs are almost always fine tankmates as juveniles (under 3 inches in length). Often, growing up in under-crowded circumstances with other fishes, they grow to be the same as larger adults. As is often stated as a rule of thumb, this Surgeonfish is better not stocked with similar-appearing fishes, especially other acanthurids that occupy a similar niche. Those in the genus Zebrasoma especially. Under crowding is always the safest bet, followed by introduction of smaller individuals first; and more aggressive species like Purple Tangs as the last fishes to be placed. But there is no sure-bet with stocking this species. Careful observation is a hallmark of a successful aquarist.

(from wetwebmedia.com)
So in general terms you might be asking for trouble with this pairing, but yeah, you should really know your own fish too... I think the meat of the message here is " don't push your luck - be responsible."

[Quinn]

Ah Fenner, the king of "take it with a grain of salt". I do enjoy his site and his humour (or lack thereof) but I personally don't trust his judgements on fish - back when I was researching livestock for my tank, he told me to go ahead and put three marine catfish (Plotosus lineatus) in my reef. Suuuure Bob, they'll be great after they grow to a foot long and eat everything else I own.

As for the tangs, I think with two in a 90 gal, well, space would become a concern at some point in time. You'd want to ensure they have lots of room to swim, as I suspect this is a major factor in how well tangs (and any other fish) do together. Purely anecdotal evidence (there's my disclaimer), but I'll cite Steve and his clownfishes, and this month's AAOM tank of the month, which contains at least five species of tangs from the genus Zebrasoma.

[AJ_77]

Hey how about adding your two cents, teevee.

:razz: - - - > :mrgreen:

(guess I should have said "expurt" but heck, we all take 'em with a grain or two...)
:wink:
Stir's as good an expert as anybody...
:razz:

[Quinn]

Ah come on Alan, you should have known I wouldn't let a thread like this pass without adding at least three cents! But I did include a lot of disclaimers, and said "I think" and "personally". But what's with the "expurt" thing, I missed it?

[Aquattro]

Stir's as good an expert as anybody...
:razz:

Great!! All he needs, a publicist!! :rolleyes:

[Quinn]

Man some publicist. Sounds like Tony Clement's - "well, he's as good a candidate as anyone".

[StirCrazy]

Hey how about adding your 2 cents, Stircrazy


BTW, everything above is my own experiance only and used at your own risk.

that was 3 cents just for your info :rolleyes: like I said, one experiance doesent make it universal.. I have a mantis shrimp that doesn't eat snails or hermit crabs.. do you see me saying all mantis would be good with snails and hermits?

Steve

[Quinn]

So many jokes... so many... :cry:

[EmilyB]

Teevee, have you ever kept two tangs together?

I had a purple tang once. Paid $99 and got $50 credit a year later.

[Quinn]

No, just one... why? :neutral:

[EmilyB]

No, just one... why? :neutral:

Then someday if you do, you might know why I asked. :mrgreen:

[Quinn]

So only by owning two tangs will I be able to hypothesize on their behaviour in aquaria? :neutral:

[EmilyB]

as I suspect this is a major factor in how well tangs (and any other fish) do together

Don't suspect Quinn. Go beyond.

--removed by staff--

[Quinn]

I'll work on the first. Probably not the second.

[AJ_77]

Quinn: "expurt" = expert taken with grain of salt

Snoop: even Quinn will tell you that the bulk of the 1000's of posts he's read on this topic will point to the fact that your 90 is "just enough" room for your Purple, which certainly deserves its own space, as much as you can give it.

I would like to keep more than one really cool fish too, but can't...
:sad:

[smokinreefer]

ive had multiple tangs under my care.
and currently have 2 tangs in my 180.
does that mean i'm an expert now?
cool.
can we have that title permanently added to my avatar?
(thanks mods, i'm sure you'll get right on that!)
:lol:

[Aquattro]

can we have that title permanently added to my avatar?
(thanks mods, i'm sure you'll get right on that!)
:lol:

I tried, but don't have the fields available to do that. Sorry. We all know you're an expurt anyways!! :razz:

[LostMind]

Just adding on, shao's got a purple and a hippo, but his tank is double the size of the 90g.

[monza]

Opening myself up to the Tang police here but I have: one blue regal/hippo, one powder blue, and one purple tang. All in a 110g tank- 200g water volume. All bought at a very small/young age. They are happy, swim and eat together all the time. They are about four inches now, one day when they get to big, I’ll move them to a bigger home. The purple tang is for sure the most aggressive but not so bad. I however can not add any new live stock to the tank. They try killing anything I've since added to the tank. Also for your info, the powder blue likes to nip at some soft corals and I've had to move one coral to my sump.

Dave

Tang Police: if they get to big or unhappy, I have a mini spear gun. :evil:

[monza]

Oh ya Snoop I'll give my two cents worth; I would not add that small tang with the bigger purple.

It ain't no big tang.

Dave

[smokinreefer]

Just adding on, shao's got a purple and a hippo, but his tank is double the size of the 90g.

ok, i suppose since i've chirped in on this thread i should at least provide some relevant info...

i actually have a red sea purple tang and a powder blue tang in my 180. the purple was established int he tank already, and the powder blue was added second. the powder blue is at least an inch larger than the purple. there has never been any aggression between the 2. not even at introduction, which honestly was a very very pleasant surprise. i was expecting WW3.

i had 3 tangs in my 135 previous to this... one of them being the red sea purple i have now, a yellow and a red sea sailfin. both of which died in holding tanks when my 135 cracked, which of course led to my impromtu upgrade to my 180.

in that tank, the yellow was established and the red sea sailfin and the red sea purple were added second, at the same time. both were similar in size, and smaller than the yellow. the yellow remained dominant. and the red sea sailfin packed on size like ther was no tomorrow. it quickly grew to match the yellow in size. the purple on the other hand, grew at a much slower pace, it remained very healthy, just didnt put on much size. it was on the bottom of the tang pecking order, and was harrassed to the point that it became timid and was in hiding a lot. (before the tank cracked and the 2 tangs died, i was contemplating catching and removing the yellow tang, to alleviate the aggression between the conspecifics)

from this, i would not recommend 3 tangs in a 135(wide tank). though one may have greater success with different tangs, as the 3 i had were all zebrasoma sp.

having gone through that, even though i do miss my yellow and red sea sailfin (beautiful fish) i am happy to have my surviving red sea purple and stunning powder blue tang!

as big of a tang fanatic i am, i am so happy with my current tangs, i would not want to introduce another to my tank, as i would fear their behaviours may change. (but who knows what the future holds, bigger tank hopefully :lol: :mrgreen: )

i am not trying to say what can and cannot be done in terms of tangs, but just sharing my experiences.

just as a side note, while total water volume is great for improving water quality, tangs need actual tank water volume as they do require more swimming space than most fish.

this is what i feel helps contribute to my success with tangs...
good stable healthy environment, meaning established tank, good water paramaters, enough swimming space, enough territory/ rockwork, healthy fish and good feedings.

HTH.

oh, tips on adding a second tang, of course be sure the fish is healthy... but try for a noticeably larger tang, and different species (body shape) and color will improve your chances of success as well.

and also consider the future of the fish, will you be having a larger tank? etc. will you be able to house and care for it when it grows up? they're all easier when theyre small, its when they start getting bigger that you run into more problems.

snoop, all said and done, i wouldnt recommend adding a small blue tang.

and talking about ick... well thats a whole other topic.