What types of tang are hardier?

[weekf]

I think among all the tangs yellow tang is the hardiest, am I right or wrong?

Do they get sick very easily unlike the blue tang? I was thinking of stocking a blue and yellow tang in my 132g but I don't like any outbreak of diseases therefore I am dropping the blue tang. Any other tang is hardy enough to take its place? What about Naso tang? Do they also get sick fairly easily?

Any real life experience will be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DreamerTheresa]

Most sites I've seen state that the Naso tang needs a tank of at least 150 gallons. Kind of wanted one of those tangs, but our tank is the same size as yours.

 

[weekf]

What about YELLOW tang? Do they get sick very easily? Are they the hardiest type of tangs available?

I keep asking this question in several posts everyone seems to avoid answering that question, weird...

 

[chizzle]

From what I've read, the yellow tang does seem to be more hardier than other tangs. Liveaquaria.com has them listed as easy, while the majority of the other tangs are moderate for their care level (But we've discussed that already ). I have not personally owned any tangs, so I can't comment on that aspect. Sorry. As far as getting sick, a QT tank is the best way to go, because any fish can get sick. But people do seem to have better luck with yellow tangs as compared to the blue tangs, from what I've read. But I'll yield to the more wise & more experienced. HTH for now.

 

[tomc0023]

Purple Tangs are very hardy.

 

[pots1964]

I have had yellow and regal tangs together all my aquatic life, 20 yrs, i assume the regal is what you would call a blue. They are both very hardy although occasionally the regals will get white marks/spots on it, which never seem to spread and eventually disapear, it is not ich. The only advise i would give if you want more than one tang is, tang types dont get on together, i.e. yellow, purple and brown sailfins, or powder blue and pygama ect. but mixing the two types is ok. Also try and keep the size's different to avoid fighting. Hope this helps.

 

[afilter]

Yes, YT is very hardy as well as the purple tang orange shoulder and sailfin.

Tangs to avoid:

Kole (yellow Eye)
Blue hippo tang
Powder blue
Powder Brown
Scopas


I have kept all of these at one point or another. YT, Orange Shoulder and Silfin all survived until fully grown and had to move them on. Purple is currently doing great! I was not personally able to keep the other 5 alive for more than a couple week-months. PBT did live about a year, but had a few ich out breaks.

HTH,

 

[melosu58]

IME I have had several tangs with my yellow tang being the hardiest and next being the Kole tang. I recently had my sailfin die who was with me for 8 yrs and was very large when I got him so no telling how old he was. I recently got rid of the Kole who had been in my tank for nine yrs as also the yellow has been Powder Blues and browns I have not had much good results. Never had a purple but I hear thet are pretty hardy. Here is some info on certain tangs

http://www.fantasyreef.com/database/index.php?p=getcat&db_id=7&cat_id=38

 

[DreamerTheresa]

Great link, mel, thanks!

 

[austinsdad]

I'd do a purple and any of the wide variety of bristletooths. I've seen beautiful light colored ones. It'll constantly nibble on algae growth. Start'm both as small. Maybe 3".

 

[melosu58]

No problem Theresa. You must be in the market for a tang also.

 

[DreamerTheresa]

Eventually. Not any time soon. Would rather have all my ducks in a row and have more experience and info on tangs before I get one.

 

[lando]

Yellow or Purple are pretty hardy. The most important thing with any tang is to ensure a QT period before addition to the main.

 

[severum mama]

Great link, but the fish pictured for the Kole tang description actually appears to be a Chevron tang, I think. Koles look similar but have the yellow ring around the eye, and the stripes are straighter than the Chevron with slightly different coloration. We get both species all the time at the store I work for.

I've been told that the Kole tang is pretty hardy (well, as far as tangs go!) as well as the yellow, convict, and orange shoulder. I don't have any direct experience with tangs other than the ones I work with at the store, so definitely listen to everyone else over me LOL.

 

[Scoot]

YT's are very susceptible to HLLE though - you have to keep a good herbivore diet going for them - seaweed, etc., otherwise they'll wither away. I think blue's are susceptible to this as well, but it seems to show more on yellow's.

It makes me sick to go into a pet store and see a tank full of sickly looking, pale, skinny YT's. I always want to take them home and fatten them up, but I know that's not a solution (supporting chain stores that have no business carrying sensitive species).

Before I got nori, mine was starting to develope some lateral line erosion, and a little erosion between the eyes and gills. Once I got a some nori, it started clearing up. Beyond that, he's had a minor problem with black ich, which was easily cleared up with FW dips and never returned. He's never had white spots/ich/etc, even though my blue tang does get a couple spots now and then. The blue seems much more sensitive than the yellow.