bengalyork
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I just introduced my yellow tang in my 55 gallon. My blue tang and him seem to be backing up to each other. Any suggestions
Yellow Vs Blue Tang compatibility
- Thread starter bengalyork
- Start date
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austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
They are gonna do that for a while, but will hopefully settle down before someone gets stressed and sick. Nevr know how these things are gonna play out until they finish. Who is the larger?
bengalyork
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Well the yellow tang is whenever he spreads his fins but they are about the same thanks Ray
bengalyork
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
The yellow tang acutually seems like the agresser the blue tan is hissing in a coral and he keeps circling it
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just added a Yellow to my 125 today too. It was nestling with the Coral Beauty and the Blue Hippo for a bit, then took off to the rocks and the back of the tank. It came back out after a while. Things have now settled down and everyone is playing nice. However, my Sailfin tang has spread out and seems to be staying that way. That's the one I was worried about, but it's 3 times the size of the Yellow and so far no agression.
Zer0
is back to save the day!
No aggression because you have a tank twice the size, cmor. One tang is not even supposed to be in anything under 75G, let alone two tangs in a 55G. No offense to thread OP, but this is irresponsible fish buying. If you researched a little more, you would know that this is asking for trouble as melosu said. Tangs have very high bioloads compared to other fish, and having two is bad news. Tangs are extremely active swimmers and there is just not enough room for two tangs in a 55G contrary to what anyone else thinks.
And on the off-chance you already knew that tangs can't be in anything under 75G, but went ahead and bought them anyways.. then good luck to you and your fish sir.
And on the off-chance you already knew that tangs can't be in anything under 75G, but went ahead and bought them anyways.. then good luck to you and your fish sir.
austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oooooh. 55g. Just noticed that. Trouble.
FLFishFanatic
Aquarium Advice Activist
Yellow Tangs I am sure are territorial fish, and having two types of tangs in that tank size just wasn't that great of an idea. One of those likely won't live too long, to be flat out honest.
Zer0
is back to save the day!
They both won't live out their normal lifespans because their growth will be stunted due to tank size. Growth stunt equals shorter life span. Beautiful Fish = dead fish.
bengalyork
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
What size do you suggest?
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
a 6' tank such as a 125g or bigger would be best if you want to keep both and give them the swimming room they need.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
Agreed. Even my 6' tank is not long enough IMO.
A 55 is way to too small for tangs, One maybe while it's young but these fish need lots of room to swim.
A 55 is way to too small for tangs, One maybe while it's young but these fish need lots of room to swim.
fishboy444
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Agreed.
Now for an opposing position...
I have two tangs.....a Blue Hippo and a Yellow Tang in a 4' tank. However, it IS a 120 gallon. This means that they have two foot back and four foot long. I know that longer is always better than depth, but depth DOES make a difference. (As the owner of two oscars in a 120g, they do well. Putting them in a 75g would not work. It would be cruel.) They have been with me three years now and get along great with each other. Both are at about six inches to eight inches. Currently, there is also a Silver Scat with them. He is the same size. I got him to clear out the aipstasia (sp?), and he did. I know that he will need to be moved. I plan to set up a 75g SW FOWLR. He will probably end up there. There are a couple of smaller fish (clowns, goby, gramma) with them. As of now, there are no corals.
I confess that a few months ago, I tried to add a Kole Tang, but it died in a week or two. My guess is that one of the two tangs badgered it to death. I made the mistake of adding one more when I knew better.
My two tangs were put together when they were both small within a couple of months of each other.
The Yellow tang is not as much of a fast swimmer as the Blue Hippo. The Yellow Tang spends his (or her) day picking at the live rock, and the Hippo spends most of his day swimming around. He does some picking but he tends to enjoy eating the food I give them more.
I change 40% of the water every couple of weeks. The nitrites and ammonia remain always at zero. The nitrates usually stay below 20 or 30 at the worst and are better, too.
My only error was about a year ago before I QTed fish. At that time I lost most of my fish to either velvet (most likely) or ich because of a fish I had added. Normally all of my fish came from one lfs, but this time I went to a different store. My mistake. The point is that of all of the fish, only the two tangs, the scat (which was most likely the culprit for the disease) and a goby survived. (For 2 1/2 years, I never had a problem with not QTing, but as happens to everyone, sooner or later we get bitten.)
The tangs, even though to the point of death (the Blue Hippo was actually blind from fungus) before I tore the whole tank apart, QTed them and redid the tank, came out fine. They are hardy fish and still are doing very well. There are rare disputes of any kind and they swim as if "buddies."
I can say that I would not put two tangs in less than what I have, but even though it is a four by two, they do not appear to have any issues.
One thing I can say about most fish after getting a bigger tank....a bigger tank is always better. Even if I had a group of neon tetra or a group of chromis, I can say that it is much more enjoyable to watch them swim in the biggest tank possible. So it is with bigger fish. Bigger is always better, but IMO my 120g is sufficient and fine for two tangs.
One would work in a 75g, but not two. One Yellow in a 55g would work, but not one Blue Hippo.
BTW, if you have room for a four foot tank and not for a six, then now before getting started too far, get the biggest four foot tank you can get. If you have room for a six foot tank, then don't just get a 125g...get the biggest six foot tank you can.
Just my opinions.
I have two tangs.....a Blue Hippo and a Yellow Tang in a 4' tank. However, it IS a 120 gallon. This means that they have two foot back and four foot long. I know that longer is always better than depth, but depth DOES make a difference. (As the owner of two oscars in a 120g, they do well. Putting them in a 75g would not work. It would be cruel.) They have been with me three years now and get along great with each other. Both are at about six inches to eight inches. Currently, there is also a Silver Scat with them. He is the same size. I got him to clear out the aipstasia (sp?), and he did. I know that he will need to be moved. I plan to set up a 75g SW FOWLR. He will probably end up there. There are a couple of smaller fish (clowns, goby, gramma) with them. As of now, there are no corals.
I confess that a few months ago, I tried to add a Kole Tang, but it died in a week or two. My guess is that one of the two tangs badgered it to death. I made the mistake of adding one more when I knew better.
My two tangs were put together when they were both small within a couple of months of each other.
The Yellow tang is not as much of a fast swimmer as the Blue Hippo. The Yellow Tang spends his (or her) day picking at the live rock, and the Hippo spends most of his day swimming around. He does some picking but he tends to enjoy eating the food I give them more.
I change 40% of the water every couple of weeks. The nitrites and ammonia remain always at zero. The nitrates usually stay below 20 or 30 at the worst and are better, too.
My only error was about a year ago before I QTed fish. At that time I lost most of my fish to either velvet (most likely) or ich because of a fish I had added. Normally all of my fish came from one lfs, but this time I went to a different store. My mistake. The point is that of all of the fish, only the two tangs, the scat (which was most likely the culprit for the disease) and a goby survived. (For 2 1/2 years, I never had a problem with not QTing, but as happens to everyone, sooner or later we get bitten.)
The tangs, even though to the point of death (the Blue Hippo was actually blind from fungus) before I tore the whole tank apart, QTed them and redid the tank, came out fine. They are hardy fish and still are doing very well. There are rare disputes of any kind and they swim as if "buddies."
I can say that I would not put two tangs in less than what I have, but even though it is a four by two, they do not appear to have any issues.
One thing I can say about most fish after getting a bigger tank....a bigger tank is always better. Even if I had a group of neon tetra or a group of chromis, I can say that it is much more enjoyable to watch them swim in the biggest tank possible. So it is with bigger fish. Bigger is always better, but IMO my 120g is sufficient and fine for two tangs.
One would work in a 75g, but not two. One Yellow in a 55g would work, but not one Blue Hippo.
BTW, if you have room for a four foot tank and not for a six, then now before getting started too far, get the biggest four foot tank you can get. If you have room for a six foot tank, then don't just get a 125g...get the biggest six foot tank you can.
Just my opinions.
austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thank you for that honest perspective.
So, Bengalyork... whatcha thinkin now?
So, Bengalyork... whatcha thinkin now?
bengalyork
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I'm really thinking I need a bigger tank but I don't really wanna put the time and money in it right now, so I think the blue tang is probably gonna go, any buyers? LoL
Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Maybe the lfs will take it back.
bengalyork
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Taking it to my lfs would be murder I got him awhile away, which tan would you guys keep in a 55?
An ad for a Blue Tang on CL would be answered in a heartbeat. And even the lfs should have no problem getting rid of it quickly.
As I said, the Yellow Tang would be the only one of the two that you have that I would put in a 55g. That also depends on how much filtration, skimming, live rock, or water changes you plan on doing.
In my 120g I have at least 75 to 100# of LR, a skimmer, a filter, and phosban reactor as needed. This has worked along with the water changes.
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