Yellow Tang + Powder Blue Tang?

[ramsey]

I currently have a Yellow Tang that I love and would like to keep. However, I really want a Powder Blue Tang. I read that both can be aggressive towards other Tangs but they are very different Tangs and are not closely related (so it seems). It'll be a while before I get anything but I wanted to see if you all had an opinion on this? Do you think they'd get along or would they fight and be miserable?

While I'm on this subject, here are my ideas for fish:

1 - Yellow Tang
2 - Clown
3 - Powder Blue Tang
4 - Lawnmower Blenny
5 - A group (4 or 5) of small schooling fish (Anthias or Chromis)
6 - Flame Hawkfish
7 - (NOT SURE ABOUT THIS ONE!) Flame Angel

I have 175 gallon tank so I think the bioload should be fine. Do you guys think it's too much or do I have room for more?

Also, here are some fish I will be getting rid of most likely (came with my tank purchase):

2 - 1' Engineer Gobys
1 - Blue Damsel
1 - Yellowtail Damsel

Any other fish suggestions you all may have, I'd love to hear them! I'm trying to go for a combination of nice looking fish but lots of personality.

[Kristy]

We have a yellow tang and a powder blue in our 210g. Both are typically pretty aggressive (big and bossy types) tangs, so this can be done in a tank that is big enough. The powder blue is generally the more dominant of the two, so it's good that you have the yellow in there first and add the powder blue later. Be absolutely sure that you don't want any other tangs before putting in the powder blue, as there are very few tangs out there than can hold their own being introduced after a powder blue.

As far as the rest of your list, it all looks good given the size of your tank. We pretty much have (or have had) all of the above in our 210g with several others.

Also... sounds like you are starting these guys in a new tank (maybe transferring the yellow over). If you end up going with anthias, please read the article about them in the newsletter this month and put them in early in the stocking process - after the tank is good and stable but before they have tankmates who will give harassment, give them plenty of places to hide, and they'll be out and comfortable and a real joy for you.

Good luck and keep us posted (preferably with photos!)

[ramsey]

Thanks for the reply Kristy! I'm glad to hear that you're doing it with no issues. It is a new tank to me but was an established tank. There is about six fish and a ton of softies and anemones. I moved the tank about a week and a half ago and so far, everything seems fine. No ammonia or nitrites but I do have about 30PPM of nitrates. Doing regular water changes to hopefully cure this. I'm currently curing some LR to add to the tank and then do I'll some aquascaping. Once that's done, I'll upload some pictures! Thanks for the heads up on the anthias, they may be my first purchase once everything settles down and I get rid of the fish I don't want to keep.

[corruption]

The tangs should get along just fine, esp. with 175 gals to share :) I'd expect some 'picking', but not likely bad enough to be a detriment.

The problems with mixing tangs usually come from A) too small of quarters, and B) mixing those with like body types. The yellow tangs have that high finned shape, while the powder blue is more of the teardrop shape -- they may compete a bit for algae around the tank, but they shouldn't fight trying to be the 'alpha' of their kind :)

-Justin

[ramsey]

Awesome! Thanks Justin! I was really second guessing myself on this one.

[cadamsreef]

I have five tangs in my 225gal reef tank. 10 inch Naso, 8 inch Desjardini Sailfin, 7 inch Blue Hippo, 4 inch Purple Tang and a 2 inch Atlantic Blue Tang. They do fight every once an while. The Sailfin and the Hippo are really mean. They will bite the fins of the other tangs. They all been together now for over a year and a half. I think the secret for keeping multiple Tangs is keeping them well feed.