Tang Aggression - Understanding and Combating

4FordFamily · Nov 4, 2015

tweeter said:
Has anyone had any trouble with Naso tangs getting started? I've tried three, and lost all ( all added at different times) within a month of adding to the tank. The first one were very shy/skiddish, one not eating well, second eating ok. But the last one I tried was eating like a pig, and swimming happily in the tank, then boom, next morning dead! There was nothing in the tank bothering any of them.
I'v have a Mimic Lemon Peel Tang (Acanthurus pyroferus) for a year and a half now (only tang in the tank the whole time), would it be ok to ad a Naso (if I get brave enough to try one again)?

Naso are particularly susceptible to ich and parasites initially. Once established and fat (for a month or two) they're pretty hardy and ich-management is often possible. But you will kill a few before getting one tough enough to handle it. I have a blonde naso in an ich management tank who has never shown one spot after the first month. The tank definitely has it, as weak fish occasionally succomb. Eventually I will throw everyone through meds and/or hypo (at different times) and get rid of it like my other two display tanks. But for now the wrasses appear to be thriving and the blonde naso is a scared, fat whale that hates my guts but is healthy as a horse! @tweeter

Update: 3/23/18 —I ended up treating these fish after Fish losses slowly over time.

4FordFamily · Nov 4, 2015

oafguy said:
Good luck. They are one fish I have never had any issues with.

They are either VERY hardy or VERY fragile. It's a toss up. It depends on the size, source, and husbandry. Once established they're among the hardiest of tangs, IMO. Purple tangs are in my opinion THE hardiest tang of all. I joke that they could live in urine...

4FordFamily · Nov 4, 2015

Ryan15236 said:
@3FordFamily I am looking for a tang for my tank. I was leaning towards a purple tang but your ranking of the aggression level being so high has me questioning this. If you wouldn't recommend a purple then what would be some better options. Tank info
125 gallon 72x18
Mixed reef
2 clowns
Firefish
4 dispar Anthias
Tailspot blenny
Royal gramma
Also going to add a couple of wrasses

The aggression in the case of purple tangs and most zebrasoma is limited to other tangs. So, if a purple tang was to be your only tang in this tank you should be fine. Some acanthurus tangs, particularly powder blue tangs, will often bully anything and everything. Although purple tangs can be nasty they also can do quite well with other tangs if added simultaneously. But once established and "tank boss", be weary! @Ryan15236

LukeV · Nov 7, 2015

Looking for opinions for stocking my 250 with tangs.
Currently my planned list includes
Clown pair
Midas Blenny
Firefish
Maybe a watchmen goby
Naso
Clown
Orange shoulder
Blue
Yellow
And/or purple

In your original post you talked about keeping yellows amd purples in pairs, would keeping both types of fish work?
My ideas for adding the fish are
Naso, clown and/ or orange shoulder, blue and yellow/purple
Thoughts? Thanks

4FordFamily · Nov 7, 2015

LukeV said:
Looking for opinions for stocking my 250 with tangs.
Currently my planned list includes
Clown pair
Midas Blenny
Firefish
Maybe a watchmen goby
Naso
Clown
Orange shoulder
Blue
Yellow
And/or purple

In your original post you talked about keeping yellows amd purples in pairs, would keeping both types of fish work?
My ideas for adding the fish are
Naso, clown and/ or orange shoulder, blue and yellow/purple
Thoughts? Thanks

It's not usually a good idea for just two zebrasoma tangs. I have a yellow purple and desjarini Sailfin that get along well all added about the same time. You're better off with a small purple and a larger yellow if you wish to try IMO because purple are more aggressive.

LukeV · Nov 7, 2015

3FordFamily said:
It's not usually a good idea for just two zebrasoma tangs. I have a yellow purple and desjarini Sailfin that get along well all added about the same time. You're better off with a small purple and a larger yellow if you wish to try IMO because purple are more aggressive.

What about the orange shoulder with a clown?
I was thinking add the naso, then the orange and clown together
What about two yellows amd a purple? Aggression from the zebrasomas would be minimized from the larger more established tangs

4FordFamily · Nov 7, 2015

LukeV said:
What about the orange shoulder with a clown?
I was thinking add the naso, then the orange and clown together
What about two yellows amd a purple? Aggression from the zebrasomas would be minimized from the larger more established tangs

Zebrasoma are able to bicker amongst each other ignoring the others pretty well. Two yellows probably wouldn't work they would fight each other. Perhaps three yellows and a purple, my money is on that working. A purple and yellow are more likely to work out than two yellow and a purple IMO.

Orange shoulder are an acanthurus tang but probably different enough. Clown tangs can be aggressive but if added towards the end if not last, your odds improve. Naso first will probably work, as they're not too aggressive and you don't want a newer naso getting bullied by other tangs when you add it.

pitbull_13 · Dec 5, 2015

My yellow tang seamed to be the boss of my tank even though it was one of the last ones in. It would pick on my clownfish and red line wrasse and ended up killing my copper band butterfly, since that happend I added a male square anthias and now my tang has seemed to have been taken down a notch or two.

Bryon · Dec 5, 2015

@3FordFamily I have a 180g reef tank with the following fish:
Rhomboid
Lineatus
Exquisite wrasse
Carpenter wrasse
McCosker wrasse
Yellowfin wrasse
2 clowns
Green Chromis
Sailfin
Yellow blotch Rabbitfish

The sailfin has been in the tank 2-3 years. I wanted to add a blonde Naso and white tailed bristle tooth. Would this be too many fish for a 180 or lead to any other issues in the future?

4FordFamily · Dec 5, 2015

Bryon said:
@3FordFamily I have a 180g reef tank with the following fish:
Rhomboid
Lineatus
Exquisite wrasse
Carpenter wrasse
McCosker wrasse
Yellowfin wrasse
2 clowns
Green Chromis
Sailfin
Yellow blotch Rabbitfish

The sailfin has been in the tank 2-3 years. I wanted to add a blonde Naso and white tailed bristle tooth. Would this be too many fish for a 180 or lead to any other issues in the future?

Shouldn't be an issue as far as bio load or crowding depending on size of existing fish and your nutrient export methods and efficiency but the Sailfin may not welcome new tangs and neither species you plan to add will hold their own well against an angry Sailfin. That said, adding simultaneously and depending on your sailfin's temperament you should probably be ok but you can never be sure. So much range in temperament among tangs.

Naso also get very very large so eventually you may have a crowding issue but it depends on the above factors IMO.

4FordFamily · Dec 5, 2015

pitbull_13 said:
My yellow tang seamed to be the boss of my tank even though it was one of the last ones in. It would pick on my clownfish and red line wrasse and ended up killing my copper band butterfly, since that happend I added a male square anthias and now my tang has seemed to have been taken down a notch or two.

Zebrasoma tangs have a LOT of variance in temperament. Nearly any tang can kill a copperband butterfly they're quite fragile and susceptible to being overly stressed.

pitbull_13 · Dec 6, 2015

3FordFamily said:
Zebrasoma tangs have a LOT of variance in temperament. Nearly any tang can kill a copperband butterfly they're quite fragile and susceptible to being overly stressed.

It was a sad day he killed it in less then 18 hours

4FordFamily · Dec 7, 2015

pitbull_13 said:
It was a sad day he killed it in less then 18 hours

I imagine so. :/

HeadStrongGrafx · Jan 18, 2016

very interesting thread. I have been wanting to add a new tang I just don't know what I can choose from as I have a hippo and sail fin currently. I currently have a 75 gal but I will be upgrading to a 100 gal later this week. Id really like to add a Naso but I don't want to buy one just to create an issue and one of the fish ends up dyeing. any suggestions?

oafguy · Jan 18, 2016

I would take the opportunity to add the Naso when you move tanks. All territoris will be gone and they will start fresh. I have the 3 tangs currently plus more. The 3 hardly interact with each other.

4FordFamily · Jan 23, 2016

HeadStrongGrafx said:
very interesting thread. I have been wanting to add a new tang I just don't know what I can choose from as I have a hippo and sail fin currently. I currently have a 75 gal but I will be upgrading to a 100 gal later this week. Id really like to add a Naso but I don't want to buy one just to create an issue and one of the fish ends up dyeing. any suggestions?

IMO a 100 isn't large enough for a naso you need a minimum of 6 feet. Adding tangs when you switch tanks is a good idea from a territorial perspective as mentioned.

osras1 · Jan 23, 2016

Can a 120 (48" long) house
lawn bleeny
flame angel
magenta dottyback
coral beauty
kole tang
purple tang

jabeuy · Jan 24, 2016

I have a 205g with 3 tangs (10 fish in total).

The first tang added was a kole tang, who has been in the tank for about 2 months now. A couple of weeks ago, I added a blonde naso and a blue hippo at the same time. The naso and kole are the same size, about 5". The blue hippo is about 2".

The kole acts like the king of the tank, but gets along well with the naso. However, the kole chases around the hippo. They'll chase around for like 5 seconds, then the hippo hides in a place the kole is too big to get into. This happens all throughout the day that I'm getting worried about the hippo, even though its actually gotten fatter and looks healthier since I got it.

Should I be intervening in this matter? Lol! Or just let nature take it's course?

Thanks!

4FordFamily · Jan 24, 2016

osras1 said:
Can a 120 (48" long) house
lawn bleeny
flame angel
magenta dottyback
coral beauty
kole tang
purple tang

IMO yes

4FordFamily · Jan 24, 2016

jabeuy said:
I have a 205g with 3 tangs (10 fish in total).

The first tang added was a kole tang, who has been in the tank for about 2 months now. A couple of weeks ago, I added a blonde naso and a blue hippo at the same time. The naso and kole are the same size, about 5". The blue hippo is about 2".

The kole acts like the king of the tank, but gets along well with the naso. However, the kole chases around the hippo. They'll chase around for like 5 seconds, then the hippo hides in a place the kole is too big to get into. This happens all throughout the day that I'm getting worried about the hippo, even though its actually gotten fatter and looks healthier since I got it.

Should I be intervening in this matter? Lol! Or just let nature take it's course?

Thanks!

No way to know for sure. Sometimes they get over it and sometimes it is a personal vendetta not to subside. I will say though the hippo tendency to hide well slightly tips the odds in his favor until it grows large enough to shut down the kole's reign.