A School of Tangs

My wife and I are starting to think about our new house and it's new tank. While its a long way off, we know some basic elements we want. The plan is 600 - 1200 gallons with much of the bottom real estate taken up by turtle grass beds or some similar salt loving plant.

One of the things I've always loved is the movement created by a group of yellow tangs whipping about a big tank. The problem is, obviously, these would demolish my turtle grass.

I want to try to build a complete list of tangs that will group and will NOT eat turtle grass, along with a list of those that might eat it but are unlikely to.

I will also take suggestions for alternative plants less likely to get predated.

We have alternatives if this fails, but I want to gather all the expertise I can first, in the hope we can make it work...

Please jump in, how about convicts, power blues, Achilles, sohal, anything else.

 

Why not have a main tank and display refugium?

 

That is an option, but if we can do it in one without giving up too much, there is something to be said for the one large open structure.

 

bump?

 

Im pretty sure tangs wont eat maidens hair Could always go the route of a planktivore ..

 

in alot of cases i have heard schooling tangs doesnt work out well much of the time. you need alot of tangs, im thinking at least 8-10 because in nature they really have schools of hundreds even thousands of tangs. then you may also have the problem of them not schooling and simply killing eachother off, which often happens when people attempt to school fish.

 

I plan on haveing a lot. Depending on size and space, 12+. I'm not the type to want one of each fish, it's a big tank and I'm happy with a school of tangs, maybe a group of anthias, and some individuals.

 

how bout powder blues, and powder browns?

how bout powder blues, and powder browns?

 

I quite like the idea of powder blues. Are they likely to not eat my turtle grass?

 

i think you would be much better off with a easier species to care for, expecially when trying to school them. powder blue and powder brown tangs are quite picky and delicate when it comes to tangs, i would suggest yellow, purple, or hippo tangs.