2 tangs in the same tank???

Hi

Just today I purchased a blue tang (about 1.5-2 inches) and it made me realize what great fish they are, so it got me thinking about possibly purchasing another one for the same tank. I was considering buying a powder brown tang that is a little bigger than the blue tang is now, because i have read that the blue tang is one of the lesser aggressive tang as is the powder brown. And because they have very different body shapes and appearances I think it might work! I am very excited at the idea and would appreciate any feedback on it anyone can offer including experience with housing two tangs in the same tank. CAN IT WORK??

 

What size is your tank?

 

I've kept a yellow tang and a blue tang together

 

55 gallons

 

55gal is on the small side for 1 tang let alone 2. I kept yellow tang and a regal tang in my 125g quite happily though.

 

I am planning on maybe trading them in to the lsf when they get to big for the tank, but I still am looking for input on whether the two tangs, for the time being would be able to coexist peacefully.

 

italiareef

tank size has a bearing on the answer

the 2 tangs if they are content can peacefully coexist
if either of the 2 tangs is not content then the peace is not 100% certain
the chances of them being content in a 55 are lower than the chances of them being content in a 125

Whilst purchasing the fish at small size, with the option of moving them out as they grow
is an oft recited responce to the question of fish size in any given volume of water
you can experience other set backs , such as frequent and severe parasitic attacks
again these may not have occured if the fish was less stressed

we cannot begin to fully understand how a fish feels when placed in our reef tanks
we can to a degree accept that guidance on tank sizes for different species of fish, have been reached, not for the purpose of denying people with smaller tanks the pleasure of keeping said species, but they are based on multiple experiences of people who have had problems, when placing fish in tanks below the min size recomended for said species

in a 55 I would maybe keep 1 small yellow, (as IME this species has proved to be hardy and more resistant to parasitic attacks) but I would not take the risk of introducing 2 tangs when neither are suitable based on general consensus of information for the tank in question

the sad fact IMO is that plenty of Tangs die before they are swapped out for something different at the LFS

Steve

 

2 tangs won't coexist peacefully in a 55gal. It's a fact, no matter how different they are there's not enough space.

 

not in a 55 gallon. I have a blue hippo and a clown in my 90! soon they will be transfered to my 150 when that is up and running? they are on the small side only about 3-4 inchs

 

ok thank for all the feedback!, and i am pretty certain that another tang is out of the question, however, since we're on the topic of fish if anyone could offer up suggestions for alternative fish to put in my 55 gallon with just one blue tang and a bangaii cardinalfish I would really appreciate it. I was thinking a flame angel and a mated pair of clownfish??