adding a 3rd tang...

It's almost July, and I allow myself one new fish per month (until I hit my limit). I am considering either a flame angel, or possibly a powder brown tang. There are pros and cons to each, I know - the flame may nibble on my corals. And the powder brown.....that is what I wanted to ask people here. I already have a yellow tang and a hippo tang. No fighting going on. My tank is only 90 gallons (with 30 gallon sump). Lots of live rock (110 lb Fiji) with hiding spots. Can I realistically add a powder brown, or is adding a 3rd tang pushing it too far?

 

Pushing it too far. IMHO the two tangs is pushing it.

 

get yarself one 'o these!!!

 

Your pushing it with a powder brown in a few ways. Bioload wise, tangs take up a lot of oxygen and produce a lot of waste. A general rule is that unless you have HUGE water volume (hundreds of gallons, I'd say at least a 7 foot tank) don't mix tangs of the same genus. Both powder brown and blue hippos are acanthuris. They would likely fight. You could trade the hippo for a powder brown as the hippo will likely outgrow your reef anyway. Also keep in mind that powder browns are incredibly finicky. All in all, go with the angel. Also, the angel will most likely not bother your coral. A dwarf angel that bothers coral is the exception not the rule, and as far as I know they only nip clams on a regular basis.

 

Hah! I love mandarins, but I have nowhere near enough pods yet....maybe in 6 months or so. But for now, I'm looking for an attractive, active, colorful fish with lots of character (hence the tang or the angel).

Ok guys, I'm convinced not to get the tang (even though I love powder browns...I like hippos slightly more). I guess it's the angel!

Thanks!

 

What about a firefish? I love mine, very active and full of personality.

 

I was considering a firefish, but was told that they are jumpers. After a bad experience I had with a diamond goby jumping into my overflow twice and dying, I am wary of fish with jumping reputations.

 

It will be fine in the 90. The blue tang will probably freak out and get ick, the yellow tang will probably nip at the powder brown, and they'll both get ick too. A few days later, they probaby won't be fighting anymore, and their ick will go away by the third week or so.