Tang Question.

I am planning on setting up a 180 gallon reef in the very near future. How many tang's can I house in this size tank? The tank is 72x24x25.

 

it depends on the type you want but multiple tangs would be okay

 

if you look at my signature i have multiples and still looking for one more in my 150. before my upgrade the four of them lived in a 72 g and were happy. so i would say research the tangs and have fun

 

IMO it totally depends what type of tangs you want. Tangs come from 5-6" full grown to like 2' plus, there is also a huge range of aggression/territoriality issues.
From what I've seen you can probably pretty easily keep a few, 3-5, unless you get the really large/aggressive ones.
I would just recommend researching each type and making sure you're going to get some nicely compatible ones or that you're prepared to deal with the more difficult ones.

 

Agreed with screwtape... and make sure you research that they are agressive to their own genus. IE dont put a sailfin and a yellow together..

 

Just do your homework and you will be fine. When people say not to mix the same genus together thats more for smaller tanks. I have a friend with 5 3-4" yellows, 1 4" purple and a 6-7" naso in his 180 and they all get along great. The real issue is how you add them. If there all introduced at the same time you will have a waaaay better chance of everyone getting along. If you add 2 tangs, and let them establish your 180 as theirs then anything you add (tang or not) will get hassled. I have 2 established tangs in a 125 with a mandarin and 5 chromis . . . the tangs have killed a coral beauty, and almost got a copper banded butterfly (had to be returned) I tried to introduce.

What I would do is get an idea of what you want in the tank (stocking list), then start slowly acquiring and adding your new fish in order of least aggressive to most. Any tangs your planning to add, add last and all together. This is how I will be handling stocking for my next upgrade.

what kinds of tangs do you like?

~Will.

 

Agreed with illwill.. i also have a 125.. i had a yellow.. i adopted a sailfin and he was an ass.. he picked at my clam and my yellow.. so traded him in.

I also have a foxface rabbit... neat herbivores

 

Even then there is the exception to the "rule".

But tangs vary greatly in size and demeanor.

 

I was thinking of a achilles tang, blue tang, yellow tang, powder brown tang. Would this combo be okay if I got them all when their all small and introduce them all with in the same time?

 

The guy i bought my tank from had a yellow and a sailfin in the 180 for 3 years with no problems, i since sold the fish but it is possible