Which Tang?

So.. after my recent bad experience with the Naso Tang, I have decided that I .. DO .. want another tang. I have been looking around and I think I have it narrowed down to 2. Either a Bristletooth Tomini Tang, or a Powder Brown Tang (white faced tang). The Tomini gets up to 6" and the PBT gets up to 8 inches. I am worried because some sites I looked at talk about other species of Tangs that are easily confused with the PBT (gold rimmed tang was one). My tank is only going on 2 months old, I am in the process of getting my Nitrates down; I do have a lot of brown algae at the moment but its slowly decreasing. I have also been looking at a HOB refugium that I could use to grow some macro algae so the new tang will hopefully have a better diet. After trying so hard to get the Naso to eat nori, I have lost a little faith in it. Thanks in advance for the advice guys.

 

imo opinion i would wait a little while until your algae and nitrate issues are under control,and your system has stabilized.adding a tang "poop machine" isn't going to make it any easier and i think you found out already about stressed out tangs.
thats just my opinion and we all know what opinions are like

 

I agree with you.
But when the nitrates are gone, get the tomini tang. IMHO, every tank bigger than about 70g needs a bristletooth to keep it clean.

 

OK, I guess I over looked a potential Tang candidate for my tank. The Yellow Eye Kole Tang. Anyone have any advice on this guy versus the tomini? I guess they are both very similar being in the same genus.

 

I think a kole or tomini are both good candidates for a 75g. They are really the only tangs I would consider putting in a 75, off the top of my head.

 

I have a tomini in my 180, saved him from certain death, when i got him he had NO orange and hid all the time. hes now coloring up and is very active and a great looking fish! I say the tomini

 

the tomini def. but if your tank is just two mos. old you need to wait a lil bit. i thot tangs needed a well,well established tank.

 

Especially bristletooth tangs. If the tank is too "clean" or sterile, B tooths won't do very well.

I have a kole tang now, and like it a lot. It deals with a ton of crap from my maroon clown, and still says "talk to the hand" to her. I don't have a tomini, but yeah, the 2 are very similar in behavior,a nd size. I say get whichever you want when your tank is more mature.

 

PBT tend to be hard to keep.....like the powder blue tang they are prone to ICK if you look at them the wrong way...like I said before you might go through 3,4,5 fish before you find the right one that likes your tank conditions....I would wait at least another month before you try another tang and let your tank get more stable.

 

Thank you everyone for the advice! I do plan on waiting a while to get any more additions to the tank. One part of the question I haven't had any advice on. In-Tank refugiums.. Seen several for sale on Dr. Fosters&Smith. Are these good for growing macro algae, or could I grow it in the open exposed to the rest of my tank inhabitants?? Also... I do plan on setting up a full time QT in the near future. Is a QT a better place to grow macro algae for tang feeding, or an in tank refugium, or out in the open in DT? I do plan on a DIY sump/refugium sometime using my existing overflow box, but in the meantime thinking about other solutions.