tankmates for tang

[gabarnes]

I have a small 46 gal reef setup, and silver-dollar sized yellow tang. I recently lost a bicolor blenny and coral beauty, and since water paramaters were ok, I assume it was due to stress from Mr. Billy BadA**. He (she/it) regularly displays and acts aggressively even towards some people observing the tank. Does anyone have suggestions as to a fish that can live in an aggressive environment? there is plenty of LR with nooks and crannys....maybe I just need to get "healthier" companions.

Any help will be appreciated.

Also, will a sand sifting star bother clams or scallops?

Gary

 

[Enkidu]

Welcome to the board!

First off, you should know that the general concensus of this board is that tangs shouldn't be kept in anything less than a 4' tank, preferably a 75g. That being said, I think that your tang in a 46 might be ok for the time being since its small (2-3"?), but eventually it will become a problem.

It seems to me that you have two options: keep the tang and find fish that can hold there own against it, or get rid of the tang and get any fish you want (except tangs, of course). There are pros and cons for each option. If you decide to keep the tang then you could try doing a major rearranging of your rockwork at the same time you add the new fish so that the yellow tang, in effect, loses its territory. If it were me I would get rid of the tang; my roomate has a tang like that and we both hate it.

Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

As the man said, tank is too small fo the tang. They are an agressive fish and should be the last fish added to a tank. IMO, you should take the tang back and then you can stock other fish and they will probably live. Before buying a fish, buy Scott Michael's book 500 Marine fish. It is an excellent and inexpensive book. For the cost of the two dead fish you could have bought the book. It may save you more heartache. HTH

 

[JohnD]

Gary,

Welcome aboard. If you want to keep the tang (what type??), then I too recommend Scott Michael's book. You may want to consider a tomato clown. If you get a big one, 3+ inches in length, then you have a female. Then you have a female. They are some tough old gals and will be able to stand up to a tang.

I have had a hippo tang for over 10 years. I added a female tomato 8 years ago. She took all of the tang's sh*t and then some the first few days. They are all settled in and happy.

The tomato, Amphiprion frenatus, does well in a 30 gallon minumum-sized tank and will do very well in your 46 gallon setup.

 

[Ben 4]

How about a Dottyback?

 

[MandarinFish]

A dottyback should kick the crap out of your tang.

The problem with getting another Barney Badazz fish is that then you have a new ruler of the roost and the same nonsense going on.

My yellow tang, Chloe, is in a 135 tank where she has room to swim, hide, hunt for plants, etc.

She has to defend herself from my Indian Ocean Sailfin Tang (Bootsy) from time-to-time, but she leaves the other fish alone.

She even kinda schools with Bootsy.

She is totally social, very smart, and non-agressive even towards the little true-percula clowns I have.

I think your tang needs a different tank, honestly.