Purple tang in with other tangs

[Elvis Lives]

Hi All,

after a bit of advice if possible, i have a 5x2.5 x 2 tank, was fowlr now going slowly sps (been running around a year now), there is lots of swimming space in the tank with 2 small rock islands to swim round. i have

1 kole tang
1 yellow tang
1 flame angel

the above are almost always swimming together.

1 orchid dottyback
1 pair clowns

id really like to add a purple tang but not sure if its a good idea ?? could anyone offer any advice, is it a definate no no, or a ymmv thing :confused:

[SCOOB]

how big and aggressive is your yellow, you'll get a spat from him i would have thought. if you can add a larger purple it will sort itself out after a few days, try the mirror trick and have a couple of clips of nori at the ready. i added my purple to a tank with 6 other tangs, there was a war for 3 days then the purple started fighting back, now they are all best buds :)

[Elvis Lives]

hi scoob,

the yellow tangs like the peacemaker in the tank, when i put my flame in he used to give the clowns and dottyback a hard time, nothing serious, but the yellow always swam over and put himself in between them, the flame now is as peaceful as anything and always swims round with the yellow and kole tang, i guess that may mean the yellow thinks himself the sherrif so there could be trouble still :confused:

the yellow tangs about 4" i guess, never seen him be anything other than well tempered though.

[SCOOB]

tee hee hee, well maybe you'll be lucky, maybe he will forget that he is a yellow tang when you put in the purple just make sure you are wearing a sowester and wellies, for the first few hours it's gonna be monsoon season in your living room :D :D

zebrasomas care about as much about other zebrasomas as they do about discounts at halfords, and zebrasomas don't care much for halford discounts :D

[Elvis Lives]

Thanks for the help Scoob, i may go shopping tomorrow and get me some wellies and a few rolls of ultra absorbant kitchen roll :o , ohh and a purple tang :D

[cdixon]

I added a yellow tang to a tank containg a purple and there was a bit of fighting for about 2-3 days, now all is peaceful.

Try to get a fish about the same size would be my advice.

Cheers,

Chris

[rikwilliams]

I added a purple tang to my old 4x2x2 when there was a small yellow in there already, (the purple was about 2 inchs larger), and there was no trouble at all. However, the huge foxface I have seemed to calm everyone down, and the yellow would treat the foxface like its mum. After I upgraded to an 8x2x2 I added a PBT, and the yellow went nuts for a week, and although never damaged the PBT, would dart at it constantly. All is peacful now though.

FYI, I upgraded to an 8x2x2 a year ahead of my plan because my purple tang was going stir crazy in the 4x2x2, you might get away with your tank but be aware you may have to move him on later/upgrade.

Thanks

Richard.

[Elvis Lives]

Hi All,

thanks everyone for your help and advice, i took the plunge and got me a purple tang yesterday, i decided since I wanted to rearrange my rocks anyway that the day before would be a great opportunity, (and it gave me an excuse to have to get the floor wet by explaining to the other half that the new addition may settle in better if the other fish were busy getting used to their newly scaped home).

when i released him the yellow went straight up to him, (the yellows a fair bit bigger), and did the "make myself look even bigger" thing, and the purple kind of backed off and stayed near the rocks for a bit :eek:

the yellow has been as good as gold since :p , my kole tang had a couple of spats with the purple tang, then when the kole was giving him some agro the purple backed off, swam round the rock they were facing off over and bit him on the ass, since then they have all been swimming together :) hes settled right in and is feeding well, im really pleased i went for it.

Thanks again all, its been a great weekend and im well chuffed :)

[angelfishman]

they will bound to squabble with each other because your tank is a bit on the small side.tangs need pleny of swimming space and places to hide if picked on,its best to add both together this gives you the chance of them not fighting.just watch them for a few days and make sure they are not damaging each other,otherwise you might have to remove one.derek