Purple tang or Powder blue?! Can't decide!

[Jova]

I had a purple tang a few years ago, and loved it. But I really like the way the powder blue tangs look. I have a 55 gallon reef tank with 100-120 lbs of live rock and no other tangs as of now. Can anyone recommend which tang would be better for me? Personal experiences with either in a similar tank? I can't make up my mind!

 

[Woodstock]

Get a Powder Blue if you don't have LPS corals. They are BEautiful fish!!

I have had both. The purple was extremely aggressive and the powder blue ate some of my LPS corals. I even tried two different powderblues hoping they had different tastes.

 

[michael_cb_125]

I have a powder blue, and I love him. He has alot of personality. I have him in my sps/clam tank. I also have a frogpawn in there, he does not bother it, but I could just be lucky. Make shure he is the last fish you add, as they are very aggressive towards new additions.

 

[Warnberg]

Tangs = Ich magnets Just be prepared and get a healthy specimen. They are beautiful fish, I personally would get a powder blue or a powder brown.

 

[saltyfishtanks]

you need a tank upgrade to get a tang a 55 just is not big enough sorry but i feel that my 120 is not big enough for the tangs that I have in it as well

if you must have a tang the zebramosa species seems easyer to keep in my experiences and the powder blues are well known as hard to keep.

so Purple tang it is I have one and he took well to my FOWLR tank

I also have a scopas, yellow and goldrim tangs in my reef

 

[Cassette87]

unfortunately i cant say anything from experience, but i can say that i like the powder blue's appearance way better!

 

[sgoble]

Tangs really need a bigger tank than 55 gallon. From what I have read a purple or powder blue need 100 gallon.

 

[Woodstock]

Good point. I feel bad with my achilles in my 4' 120 I can't wait to get a 6' tank for him

 

[DrHank]

I've done both in a 55 gallon years ago when I first got into saltwater. I shouldn't have done either. I now have one purple tang in my 110 XT tank. Honestly my 110 is stocked like it was a 75 gallon and all the fish, inverts, and corals are doing well. Although I think the powder blue is a beautiful fish, I probably wouldn't have one in less than 100 - 120 gallons. The purple (as all members of the Zebrasoma family) are hardy for tangs.

Look at woodstock's last post. The powder blue is in the same family as the achiles. I'm a real believer in no tang other than a Zebrasoma in a 4' long tank, and then only one. I'm going to add another tang to my tank as soon as the new system is up but it's a 8' long 210 gallon. Tangs need lost of room to swim.

Sorry, I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but it is the truth.

 

[saltyfishtanks]

dr.hank is right on the money here my gold rim is the same family as the powder blue and achelies and that fish proved the absolute hardest fish to acclimate to the 4' reef tank almost to death over 2-3months he only decided to eat at the last minute and he some how recovered. To top that off I had problems from over feeding until he fattened up and i could dare cutback the foods (when he began constantly grazing alge)

choose wisely i would get a scopas or yellow if you have never kept tangs
Purple is just to expensive to risk loosing

 

[kimoy]

powder blue is a nice tang. i have 5 tangs in my tank the last addition was a vlamingi(couldn't resist for $25 for 3 inch fish) and they are all doing well and fat. i know that they will outgrow their home in the future but i have a LFS that will take it back for a store credit and i can get another smaller fish.

 

[vdituri]

Thank you everyone. I know I'm not your intended target, but I love the tangs and only have a 55. I will have to wait. Until the addiction builds and I build my next generation! <insert maniacal laughter here>

 

[Jova]

I've heard a lot of people say that a 55 is too small for a tang, and you're probably right... The thing is, that I really want a tang, and I had a large purple tang in this tank for about a year before the tank was vandalized, and never had any problems. The chance of me being able to afford a larger tank any time in the next 10 years are slim to none, so I have to work with what I have. So, if I DO get a tang in this 55 gallon tank, would the purple be the best way to go? It seems that the general opinion is that the powder blues are much harder to keep.

 

[iamkellogg]

If I bought a tang I would buy what I thought would live best in the system I had presently. I can not afford to spend lots of money on a fish only to have it die of Ich or stress. They are both pretty I think it would be hard to make a wrong decision.

Kelly

 

[SubRosa]

No mention of the truly best tangs for smaller tanks,the ones that are least agressive and stay the smallest.Genus Ctenochaetus,like a Kole,Chevron,or Tominiensis.But a 55 is still too small!

 

[prow]

i think a yellow or kole tang or atlantic type/size tangs are cool in a 55gal. but a purple or powder blue na. i have a regal tang that is about 6" now and i think he is already outgrowing my 72x18x20" tank. ok the regal is little different but still one purple or powdered blue, my tank would about the smallest i would go. you really need a 6' tank for most tangs, minimum, unless you dont mind them regulating the tank big time as they grow.

 

[Jova]

SubRosa: Thanx for the new ideas! I had a Kole tang previously, but it got ich and died after a year or so, and I'm not too crazy about how they look. The Chevron tang looks awsome, but is a bit out of my price range. Now, the Tominiensis tang looks really cool, and is more in my price range, so I'm definately considering that one. From what I've read here and on other forums, a purple tang doesn't seem to be completely out of the question, but you have definately given me another option to think about. I still have a lot of time to think this over, because I plan on the tang being my last addition to the tank. It will be the only "larger" fish in my tank, since I plan to only have smaller fish such as various gobies, blennies, etc.. as well as the 2 percs and 4 green chromis' that I currently have. But that Tominiensis tang looks very cool, and is slightly cheaper than a purple, so I'll be thinking that one over for sure

 

[DrHank]

Tanks become Ick magnets when they are stressed. Nothing stresses a fish like feeling trapped. When you put a fish that loves to swim (tangs do) in an environment that they feel stressed (like too small a tank) they will become stressed. Years ago I had tangs in my 55 gallon tank. Unfortunately, every one I tried developed Ick in time and eventually died.

I really hope that you reconsider the idea of a tang however, if you absolutely must have one I would stay with one in the Zebrasoma family. Also you should stock a 55 gallon very lightly. There isn't much water volume there. Personally I've got a 110 gallon tank (will be moving up to 210 gallons within a month) and only have 5 fish in it. They are all doing very well. I have one tang (a 3" purple). When I move to my 96"X24"X21"tall tank. I may get one more tang (Acantharis family).

Good luck and think hard before you add a tang!

 

[mps9506]

No mention of the truly best tangs for smaller tanks,the ones that are least agressive and stay the smallest.Genus Ctenochaetus,like a Kole,Chevron,or Tominiensis.But a 55 is still too small!

I would agree with this 100%.

i think a yellow or kole tang or atlantic type/size tangs are cool in a 55gal.

Atlantic tangs get waaaay to large for a 55.

 

[prow]

maybe i should of went with the exact name on the atlantic tang, sence there are many atlantic tangs. i was talking about the atlantic blue tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) which gets about the same size as a yellow tang. in a 55gal doable, may not be able to put much in with him but it can work.