Good tankmates for yellow tang

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

yellow tang

AC Members
Jul 17, 2006
127
0
0
I would like to know of some good tankmates for my yellow tang. I would like to stay in the range of small to medium sized fish (small=size of clownfish, medium=size of flame angelfish.)I would like to have a flame angel, would it work? Also a list of possible tankmates for a yellow tang would be helpful :D
 

dorkfish

AC Members
Jul 25, 2005
3,032
1
0
Windsor,Ontario,Canada
Lots of fish will work with yellow tangs. Surgeonfish/tangs have a sharp spine at the base of there tail and becuase of this, even rather "aggresive" larger fish will leave them alone. They also rarely pick on tankmates.

I'll try and give you a list of just a few fish wich could get along with them:
  • pygmy and large angels
  • most clowns
  • Other tangs, if the tank is large enough
  • lions
  • Probably most eels
  • Cardinals
  • Chromis
  • Wrasses

And of course, that's not anywhere near complete.
 

FreddytheFish

Nano-Reefer
Aug 29, 2005
1,800
1
0
Cincinnati, OH
Most fish will work, just avoid overly agressive fish. Also, unless you have a very large tank, avoid tangs and fish that resemble tangs.
 

Max

It's me
Jan 26, 2004
2,567
1
0
Mars
Visit site
How big is your tank and what else do you have in it? The only think I'll add to dork fishes advice is make sure there isn't anything the tang could confuse for another member of it's species ,"and they aren't bright." Anything with the same silouette will cause it to use the barb to ill affect. You can have 2 or more tangs of the same species only in a very large tank. You could do a blue tang and a yellow as they don't look much alike. If you put two yellows or two blues in a 75 gal you're going to end up with at least one dead fish IME.
hth
Chris
 

Marinemom

AC Members
Apr 8, 2006
3,478
0
0
I would just like to add that it is probably best to add the tang last. Other fish will work with a tang but you will have better luck if you add the other fish first such as cardinals, chromis and the flame angel. How big is the tank? I have two tangs in mine but they were the last to be added and both were introduced at the same time. Also one tang is quite a bit larger thgan the other one. So the bigger tang looks at the smaller tang and says you are not a threat to me and the smaller tang looks at the bigger tang and says I think I'll leave you alone. Every body is happy in my reef.

Marinemom
 

Max

It's me
Jan 26, 2004
2,567
1
0
Mars
Visit site
Except that the little one will grow up. About the time that it reaches sexual maturity is when you'll start having issues.
 

Marinemom

AC Members
Apr 8, 2006
3,478
0
0
As long as the tank is big enough and the tangs grow up togather(they are buds)it should be fine. I would like to say that you have to be quite conservative in your fish load so there are little or no aggression problems.

Marinemom
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store