yellow tangs?

[Mickadee]

I was wandering about the Yellow Tangs and what would be good tank mates for these guys.. I love the bright yellow !! ;-) I know they are grazers and also eat myesis shrimp but else would they be able to eat?

thanks
Mike
Searcy,Arkansas

[Drew]

First of all, the biggest requirement is space. It is bordering on cruel to keep a good-sized yellow tang in anything under 4 feet long. Some people say 55 gal is minimum, others say larger. Myself, I would say 55 gal would work, but 75 gal and up is best.
Second, they need a lot of greens in their diet. Although mine eats the meaty food I offer, I would say 85% of his diet is algae. If you do not have enough of these thing you will need to supplement his diet with things like caulerpa and nori.
As for tankmates, if you keep him in one of the minimum sizes (55 gal) you can't keep him with other tangs of the Zebrasoma genus. They will certainly fight. If you do have a large enough tank, others surgeon fish may be kept, but it would certainly help for the to not be of the Zebrasoma genus.
Good water quality, and a mature tank (they are not good fish to be added right after the cycle) are other things that you should have. I am sure there are other things that I cannot think of right now. Anyway, good luck!

Drew

[FishDaddy]

Hi Mike,
I'll echo what Drew said....IMHO, a 75 is the least size tank I'd consider for any Tang, and even then, only the smaller varieties. Some have kept them successfully in smaller tanks but it's tough on these fast, free swimming fish...many get stressed and have Ich problems in smaller tanks.

I have a 55 with these fish: 2 Ocellaris Clowns; 2 Neon Gobies (Gobiosoma oceanops); 1 Pygmy Cherub Angel (Centropyge argi); and a Lawnmower Blenny (Salarias fasciatus). I consider this a pretty full load for my 55 reef.

You've indicated before that your 55 is Fish Only for now and that you are planning a large tank. I'd recommend passing on the Tang for now and look for fish in the 1-3~" range, adult size. A 55 isn't really that big a tank for marine fish.
Robert Fenner's The Conscientious Marine Aquarist has a pretty good rundown on fish. Scott Michael's Reef Fishes is another good reference for selection of fish.

BTW, IMHO, those 2 Damsels of yours are going to treat your tank as "their" territory and may harass anything that goes in next.
Dick

[Wind]

my 2 1/2 inch yellow tang is doing well in my 55.

I am gonna upgrade when it gets bigger and I can tell it is not getting enough EXCERCISE.

[Mickadee]

yeah I am just looking right now the tank (if I get a yellow tang) it will be going into a 150gal that I am trying to get I have ordered it but having some problems getting it in (( shipping damage YEAH!!!)) right now I havent yet decided in setting it up as a quarantine tank or a fish only tank and setting up another tank as a quarantine tank.. right now I am just looking at different ideas as to what I can put together with opions of diferent people that have keep some of these wonderful creatures.

thanks for any input that you all have ..

Mike