Tang Police.... last chance to stop me

[Grav]

MS has an Atlantic Blue tang with my name on it... litterally.

 

Unless someone stops me (and I'm open to conversation) I plan to add a Pacific Blue "Hippo" and this Atlantic Blue at the same time.

 

I've got 3 kinds of macro ready to go and the atlantic is feeding, I saw him take mysis.

 

My tank is a 150 high, 130#s of LR

30g fuge

MRC-2 skimmer

 

2 Ocelarious Clowns,

3 Chrimis

2 firefish

1 Coral Beauty

1 royal gramma

5 Mithhrax

30-40 snails

Planed future additions:

Marine Beta and a Mandarin

 

Anyone see anything to be concerned about?

 

Thanks

 

Phil

[Guest clownfish4]

I don't have any concerns about the hippo, but the betta is another story. Are you sure its safe to add with your small fish? I read they aren't reef safe.

[xeon]

Phil,

Sounds good to me. Of the two, I think the Blue Tang will be the aggressive one of the two... similar to what you might expect with a Purple Tang. Fish size might have a lot to do with their initial interactions, but then again they might buddy up immediately or completely ignore one another. Putting fish in a tank can be interesting as you watch how the new fish fits into the "community". Adding them at the same time is ideal IMO, I don't see any problems.

 

You might also grab some sheets of Nori.

[eddi]

Phil,

 

I don't see any problems with adding the two tangs, especially at the same time. Just keep in mind the Atlantic Blue will get large, you saw mine. What size it the one at MS? Is it still all yellow?

 

BTW, I had never heard of any isuues with keeping a Marine Betta in a reef. I have never seen mine pick at anything. They are simply beautiful fish, worth the fairly high price, but they are shy. They will hide a lot.

[davelin315]

I think you're fine with adding the two tangs, even if they're added at different times. The Atlantic blue is somewhat like a Kole Tang in my experience and is somewhat docile. I don't know if the one I had was the exception, but it never caused any problems and was readily adaptible to most any environment. I'm not sure about the price they have it listed at though, kind of expensive, although it's been a long time since I looked into buying one.

 

I agree with the sentiment on the Marine Betta, though. I have heard that they are voracious eaters and will eat anything that fits into their mouths. Aren't they related to groupers or am I mistaken?

[Guest clownfish4]

BTW, I had never heard of any isuues with keeping a Marine Betta in a reef.  I have never seen mine pick at anything.  They are simply beautiful fish, worth the fairly high price, but they are shy.  They will hide a lot.

31401[/snapback]

 

Here is a link to live aquaria, they say the marine beta will eat all small fish and shrimp. And how do you find this thing to be beautiful???

 

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Di....cfm?pCatId=364

[Grav]

Thanks for the comments all, Marine Beta conversation pending it seems, but I'm moving forward with the Tangs.

 

I've been thinking Atlantic Blue for a while, but they are not too common from what I can tell. Similar to Purple and Kole tangs, but from what I read (and part of the decission) less agressive than either. I agree on the comment RE: cost. They are <$30 on MarineDepot live, but I'm willing to pay a few more to have seen it eating and know that it is in good shape, at least to the eye.

 

Both seem to live under the AKA "Blue Tang, so which "blue" do you think will be more agressive? I'm thinking the "hippo" will be a little more agressive, and as such hope for find one a little smaller than the Atlantic.

 

Eddie, it has lost all of it's yellow color, would have been cool to see that change.

[Guest clownfish4]

I find hippos to be the least aggressive of any tang, in my experience. Grav, you have a 4' tank?

[Grav]

4 ft * 2 ft * 30 inches

[davelin315]

Pacific Blues are less aggressive, but the habits are so different between the two species that I doubt they'd have much interaction. I wouldn't worry too much about aggression between them. Also, I don't think that Atlantic Blues are that difficult to keep.

[Guest alex wlazlak]

i have a 55 gallon tank and tons of green alegea. there isnt too much hair algea but just short green stuff EVERYWHERE. i have a yellow tan, clown, rock blennie, and a blue damsel, probly 20 hermit crabs and like no snails. most of my snails always die shortly after i get them, probly within 1 month...i'd like to add a baby hippo too, could i?

[Guest clownfish4]

No, DO NOT put a hippo in a 55g tank. Aside from being pretty hard to keep, my experience, they grow to at least a foot and quickly. A 55g is no where near big enough.

[Lee Stearns]

Go for it grav-

They will get big even in that tank but they will be neat addidtions- I had an atlantic many years ago don't recall that it was much of a grazer- The hippo will not be much of a grazer either- I am thinking of adding a yellow tang back to my tank with the powder blue and the blue hippo just to get them grazing more.