Sailfin, too big?

[evojoey]

I'm in the process of setting up my Oceanic 178 gallon tank and am going over a possible stock list in my head. Before I discovered this wonderful website, I posted on another forum a possible stocklist which involved a sailfin tang. A few members of the other site said they would be too large when fully grown for the 178. The footprint of the tank is 5'Lx2'Wx30"H. Will I be ok with the sailfin? Other possible tankmates are a miniatus grouper, harlequin tusk and a Duboulay's Angelfish. Let me know if the tang will be too large, and if the other fish are compatible. Thanks in advance.

 

[JRWOHLER]

Your tank is sort the real minimum. Some have them in 75G which is tooooooo small.
I passed on one for my 125 but your tank should be OK. Eventually you may have to move it(years down the road). Think your stocking list should be fine, unless you want shrimp, snails, crabs, etc. ;D. Make sure you have a great skimmer/refugium setup as your bioload is pretty high, big poopers in that bunch. All those fish are going to also benefit from lots of caves and rockwork, so a nice amount of live rock will help.

Corals are going to be OK with most but the angel.

 

[9supratt4]

I've got a sailfin in my 180....IMO you'll be ok.

 

[evojoey]

Thanks for the reply's. I am planning on a lot of live rock so that works out well. Not planning on any inverts, strictly a FOWLR tank. I hear some people say that multiple tangs in the same tank is a bad idea. Would I be pushing it if I added a powder blue to the mix?

 

[9supratt4]

I wouldn't add too much rock to the tank. Tangs like to have open room to swim. I have rock only in the center of my tank....which gives my tangs plenty of room on either side and in front of and in back of the rock.

I have a Blonde Naso with my Sailfin....You can try a Powder Blue as they are of different shapes.

 

[Nickjr000]

Be fine in your tank. If you add another tang besides the sail i'd add them both at the same time. Theyll get along better this way

 

[evojoey]

Thanks guys. When I'm ready I think I'll start with the tangs and add the others once the new bioload from the tangs is under control.

 

[JRWOHLER]

I would make sure you have enough live rock the tanks like to swim yes but the other fish the tusk and grouper are cave type fish. Angle will like LR and like to pick.

 

[evojoey]

If I put enough live rock in the tank to say come up 20" up, and keep it towared that back of the tank, leaving the front and top of the tank open for the tangs and angle, do you think that would be acceptable? I'm guessing somewher in the neighborhood of 150-200lbs of rock and the rest open space.

 

[JRWOHLER]

Yes sure ... key I think(having never owned groupers or tusk) that you want cave like structures that are darkish but you can still see the fish. Otherwise sounds pretty good.