Atlantic blue tang or kole tang? which is easier to keep?

[Radioheadx14]

I can't decide if I want an atlantic blue tang or a yellow eyed kole tang. Both are pretty and my LFS has both (i dont know if i trust the place tho... only a 2 day guarantee and some of their fish do not seem that healthy). I am thinking about ording from saltwaterfish.com or liveaquaria.com.

which tang would be easier to keep? like everything on the internet, every source i read contradicts the other. I like the kole's diet of algae, diatoms and seaweed, but i read they can be difficult to get to eat, and they are one of the shyest tangs. But other than that they are hardy.

The atlantic blue tang on the other hand, is much prettier. I couldn't find a real good source on them. some say they are hardy while others say they are not. I dont know!

I want a relatively hardy tang that is not a yellow tang(everyone has yellow tangs!) So out of these two, which would probably suite me best? i am a noob at SW but i keep on top of water changes and monitor my tanks parameters. I also have a good skimmer and a good cleanup crew

[SuperNerd]

atlantics get huge too

[thor32766]

for a 75 gallon i would go with the kole.

[backej1]

I had a Kole Tang for almost 12 years (he just died a couple of weeks ago). He was a great fish - ate everything, very peaceful, got along with my Purpe and Naso Tangs.

I'm planning on getting another one shortly.

[ZIN22]

I think for health reasons the Kole would be the better choice...
Also cant you buy the fish and tell them you will pick it up in a week or just give him half and wait until a week or better to pick him up?
I dont go to lfs's often due to I am in a wheelchair but I see all sorts of fish in tanks with sold signs on the tank and people waiting 1-2 weeks for the fish to acclimate and make sure they start eating befoe placing the fish in its new home.

[darkcirca]

In that small of a tank a Kole or even a Flame Fin Tomini tang would be better. Here's the link to live aquaria
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=334

I have one of these in my 90 gallon and I had debated over other ones. It is one of the smaller tangs. Since the tank is only 4 feet long I really wouldn't want to put anything else in it, especially a Atlantic Blue. My tomini has a lot of personality and is quite fun to watch. I've just started hearing more about them recently and rarely see them in the stores here. I picked mine up locally though, the only one in stock. They've had 2 others since in the past couple months.

[Radioheadx14]

the problem with the lfs is that they have very healthy FW fish... so i would have no problem getting FW... but their SW fish is another story. I bought a humu trigger, looked healthy. died 2 days later while i had all parameters at 0, 480 calc and 10.8 alk... when i took him back, the tank he was in and the 3 around it were empty... no way they could have sold that many hennis and triggers in 2 days... 3 days later i went back to get some hermits and snails.. the entire wall was empty. They obviously had a problem.

I asked them once if they can hold fish, and they said no. They usually have a nice selection, but i dont trust them after that incident. i think they have like 2 guys that know a lot and everyone else is not that informed on SW fish. So i would rather buy fish online then there. The other place is Jacks aquarium and their also hit or miss. they have a kole now but its all white... not a good sign.

[ZIN22]

Buy on line and get a the waranty.. Good choice. There is no reason they shouldnt hold a fish for you if they know what they are doing. They should not want to sell you a fish that has only been in there system a week or so anyway that is not fair to the fish.

[Radioheadx14]

Yeah, i go to that place at least once or twice a week and rarely see fish last in their store more than a week (whether its high mortality or high purchase rate which is possible since there are not many places that sell marine fish in Columbus, Ohio.) The fish i do see last longer than a few weeks are either over $150 or they have many of them like coral beauties.

I think i may go with saltwaterfish.com again or maybe liveaquaria.com

[BaxterS80]

We have a Kole and a Yellow Belly Hippo, they are both fantastic fish. Yeah, the Kole is constantly grazing and will eat anything we feed the tank.

[thor32766]

like mentioned before. Live aquria is an awesome company to deal with if you dont trust your LFS.

[Radioheadx14]

Yeah, im thinking about going through them... but i was worried about shipping tang. Aren't they a little sensitive?

[thor32766]

i have known quite a few people to order tangs from them with great success.

[tangafish]

i have ordered many times through live aquaria. i got a yellow tang from them a couple years ago and was even surprised when he was even bigger than i expected. you rarely get any warranty at a LFS on sw fish but you get a 2 week guarantee through live aquaria. cant go wrong with them.