To Sohal or not to Sohal...

hermitage · #1 03/22/2007, 10:36 AM

Hey all - TIA for your help.

I've got a 210 FOWLR with 250lbs of LR

Currently I have a 9" Volitans Lionfish, 6" Harlequin Tuskfish, 2" Yellowtail Damsel, and just finishing up his Qt stay is a 3" Juv Imp Angel, which will join the group this weekend. He's starting to change and looking great.

My last fish was going to be a Sohal Tang. My plan was to buy one in the 3" range. I'm having second thoughts due to the Sohals aggressive rep, epseically towards the new Angel who shares a similar diet.

It's not an overcrowded tank (I know it will be when all fish are full grown.), and there's a good amount of LR for all to establish their territory.

I've read about full grown Sohals that live peacefully with other Tangs, to 2" Sohals killing 7" Harlequin Tusks.

What should I do? Losing too much sleep!

PuffersKick · #2 03/22/2007, 10:39 AM

Sohal should be fine with that group. HOWEVER, be sure you dont' want any other fish after the Sohal. The Sohal should be the LAST fish added to any system. Once they are in and established you wont' be able to add any new fish.

And also keep in mind that Sohals get more aggressive as they get bigger and can just go on a killing spree. Not trying to scare you, but just be warned.

I really want one too, but it's just unfortuante they come with alot of baggage!

DamnPepShrimp · #3 03/22/2007, 11:40 AM

How is the clown tang? Similar in shape and color, I know it isn't as bright but not as aggressive right? When I upgrade I will be adding in a few tangs. A purple, powder brown and probably a clown. Would love a sohal instead, but like you said, the baggage just might not cut it. I need to wait until my angels get bigger before I add anything else in, tangs get aggressive!

Hermitage, I don't see adding a sohal tang later down the line. I would let everyone get established when you add the emperor. I would also let them grow some more. So when you do add the sohal in, getting a small one I'd hope, it would be the smallest fish (besides the damsel, they don't count, haha) and might not be that big of a problem. Emperors do get aggressive, so hopefully he will hold his own. Mine boss's around a gray that is twice his size. I can't speak for the tusk, other then that they are beautiful and I want one! Good luck, let us know what you do.

rnelson · #4 03/23/2007, 10:05 AM

I had a 5" Sohal in a 240gal for about 6 months and he was a model citizen.... never bothered the other tangs or anything.....

IMO, the Clown Tang is more aggressive than the Sohal

mattyice · #5 03/23/2007, 01:31 PM

my sohal did not like anything in my tank, thats why im getting rid of him, he was only 4" when i bought him and in 2 months grew another 2", he didnt like my triggers within 15 mintues i had the sohal back in a QT tank because he didnt like my male trigger and the fight would of ended up with on of them dieing, also remember a sohal with streamers (if they grow out) can approach 2' from what i have heard and they can easily swim across a tank to use their head as a bashing device on other fish

rnelson · #6 03/23/2007, 01:37 PM

mattyice,

Sounds like you had a terror there!

Again, mine was a sweetheart but they DO need alot of swimming room....

PuffersKick · #7 03/23/2007, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rnelson
mattyice,

Sounds like you had a terror there!

Again, mine was a sweetheart but they DO need alot of swimming room....

Only a matter of time. Might be great for 6 months, then just turn all of a sudden... they are like time bombs (similar to a clown trigger), but worse IMO

Pete · #8 03/23/2007, 08:39 PM

My current one is about 7",I've had him for almost 2 years and up until the last 6 months he was a model citizen. He now chases my red-coris wrasse around so much that he has developed pop-eye. His attitude has drastically changed from a mild-mannered fish to a big bully. If you get him small enough and add him last you should be ok for awhile, but as mentioned earlier they do get aggressive as adults.

Hendersonracing · #9 03/23/2007, 08:42 PM

mine picks on my other fish a little but they are a great fish. I have had mine for a while now and now he is about 10" long...

DamnPepShrimp · #10 03/23/2007, 08:48 PM

That sucks, not promising. Then I guess I won't be getting a sohal. I don't want it to get aggressive as it gets older. I can't afford to have it snap one day and kill my angels. So the clown tang is more aggressive? Is there any tang similar in shape, size, color as the two? I wanted a purple tang, powder brown and a clown/sohal style to have all 3 kinds.

mattyice · #11 03/23/2007, 09:41 PM

the clown tang is slightly less aggressive but is up there with the sohal, a similar tang for those three would be a orange shoulder adult, and maybe a vlamingi tang personally in a take like what you are talking about damnpep would be something like a purple, an achilles, and a orange shoulder or powder brown, all three going in at the same time of course

DamnPepShrimp · #12 03/23/2007, 10:48 PM

I don't know about an achilles, I love them, but heard they are hard to keep. I just looked into an orange shoulder tang, very interesting! They are yellow as a juvi? I would definitely get one, but I have never seen them before? How aggressive are they? I will be upgrading tanks in the future and that is when I will add my tangs. They will be housed with several angels; queen, emperor, gray. I don't know how they all will get along. I want to wait for my queen to get bigger, tangs tend to be aggressive and want to be top fish. Once my angels are big enough and the tank is big enough, I will add in 3 tangs, from different families. Thanks for the suggest, I really like that tang, wish I knew more about it.

mattyice · #13 03/24/2007, 08:22 AM

its pretty much like every other tang, they love flow, they love veggies, and they grow fast, as for their aggression i havent found much about it but i would just take that as it having the same aggression as say a purple or a yellow thats the only thing i would say, as for achilles, alot of people dont understand that they LOVE high flow, a large tang with something approaching 60-80x turnover would be a good tank for an achilles

Pete · #14 03/24/2007, 10:25 AM

Clowns are less aggressive-achilles are difficult to keep healthy. I'd go with the clown

DamnPepShrimp · #15 03/24/2007, 06:02 PM

What would be the better tang, sohal, clown, orange shoulder, vlamingi? Any others that are similar to that shape/style? Hermitage, what do you prefer? Seems like a sohal would just cause too much problems.

mattyice · #16 03/24/2007, 11:50 PM

of those, an orange shoulder would be my choice for least aggressive and a fish that doesnt grow as large as the others (as far as i know)

DamnPepShrimp · #17 03/25/2007, 11:03 AM

Yeah, I know they don't get very big. The only problem is if I had an orange shoulder in with a purple and a powder brown/naso/achilles. Also he would be housed with a gray, emperor and queen angel.

I like Triggers · #18 03/25/2007, 03:52 PM

Clowns are hard to keep. Ask anyone who has had one. I have had a couple and never have been successful. I am currently waiting to find a larger one around 5" to add to my tank. My clown tang was not aggressive to any of my fish. Its colors were very bright. Here it is:

mattyice · #19 03/25/2007, 04:04 PM

orange shoulder tangs are listed as a peaceful tang so i think added all together as juveniles they will be fine (achilles going in as an adult giving him the power over the juvi's)

DamnPepShrimp · #20 03/25/2007, 04:30 PM

Yeah, I am also worried about if the tangs are bigger then the angels, mainly my smallest, the queen, that they might kill it. My brother had a powder blue tang kill a passer angel! The tang might have been a half inch bigger, not by much. Then when the angels get bigger, most likely when I will add the tangs into the mix, I want them to be able to hold there own against the angels. Decisions, decisions, decisions, at least I am not at that point yet. Any suggestions on what 3 tangs to add? Purple might be too aggressive towards other tangs, I def want either a powder brown or blonde naso. Then a purple, atlantic blue, or maybe salfin, along with a vlamingi, clown, sohal, or orange shoulder.

PuffersKick · #21 03/25/2007, 06:54 PM

why not just get a nice Yellow Tang? they are often overlooked b/c they are so common, but they really brighten up a tank, are as hardy as they come, and generally ignore all other fish (other than tangs). not to mention they are cheaper too!

mattyice · #22 03/25/2007, 07:32 PM

the thing is once the tangs see the angels are the dominant ones they wont bother

broncomike · #23 03/26/2007, 02:54 PM

A tang is a tang. Yes, they are aggressive fish. But I have found them to be just like people. They have hit-and-miss personalities and characteristics. My buddy has a system with a Sohal in it; it is about five inches long. It is a puppy! I have watched him before, for quite awhile. He swims around, minds his own business, gets out of the way of other fish, etc. You just never know what you are going to get. I am going to get one in the near future. I am looking for one around three inches long but I cannot find one ANYWHERE! Sure I am taking a chance, but I love the fish. If it doesn't work out, I'll trade it at a LFS and get something else. A clown tang is also a very aggressive tang. I agree with the right up there in nature with the sohal comment. A safe tang would be the yellow tang. To me, an Achilles is the prettiest fish in the ocean, but they are a PAIN to keep alive. But if you keep excellent water params, and you have some good flow, an Achilles should acclimate well.

DamnPepShrimp · #24 03/26/2007, 04:55 PM

Had a yellow tang, nearly tried to kill my queen!!! I have found them to be VERY aggressive. Sohal's aren't that bad when young, but as they get older, they will get aggressive. I bet your friends will become more aggressive as time passes. Any input on vlamingi tangs? I will just have to wait until my angels are bigger, so they can be the boss and run the tangs around.