Thinking of trying Chevron Tang

[Matt L.]

In my 8 years of reefkeeping, my philosophy has alwasy been to never buy anything I couldn't afford to eventually flush.

Now I have had excellent fish survivability, but I have always been afraid to try "expensive" fish.

I have a 125gal reef that is doing very well at 13months. I have lots of live rock, even for a 125gal tank. I like to use lots and lots of rockwork as I feel the fish are most comfortable that way.

I have a 4" Majestic Angel (5 years old), a 5" PBT (2 years old), and a pair of mated true (yes, true) percula clownfish (2.5 years old). I have 5 Lyretail anthias that have been in the tank for about 5 months now. I also have a Henichus diphreutes down in quarantine who is coming out. He's small (3"). I plan to get another one of those.

I was wondering if trying a chevron tang would be advisable? Can they eat prepared food, or do they need algae from live rock? I don't really have a hair algae problem. I am worried about the PBT, who is becoming aggressive towards the Majestic Angel. Lastly, where can I get one?

Matt

 

[jbishop]

Wrong thread me thinks....

 

[Matt L.]

Wrong thread me thinks....

Uh, yeas indeed. Now about that Chevron...

 

[jovreef]

Cheveron's are pretty hardy if you get them big enough. The tiny 1 & 2 inch ones I've never had any luck with. I would go with something at least 4 inches, but keep in mind that they are not going to be orange for long at 4 inches.

 

[JohnK]

Yea, what Jov said.

I have one that I got at about 3.5", it's very well behaved, seems hardy, eats anything prepared I put into the tank, and it picks at the rocks all day. Also mostly brown. IME chevrons are very very similar to kole tangs in just about every way except for the color/pattern.

I would be a bit concerned about the PBT beating it up, but if that did happen, I would think a chevron would have just as good/bad chance of getting through it as any other fish.

 

[JeremyR]

I dunno, if the PBT gives it problems a chevron is very similar to a kole in that it isn't quite as hardy as some of the other tangs initially. It is also a fish that is eventually going to look rather like a kole... only without yellow eyes, and they get pretty large.

 

[Matt L.]

Thanks for your input, all of you.

To clarify, the PBT dominates, typically in the form of a dominant display and positioning, but doesn't physically beat up.

He's also blind in one eye (has been that way since I got him). The Majestic Angel takes advantage of this and just goes around his back to get what he wants. the Majestic totally has him figured out. It's pretty funny.

However, I am going for a more peaceful tank, and if the PBT becomes a problem, I would likely remove him. I am hoping that with more than one fish to catch his attention (because it's pretty much the Majestic and the PBT), he may be less likely to single out one fish.

I will definitely try for a bigger one, and yes, I realize the color will be fading by the time I get a larger one, but I personally don't find their adult coloration unattractive.

Matt