sohal tang or watanabei angel

dadonoflaw · 10-10-2006, 06:09 AM

i am trying to decide between these two fish and i know that the sohal tang is very agressive but has anyone had luck or experience to share to help me decide. min tank size would also be good since i hear so many different things

**Amphibious** · 10-10-2006, 08:23 PM

Tangs can be a bit aggressive toward their own kind or similarly shaped tangs and other fish that threaten them. They will defend themselves. That said, I believe feeding the proper diet and in adequate quantities will go along way in alleviating aggressiveness.

I personally feel most aquarists totally underfeed their fish. I believe the reason for this is based on the old adage, "Don't over feed your fish" or "Only feed them what they'll eat in five minutes" or some other gibberish along the same lines.

I've been preaching for a long time, on TR too, it is impossible to overfeed your fish. When they are full they will stop eating. Now, if you continue to throw food into the tank you will accomplish over feeding your tank. There is a big difference in those two statements. I'm fortunate that I'm retired and I feed my fish all day long. I stuff them. When they stop eating and begin to spit it out I quite. I can go back ten minutes later and you'd think it was the first time I fed them. They go at it again with gusto.

So feed your Sohal Tang the proper diet, marine based algae such as Nori, Gracelaria red or green, not terrestrial based veggies like Romain lettuce. I hang a clip in my tank with Nori in it and the Tang devourers it. Here's a pic...

I don't like the suction cup that comes with clips so I super glue it to a rock and hang it in the aquarium. Works great.

Feed your fish properly and they will reward you with good health and better behavior. Don't let them think there is a shortage of food because empty bellies lead to fighting over space. Every one is perceived as a threat to the food supply.

Get the two fish you want, feed the bejezzus out of them and enjoy.

dadonoflaw · 10-10-2006, 11:05 PM

i have read some articles to a similar effect. i guess it would be pushing it to get a mandarin even with a well fed sohal. thoughts?

**Amphibious** · 10-11-2006, 12:13 AM

Thoughts? You should never ask Amp if he has thoughts on a subject, unless you are willing to read and learn.

Look, a Mandarin is a beautiful fish, one of my favorite. I tend to buy my favorite fish but, not until my tank can handle the needs of the particular fish I want. Having a Sohal will not prevent you from getting a Mandarin because their diets are completely different. What should prevent you from getting a Mandarin is the ability of your system to produce enough copapods to keep a Mandarin healthy and maintain strong populations of copapods. This almost requires you to set up a sump/refugium for the specific reason of having a copapod nursery.

I want a Mandarin and my tank is nearing the point where I can justify getting one (tank is seven months old) BUT, there's more to consider here than tank conditions. I prowl the LFSs looking for various fish. Many of the fish I select are not considered beginners fish such as the Mandarin. I look the selection over with a keen eye. What I look for is a plump fish, without a concave or worse, pinched belly, meat in the shoulder area instead of skin and bones, also the rib cage and back bone area must not be skinny. All the above symptoms are signs of starvation. If they got the symptoms I ain't buying them. It's a rare fish in that condition that survives. Most are doomed! Why would you buy them with out thoroughly inspecting them. I still get burned from time to time. As much as the Industry has preached about not using cyanide and chlorine bleach in collecting, it's still in wide spread use. It's totally sad.

I rant and rave at aquarists for not feeding their fish properly. Well I got news for you - The LFSs are worse than any aquarist I've ever lectured. Yes, there is the occasional LFS that is conscientious enough to feed their fish but usually it's totally not enough and not the right food. Throwing a pinch of Tetramin at the tank at the end of the day is ludicrous and yet that's what most do. The state of the LFS has always been dismal. That's why if/when you find a good one, they deserve your business even though you can get cheaper prices on-line. If you want them in business tomorrow, give them your business today.

I hope this helps you make smarter choices in this wonderful hobby.

Dick

dadonoflaw · 10-11-2006, 01:17 AM

my lfs feeds very well which is y i go to them. i have no intentions of buying either fish anytime soon and if and when i get a mandarin it will only be when i have learned to successfully culture copepods as the episode on the podcast suggested. i will not sacrifice the lives of these fish by moving to quickly.

**Amphibious** · 10-11-2006, 07:54 AM

You are very fortunate to have such a conscientious LFS.

Learning to culture copepods is as easy as setting up a place in your sump/refugium for them to have a space of their own. The picture below shows my converted wet/dry and how I provide copepod breeding space.

The Puca shell area under the LR is crawling with copepods and they make it out and go through the pump to supplement the population in the main display. Some don't make it through the pump I'm sure. They become instant food for whoever gets it. My main display is also crawling with copepods. This is a simple way to provide them a breeding space.

***Rob*** · 10-12-2006, 01:31 PM

once again Dick, you have done a superb job explaining both the tang and the mandarin situation.

i dont think there is much i can add, i just had to give you props..

and man, its been 7 months already?? i remember when you were just setting that tank up, seems like yesterday... any who...

dadonoflaw,
you are learning from one of the best people around..

**Amphibious** · 10-12-2006, 03:00 PM

I'm truly humbled. Thank you, Rob.