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Purple Tang
Tang

Purple Tang

Zebrasoma xanthurum

A brilliant, solid-violet tang with a yellow tail — one of the most prized and expensive reef fish, and among the hardiest of the Zebrasoma. It is also the feistiest: it will harass other tangs and any fish sharing its body shape, so it belongs in a large tank as the last (or only) tang added. A robust herbivore that keeps algae down and colours up beautifully on a seaweed-rich diet.

Temperament
Aggressive
Max size
9.8"
Min tank
125 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Herbivore
Zone
Mid-water, Open water, Rockwork
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Purple Tang gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Percula ClownfishPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Percula Clownfish and may harass it.Purple Queen AnthiasPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Banggai CardinalfishPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Banggai Cardinalfish and may harass it.Radiant WrassePurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Radiant Wrasse and may harass it.Pajama CardinalfishPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Green ChromisPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Chromis and may harass it.Yellow TangPurple Tang and Yellow Tang are the same genus (Zebrasoma) and will fight — keep only one.Helfrich's FirefishPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Helfrich's Firefish and may harass it.Yasha GobyPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yasha Goby and may harass it.Tailspot BlennyPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Tailspot Blenny and may harass it.Sailfin TangPurple Tang and Sailfin Tang are the same genus (Zebrasoma) and will fight — keep only one.McCosker's Flasher WrassePurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful McCosker's Flasher Wrasse and may harass it.Leopard WrassePurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Leopard Wrasse and may harass it.Lubbock's Fairy WrassePurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse and may harass it.Yellow Coris WrassePurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Coris Wrasse and may harass it.Red Head Solon Fairy WrassePurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse and may harass it.Cleaner WrassePurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Cleaner Wrasse and may harass it.Royal GrammaPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Royal Gramma and may harass it.Blackcap BassletPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blackcap Basslet and may harass it.Chalk BassPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Chalk Bass and may harass it.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Maroon ClownfishPurple Tang and Maroon Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Blue DamselPurple Tang and Blue Damsel both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellowtail DamselPurple Tang and Yellowtail Damsel both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame AngelfishPurple Tang and Flame Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral Beauty AngelfishPurple Tang and Coral Beauty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Lemonpeel AngelfishPurple Tang and Lemonpeel Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor AngelfishPurple Tang and Bicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Saddleback ClownfishPurple Tang and Red Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Sea ClownfishPurple Tang and Red Sea Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Blue TangPurple Tang and Powder Blue Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Clark's ClownfishPurple Tang and Clark's Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Tomato ClownfishPurple Tang and Tomato Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Canary BlennyPurple Tang and Canary Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Forktail BlennyPurple Tang and Forktail Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Achilles TangPurple Tang and Achilles Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Naso TangPurple Tang and Naso Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Tomini TangPurple Tang and Tomini Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Azure DamselfishPurple Tang and Azure Damselfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Christmas WrassePurple Tang and Christmas Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Antennata LionfishPurple Tang and Antennata Lionfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.