Do yellow Tangs get along with Clownfish?
2 of the most popular fish you will see in saltwater aquariums are the Yellow Tang and Clownfish. Do Yellow Tangs get along with Clownfish? The answer, for the most part, is yes.
As mentioned in the article best saltwater tangs for reef tanks, the Yellow Tang requires a larger tank of at least 100 gallons as they can grow to be 8″ in size.
Clownfish, on the other hand, don’t require a large tank but will end up in one if you mix them with Yellow Tangs. They will have lots of swimming space and there shouldn’t be much of a problem keeping those fish in the same tank together.
They can be introduced to the tank at the same time or individually. Even though Yellow Tangs are known to be quite aggressive at times, they don’t seem to bother with the Clownfish and vice versa.
If you have a pair of clowns in the tank, there is a chance that they can be territorial and bully other fish. If you have them in a smaller tank with a Yellow tang, there is a chance that the clowns will bother the Tang. But the problem is tank size on not the fish.
I currently have a 120-gallon reef tank with a pair of Occelaris Clownfish which are considered to be one of the easiest fish to keep for beginners, and 1 Yellow Tang. There are no aggression issues at all. They get along just fine. But if I chose to house them in a 55-gallon tank, chances are it might not work out.
Other Clownfish such as the Tomato or Maroon can be very aggressive and there might be some aggression towards a Yellow Tang but it’s not very common.
Yellow Tang Tankmates
Now that you know that Yellow Tangs and Clownfish will get along, here are some other tankmates that you may want to consider.
- Vlamingi Naso Tang – Very peaceful fish and makes a great tankmate
- Regal Tang – Also known as the Hippo Tang
- Naso Tang – Stunning markings and colors, can be aggressive at times but generally makes a good tankmate for Yellow Tangs
- Blue/Green Chromis – Small schooling fish that are peaceful
- Coral Beauty Angelfish
Fish to avoid with Yellow Tangs
These are a few fish that you don’t want to have in the same tank with a Yellow Tang.
- Another Yellow Tang – You should never really have 2 Yellow tangs in the same tank. They will fight each other to the death. It can work if introduced at the same time in a very large tank but it’s not a good idea. More than 2 is better but you are safe to keep just 1.
- Purple Tangs – Purple Tangs are an amazing fish to have but just don’t mix one with a Yellow.
- Any aggressive fish or predatory fish like the Lionfish should be avoided.
- Certain Damselfish can be very territorial and aggressive which can cause stress to a Yellow Tang. Stress will sometimes be followed by diseases such as ich.
So overall you should have nothing to worry about when considering having a saltwater tank with both a Yellow Tang and Clownfish as tankmates. There are a few exceptions as I mentioned but I have never had a problem with them together.
Both fish types can get along great with other tankmates as well. There are different types of surgeonfish, angels, cardinalfish, and most invertebrates that you can mix together with Yellow Tangs and Clownfish.
Fish compatibility chart
If you are looking to purchase a few different fish and wondering if they will get along together, refer to this chart to see if your fish will be compatible together. It is a good reference to keep handy for future purchases.
I did not make this chart but it’s a great resource, sharing it from liveaquaria.com
