[reeferaddict]

I currently have one of each in my 135... Interesting behaviour as I added the PB last, and the Purple Tang went nuts and actually made a nasty gash on the PB. I thought it was probably done for, but it made a slow and steady recovery, and now they co-exist without the slightest hint of aggression towards each other. They DO need the swimming length, as they never seem to stop. Food I thought was going to be a challenge, I never noted any interest in anything offered, but he absolutely decimated my ugly algae during his first week in the tank, and in fact I think the competition with the PT has made them BOTH more efficient algae cleaners. I feed nori virtually every day, and both of them will come and eat it right out of my hand, again with no aggression... they actually take turns. While the PT shows no agression at all to other species, the PB will actually chase my chromis or 6 line wrasse from time to time, but nothing too serious yet anyways.

He always seems to have ich, but at the same time this isn't seeming to affect him the way I have seen it with other fish.. it doesn't seem to affect his respiration, and his appetite is now ravenous, he'll eat anything from mysis to brine to formula one to flake to spirulina, making it easy now to get some garlic into him and hopefully curb the ich. For the time being he is keeping my 3 cleaner shrimp very busy. They're comical to watch as they have to ambush him with him being such an active fish, one will wave back and forth at the reeftop and as he swims by the other two wait behind the reef ready to pounce as soon as he goes by. Interestingly, he actually swims right into my fire shrimp's small cave and will patiently allow him all the time in the world to pick at him. In contrast, I have yet to see a single spot of ich on my PT or any of my other fish.

As you can tell from my experience, it can be done, but I also caution anyone that wants to try to be prepared for failure, as any combination of fish may or may not work depending on the tank size and other inhabitants. For those that are willing to provide the space and diet, I wish all the luck in the world as thus far it has been a very colourful satisfying addition to my tank.