1 tang too many (maybe)

fishcrazy2

fishcrazy2

Member
I have 3 tangs in a 90 they dont fight hardly on occation they i just want too know if yall think its alright that i have this many ive had them in yellow tang for almost 4 year same with purple and powder blue tang been in there for a lil more than a year like i said they hardly ever fight. there are also 5 other fish in there SMALL ONES
Please comment
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
You sure you want comments? :D
OK, I want to begin with this:
ATTENTION TANG POLICE:
PLEASE NOTE THAT I WILL COVER THE FOLLOWING -
SWIMMING SPACE FOR TANGS
Therefore, there is no need for a "drive by" - "No tangs in a 90g tank ever!" without additional comment or thoughts. Lets be productive :D OK?
If you have been on the saltwater boards (nearly any of them) for any length of time, you will know that it is generally accepted (and some hobbyists would demand) that the absolute minimum swimming space for a tang, short term, is 4'...but longer term certainly after 3-4 years, is 6' minimum.
I'm willing to give and take on this, to some degree. If you had one tang, maybe the yellow, heck maybe even the yellow and purple, I would cut you some slack. Because I am not a member of the tang police and believe some tangs can be kept in 4' (or, :scared: even smaller depending on the situation for some limited period of time). Is it ideal? No, really not, IMO. I like to see the plans for the larger tank, or to trade it in, or something...
But these are very active fish, they need space to swim in the open, and a healthy tang, IMO should have outgrown a 4'tank by now. If I am not mistaken, a 90g is a 4' tank. And three tangs- including a powder blue, well that, IMO, is pushing it beyound even my more tolerant limits.
Many tangs and other "aggressive" fish like larger angels, if overcrowded, will often show little aggression towards others. It should not necessarily be taken as being comfortable, but as not really having even the space to behave normally. I've seen about 2 dozen purple tangs in a 3500g reef...you want to know what they do? They beat the heck out of each other. Quite a bit of room - still confined - but still displaying normal behavior.
Do you have a picture of your tank?
Now every tank is different, your nitrates may be great, the fish may be fat...but by now they should be pretty large. IMO, it is not good to have so many fish in there (what are the others).
You wanted comments :) You will get many I think. :yes: I just hope that people are civil in this....
 
X

xnikki118x

Guest
I don't think it's too many, especially since your tank is so big. A friend of mine has three tangs in a 55 and they're all doing fine. (They're all small, about 2 inches each, and he has a hippo, a yellow, and a convict.) As long as they don't fight or show signs of stress, I really wouldn't worry about it. :)
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member

Originally posted by RUBBERDUCK
wow ophirum u FRIED HIM

Not the intent - I will apologize in advance if the poster takes it this way.
Actually it was to ward off the members of the tang police who drop in and just say:
NO TANGS IN A 4' TANK EVER!!!!
Without any further comment or any consideration. We've all seen that.
I'm actually pretty easy going on it...but IMO this stocking is too much. I'm glad they are alive - definitely a good hobbyist :) :yes: but I think still too many big fish in a pretty small tank. I would have liked to see them move to larger quarters by now.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
An excellent question! :D
There are a lot of people who take the idea of tangs in small tanks quite seriously, and tend to emphatically state in some threads that no tangs belong in certain tanks ever. (period). It can get ugly :D
Something like "can I have a tang in my 20g tank" or something would be sure to get them...but it extends often to include 4' tanks.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Most have good intentions about keeping fish healthy and providing them with the proper captive environment and care. I disagree with the "no way no how" approach in some cases, but appreciate the overall goal they have. :happyfish :yes:
 
fishcrazy2

fishcrazy2

Member
Well u do have alot too say and i thank you for your opninion IMO i dont its too much tangs in 1 aquarium But thanks
 
jlem

jlem

Active Member

Originally posted by xnikki118x
I don't think it's too many, especially since your tank is so big. A friend of mine has three tangs in a 55 and they're all doing fine. (They're all small, about 2 inches each, and he has a hippo, a yellow, and a convict.)
How long has your friend had the 2 inch tangs together? Have they been doing fine for 2 days or 2 years.:thinking:
 
fishcrazy2

fishcrazy2

Member
Yall Our just jelious that im a good hobbyist at slatwater tank n i can keep 3 tangs in a tank with out them dieng OH WHAT NOW
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Jealousy is hardly the word. Experience nor expertice keeps 3 tangs alive in a 90, ignorance and lack of caring is more like it... Those are qualities that I hope never to possess. If you did your homework you would realize that tangs are reef safe, but not reef fish. They are ocean/current swimmers. They are not restricted to one small spot or crevice as most other reef fish are. So to have 3 in a 90 is dreadfully restricting what they do naturally, swim at great lengths.
Some of us in this hobby like to provide optimum, predator free, stress free, ideal environments for our pets. Not simply an environment that they will "survive" in.
I have 90 and a yellow tang. The tang is by far my favoritest fish ever, but I like them to much to risk their safety for my own personal eye candy.
BUUUUUUT..."that's just me." :)
 
fishcrazy2

fishcrazy2

Member
ALrigt that was completely uncall for I WOULD NEVER TRY harm my fish i have givin THE BEST EVIRONMENT for them atleast tryed to DUDE I LOVE MY FISH ALRIGHT and IM NOT PLAYIN THE GAME OF SURVIVAL of THE FITTEST They have plenty of room to swim around I only have 30 puonds of live rock they hardely fight AT all Im just playin about the helious thing or w/e
 
lefty

lefty

Active Member
You ask for our opinions, yet when we give them to you, you become defensive and treat us poorly because you do not like what you hear. I'm sorry that you feel you must resort to this, but the lives of your fish are of the utmost importance to us. True, they are not under our care, but this doesn't mean they don't deserve "the best environment" (besides that of the ocean, of course). As someone already said, your tangs may survive as they are, but that doesn't mean they're happy. There were many Jews who survived the concentration camps, but I can assure you that every one of them would have preferred an environment much different from the one they "survived" in.
Remember, the fish must always come first in this hobby. The lives of these creatures are in your hands. Please make decisions based on their wants and needs, not your own.
:happyfish
-lefty
 
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