Calling All Tang Police!

[garnet13aj]

So I've been working on my stocking list for my 55 gallon and I keep trying to fit a tang into the picture but as we have all heard this is not a good idea. When people try to discourage you from getting a tang they always suggest a pygmy angel but I already have one of those on my list. I also have cc for substrate so it limits me from having any fish that like to bury in the sand. So far my stocking list is
2 Ocellaris clownfish
1 coral beauty angelfish
1 snowflake eel
Could I fit anything else in the tank that would fit in a 55 w/cc? I wan't something pretty that doesn't hide all the time.
Thanks for any help I'm trying to do the right thing against strong temptation to get a tang because I really do think they are the prettiest fish.

 

[teen]

some type of wrasse maybe. just forget about the tang, they get way to big for a 55gal, no matter what anybody says. there just isnt enoguh room for them to swim.

 

[garnet13aj]

I get that, I'm just trying to find some cool alternatives.

 

[peter1215]

Originally Posted by teen
some type of wrasse maybe. just forget about the tang, they get way to big for a 55gal, no matter what anybody says. there just isnt enoguh room for them to swim.
what if he get a small tang ? a 55g tank is four feet long. How long will it take a 1-2 inch tang to actually get 5-7 inches! personally i think people get too carried away in this board regarding what fish you cant get. fish just dont grow 5-7 inches in overnight ! If you do keep one that long that it gets too big then you can either sell, trade him or upgrade to a bigger system. You just have to keep these factors in mind when buying the fish.

 

[vito525]

I just saved a Tang from a neighbors 10 gallon nano, he's about 3 inches long and doing fine in my 55 gallon

 

[garnet13aj]

For future reference I'm a girl, but my name is a bit deceiving :thinking:
And I'd love to have enough people tell me that to make it convincing enough for me to go ahead and buy one, but what I've heard is that it has to do more w/swimming room than size. I'm not the expert though, my only experience is watching them through the glass at my lfs and watching finding nemo

 

[garnet13aj]

a 10 gallon nano!!! omg even if the lfs are trying to make a buck they should do some sort of background check atleast!

 

[sebae09]

i have a yellow in my 55 hes fine so you can say what you want but hes their to stay.

 

[who dey]

My Powder Blue Tang has been in my 55 for 2 years now. It can be done for a few years but i'd say after 3 they need 6ft swim room

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by garnet13aj
Could I fit anything else in the tank that would fit in a 55 w/cc? I wan't something pretty that doesn't hide all the time.
Perhaps a Rabbitfish? They don't require as much swimming space as most tangs.
A Kole tank is one of the few Tangs that don't require a lot of open water. One would work just fine in a 4 foot tank.

 

[xdave]

Yeah, Koles are cool.
Yellows have been kept in 55's for years. These are the people that will tell you they are prone to ich and velvet, people that keep them in 6' tanks will tell you they are very hardy. Coincidence? :thinking:

 

[garnet13aj]

I was thinking a kole tang, because that's what people suggested if I absolutely wanted a tang, but when I showed people my new list they still verbally beat me down for it. I don't know, I wan't my fish to be comfortable.

 

[catawaba]

The eel limits you a bit....at least as far as smaller schooling fish are concerned....Have you thought about a raccoon butterfly? Wrasses need swimming room too....JMO

 

[peter1215]

Originally Posted by garnet13aj
For future reference I'm a girl, but my name is a bit deceiving :thinking:
And I'd love to have enough people tell me that to make it convincing enough for me to go ahead and buy one, but what I've heard is that it has to do more w/swimming room than size. I'm not the expert though, my only experience is watching them through the glass at my lfs and watching finding nemo

Garnett, as you can see there are numerous people who have kept tangs in a 55g. I would obviously reccomend to get the largest tank you can afford but if a 55 is what you have you can get a small tang . just keep in mind he'll need a bigger tank a couple of years down the road. This unwritten rule of "no tangs" in a 55g is frankly rubbish . Same applies for large angels. If you know you will eventually get a larger tank there no reson why you can have a juvi angel of the larger species in a tank such as 125g

 

[garnet13aj]

I'll have to stick w/the 55 that I have for at least a few years because I'm in college and I live in a really small appartment. I'm just trying to check out all my options

 

[cyclops]

OK, OK. the thing about tangs is you will never know if they will stress or not about swimming space as long as you feed them correctly you will have no probs> I have 2 Tangs in my 135 wich is 72" long and they only stay on one side of the tank they never swim the lenth of the tank and I keed waiting for them to do so. So a 55G should be ok for certain ones. JMO

 

[garnet13aj]

Ha, ha as soon as I call the tang police specifically they don't come. Interesting experiment. Maybe I will keep a kole and see how it works out :thinking:

 

[kpk]

I say a kole or yellow would be fine. I would get a small one though...

 

[daninct]

I like the looks of a royal gramma and they don't get that big. Not certain if they would become eel chow as I don't know much about the eel.

 

[bang guy]

Snowflakes are crustacean hunters, not much on fish. Post in the aggressive forum to know for sure but I think most fish are safe from Snowflakes.