lets talk tangs

[jay0705]

Lately I've seen an uptick in tang related issues. A vast majority of which seem to be linked to the same issue. Tank size!!!. Yes tangs are one of the most popular sw in the home aquarium. I would venture a guess second only to clowns. I understand this, there are a ton of different kind, and colors.
However this doesn't mean there rt for everyone, in fact most sw hobbyist don't have suitable tanks for tangs. 6ft minimum is the staple, however most tanks are only 4ft. Your getting into 125 and up w a 6ft min. Gallons means very little, its the length these fish need. If you have a 8ft 90 gal custom frag tank, a tang would be much happier then in a 150 high.
So folks do your research, if you want a tang"s" get a big enough tank, there even easier to keep!! .

 

[Kristin1234]

Yep yep.

 

[lmforbis]

Can't agree enough.
Also tangs need a tank where all the fish have been properly quarantined.

 

[jay0705]

I apologize for my misspellings lol really need to proof read lol.
Qt is very important w them aswell. Honestly the term ich magnet is the reason I shyed away from them for so long. Now I have 3 and there awesome fish in the rt size tank!

 

[iidylii]

agreed...

I also fell victim to thinking..oh I have a 93 gallon tank so that should be enough gallons for a tang...little did I know a cube tank is probably the worst tank for one regardless the gallons unless of course you have a 6ft cube tank in which case you have to much dam money lol

anyways...I to think the same thing jay...Im scared of tangs cuz my powder brown got ich and my tank crashed...

although theres gotta be one tang I could get...maybe a kole tang JUST KIDDING!!

 

[jay0705]

Kole is prob one of the few. Certain bristle tooth tangs are possible to. However bigger is always better

 

[bang guy]

I always feel uncomfortable mentioning the swimming space Tangs need to be healthy. 9 times out of 10 is just gets the person angry and they're going to get their Tang anyway. Not sure why I bother.

"You can't tell me a two inch fish needs six feet of swimming space."

"Well, yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you."

 

[jay0705]

A 2" fish isn't going to stay 2" very long. Idk whats so hard to look at adult size as opposed to buying size.Granted different sites do offer different min tank size. I've seen 55-125 for a naso at different places. However look at the adult size and no way is a 55 even close

 

[bang guy]

A young Tang isn't going to develop properly without the swimming space.

A 2" Shrimp Goby will do fine in a small tank because it isn't adapted for constant swimming and doesn't need the space. Not true for a 2" Tang, it still needs the room.

I'm trying to think of an analogy but not coming up with anything good.

 

[jay0705]

Good point. I don't want this to seem like you shouldn't get a tang. You just have to get a long enough tank to keep them healthy. My qt is a 29, and I don't like putting them in that. Yet you still have to qt your fish, so in the very short term its pro's out way the con's

 

[bang guy]

I don't think a few weeks in a small tank is going to cause long term problems. When you start talking about months though...

 

[jay0705]

Agreed.I just don't get the small tank and tangs mentality. There beautiful fish, that you can mix. You just need an appropriate sized tank. I have 3 tangs together w no issues of aggression. The most aggressive fish I have is my dwarf angel which for some reason does not like my trigger lol semi similar color but not even close in body.
Tangs are hardy, easy to feed fish. They just need alot of swim room, with current. Current is another thing, they love flow. If your clowns get blown away its perfect for a tang. I don't do this in the whole tank. The front length tho is very high flow

 

[lmforbis]

i think it is hard for newbies especially with bad info out there.
SWF lists a minimum tank size for a hippo at 40 gallons (I just checked this). LA says 180. LA is a good number but if the newbie buys at SWF they'd go by the 40 gallon minimum. We know that is wrong but a newbie wouldn't.
My super tiny hippo covers the full 6' of my tank and I worry that it will out grow it.

 

[bang guy]

I understand the desire, they are colorful, great personality, and very active. It's the very active part that attracts a lot of new hobbyists. It's also the very active part that needs the longer tank than would seem reasonable.

Most new hobbyists also don't realize that these fish can live for 50 or 60 years. So when a fellow hobbyist mentions they've had their Yellow in a 55 for years I can see where they think that works for everyone.

I made the same mistake early in my addiction and have always regretted it. I had a Powder Blue in a 55 for about eight years. It was never normal and always stressed and I wish I hadn't fallen into the trap.

 

[jay0705]

The only thing that saved me was the "ich magnet" moniker they get. I was honestly scared to get one. Then after an ich outbreak via snails!!!!!!! My fallow period was up and much to my surprise my wife brought home a yellow tang! Well , well know now if I still have ich I told her. 3 yrs later and two additional tangs no more ich and an upgraded tank to house them lol.