pacific blue tangs

fishman88

Member
hello all
i have a 20 gallon tank (just the tank). would it be ok if i put a pacific blue tang in it. now i no they can grow up to 1' i would be getting it small and hopefully i can put it into a 55 before it gets too big. if i can get it could i put a bubble coral in with it and like some cleaner shrimp or a star (not shur wat kind but no serpant). and i no this might be pushin it but in stead of them a false percula clown fish?????
thanks soo much
mike
 

dpittman

Member
Please don't - that fish needs at least 75 gallons. Until you know for sure you are getting a larger tank get the clowns - you will be much happier in the long run...
 

holacanthus

Member
Yeah, a 20 gal would be too small for any tang, even a tiny one! A 55 would be ok but most of them grow at a pretty steady pace and would probably outgrow that quickly too! You'd be better off with a pair of perc's in the 20g, you could keep a bubble coral and a cleaner shrimp, but you'd have to maintain the required water parameters to keep the more demanding inverts.
 

fishman88

Member
so i can only keep 2 clowns in there wit 1 bubble coral and a cleaner shrimp? and wat other fish would u recomend?
 

mr . salty

Active Member
I wouldn't suggest adding too much(if anything else) to a tank that small...The problem is keeping the water parimiters good in a small tank with any fish at all in it..
A small tank will turn toxic in a matter of hours if over stocked..This meand things could be fine in the morning,,,but when you come home later everything could be dead....Yes,it can happen that quickly...
Even with two small fish,you will notice that the nitrates will rise quite quickly,and water changes will be needed weekly to keep them under control.This is why a larf=ger tank is better,,,and easier to maintain...
 

ocellaris_keeper

Active Member
Two clowns, maybe a gobie and turn the tank into a reef tank. concentrate on other things that don't require the space - crbas, a serpent star fish, one urchin and mushroom corals. You can create an impressive aquascape with a couple of swimmers and other animals.
Too often people go to pet stores and see all the fresh water fish tanks stocked with literally hundreds of fish for each 10 gal tank and think salt water fish are the same. These animals are territorial and have lived in a wide expanse.
But you can nevertheless show off incredible sea creatures with a 20 gal.
 
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