tangs in 55 gallons? which type if any

watson3

watson3

Active Member
It still really all comes down to you..What would these other PETA folks do on here....How inhumane....If they think its so bad to keep fish in a tank, they seem to be pros at it. Get what you and whoever want to put in your tank. All of this in my opinion crap...It is your tank..Put in it what you would like to see...I would agree that there are size and population limits, but use your judgement...Some people have real lives, and keep fish as fish, not pets or children...
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by watson3
It still really all comes down to you..What would these other PETA folks do on here....How inhumane....If they think its so bad to keep fish in a tank, they seem to be pros at it. Get what you and whoever want to put in your tank. All of this in my opinion crap...It is your tank..Put in it what you would like to see...I would agree that there are size and population limits, but use your judgement...Some people have real lives, and keep fish as fish, not pets or children...

So what is the line? If you keep a dog confined in too small a cage the ASPCA will come after you. I am tired of this argument, because clearly all people are saying is that for a yorkie you need a cage X size, and for a Rottie you need a cage Y size. For dogs it is hardly debated - it is common sense. But for fish? That is a line that is still a bit shady. For some reason simply because they are fish they can be kept in "cages" that do not suit their energy levels and behaviors - common sense for dogs. But here you try and make some general ideas about tank sizes and the names get thrown out and "why do they keep them at all."
Both sides of the tang police (for and against) drive me nuts.

I mean this is a living animal (a wild collected animal, BTW) that is in our care. What is a pet?? Where is that line? I guess it is an individual thing for sure.
To me they are pets, and worse, collected from the wild...they deserve the best care I can provide. And if I can't, I need to have the responsibility to say "nope, can't have it."
I agree though, if you really don't care....then do what you want. And live with it. I personally do not enjoy keeping animals confined in less than minimal conditions...it actually becomes stressful to watch, and expensive to restock your tank all the time. But if you don't care, and there are plenty who don't, go for it. (But a word of caution, don't expect a lot of assistance when problems arise, because that is the first thing that people will mention). But it is your tank and your wallet in the end.
Best of luck either way.
 
watson3

watson3

Active Member
So for all the tree huggers, fish are in the ocean..That a big enough tank...Then why would you pull them from it and put them in your tanks at home..It does not matter what size tank, what about the poor little fishes feelings when hes in that mean old tank...They are fish..We eat them..We look at the nice ones in our tanks...That is what they are for...Do what makes you happy, you own them...Do what you can afford to do...Do what you like to see
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by watson3
So for all the tree huggers, fish are in the ocean..That a big enough tank...Then why would you pull them from it and put them in your tanks at home..It does not matter what size tank, what about the poor little fishes feelings when hes in that mean old tank...They are fish..We eat them..We look at the nice ones in our tanks...That is what they are for...Do what makes you happy, you own them...Do what you can afford to do...Do what you like to see


So it is all or nothing...no middle ground? Why do you feel there are size and population limits? Would you put a tang in a 2g, 10g? 30g? (I would, BTW. I would put one of those tiny blue tangs coming in now into a 30L as the only fish until it was a bit more established. I would prefer that over throwing it into a 180 with established large fish...but long term? no).
Thanks for the names BTW!
For some reason it seems nearly everyone using the anti-tang police line of thought can only call names and resort to the same "its not the ocean" line. :notsure: Its unfortunate, because I do love a good debate, and there is a good debate to be had.

And I'm a conservative, FAAARRR from being a tree hugger (though I have a picture of me hugging a birch tree, I love birch trees, birch beer...etc
)...I believe we have responsibilities and moral obligations (which is why I'm a conservative I think).
 
watson3

watson3

Active Member
FINALLY...A reasonable agreement...I completely agree...What are the odds that someone is going to keep these fish, however big they get in this enviroment once they outgrow it...I started with a 28 hex and a few tangs..They got to big so I sold them...Its the American way..They looked good in the tank, so I made it work..Now I have moved up and tangs are just what I like to see in the tank...I think that they just like to be taken care of..They could care less if there were another hundred gallons for them to be in..They are like 2 inches long..how much more space do they need..Seems like a good ration for them right now..They get to big, start over smaller...
 
puffer9006

puffer9006

Member
i am a strong believer of tangs being in bigger tanks expectly at a certain size. alot of people like to put yellow tangs in 55g but ive seen them get huge and in know way they could go in a 55g that size.
but ill adimit to haveing a tang in my 55g. its a baby sailfin. its doing fine and has grown sence having him but still has plenty of space. i know it will out grow my tank and know where he can go when he gets to big. in my friends 250g.
so what im saying is that pretty much any tang can go in a 55g intill a certain size. just i wouldnt put a achilies in a 55g or a clown they need big tanks and alot of swimming even small.
also ive seen 2 yellow tangs in a 150g which fought then it seemed like they got bored with fighting and now play with eachother.
just my 2 cents
 
petjunkie

petjunkie

Active Member
You can put any fish in any tank if you really want to, it's your decision. There's a 20 gallon long I see in another town that has had two large lionfish, a striped puffer, panther grouper, and a few others. The puffer swims straight up and down due to lack of room, the grouper doesn't move, and the lions hover in one area. It can be done, but why? I want to put those fish out of their misery every time I see it. If you don't care about the fish, why set up a tank, do water changes, have a filter? Go buy a painting and be proud of that. I couldn't imagine being so heartless because it's "just a fish". Just a fish you bought. Take responsibility and make it a comfortable and healthy enviroment, not a stressful box to pace in.
 
cgrant

cgrant

Active Member
I have a 210 w/ 4 tangs, they go back and forth all day, tangs like to swim. I sometimes feel that my 210 is not big enough for them when i see them start doing laps.
Sure they can live in a 55 gallon but IMO it is not ideal for that type of fish.
I feel my tangs would be better off in a 8 foot tank but the wife dont see it that way!
 
cgrant

cgrant

Active Member
Originally Posted by petjunkie
You can put any fish in any tank if you really want to, it's your decision. There's a 20 gallon long I see in another town that has had two large lionfish, a striped puffer, panther grouper, and a few others. The puffer swims straight up and down due to lack of room, the grouper doesn't move, and the lions hover in one area. It can be done, but why? I want to put those fish out of their misery every time I see it. If you don't care about the fish, why set up a tank, do water changes, have a filter? Go buy a painting and be proud of that. I couldn't imagine being so heartless because it's "just a fish". Just a fish you bought. Take responsibility and make it a comfortable and healthy enviroment, not a stressful box to pace in.
Just a fyi...puffers like to swim up and down the glass in a tank, it is normal, all my puffers have done that. I have seen puffers scratch the crap out of a acrylic tank rubbing that beak up and down the tank but i do agree 20 gallon is way too small for all those fish! Again just a fyi about the puffers.
 
mryoung7

mryoung7

Member
Originally Posted by petjunkie
You can put any fish in any tank if you really want to, it's your decision. There's a 20 gallon long I see in another town that has had two large lionfish, a striped puffer, panther grouper, and a few others. The puffer swims straight up and down due to lack of room, the grouper doesn't move, and the lions hover in one area. It can be done, but why? I want to put those fish out of their misery every time I see it. If you don't care about the fish, why set up a tank, do water changes, have a filter? Go buy a painting and be proud of that. I couldn't imagine being so heartless because it's "just a fish". Just a fish you bought. Take responsibility and make it a comfortable and healthy enviroment, not a stressful box to pace in.
i think you make a great point. it seems to me that the difference between people like watson (not trying to single you out -- trust me, there are many who think the same way) and those of us who could be labeled "tree huggers" is that watson probably thinks of his aquarium as more of a painting on a wall and we think of ours as a home for very sensitive animals that are in our care; pets even. it seems to me that some people think that as long as the colorful things in their "painting" still move around and serve their purpose of looking good, they are fine. i, of course, think that's wrong but that's my judgement call.
please correct me if i'm inaccurately putting words in your mouth (or thoughts in your head), watson.
 
jerthunter

jerthunter

Active Member
To answer the inital question I would recommend a Kole tang. I say this not from experience but from what I have read. And it was mentioned in a prior post in this thread as well.
As for the whole argument as what size tank a tang such as a yellow tang requires here is my input. I have a yellow tang in my 65 gallon tank, she has been there for over a year and the tank is actually only a 3ft long tank vice a 4ft tank like most 55 gallon tanks. I really like my yellow tang and as far as I can see she appears to not mind her captivity, HOWEVER I probably couldn't tell if she didn't care for it. Had I read more about the behavior of tangs before I purchased her I would have gone for a kole tang. So if you are concerned enough about the wellfare of a fish to ask about them then I would say you probably won't find much happiness looking at your aquarium and thinking about whether you have enough room for your beautiful tang to swim. I know sometimes I feel bad when I see how little swimming room my tang has and feeling bad is not something I want to occur when I look at my aquarium.
So, kole tang is my recommendation.
 
hemicj

hemicj

Member
i think the idea of a fish growing to tank size is absurd. its growth is stunted therfore its not 100% healthy. i have a very small yellow in a 29 gal. now but its going to a 180 as soon as it gets a little bigger. having it clean up some overgown macro algea and gain somewieght. so it can be done but defintally not a perminte thing
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by petjunkie
You can put any fish in any tank if you really want to, it's your decision. There's a 20 gallon long I see in another town that has had two large lionfish, a striped puffer, panther grouper, and a few others. The puffer swims straight up and down due to lack of room, the grouper doesn't move, and the lions hover in one area. It can be done, but why? I want to put those fish out of their misery every time I see it. If you don't care about the fish, why set up a tank, do water changes, have a filter? Go buy a painting and be proud of that. I couldn't imagine being so heartless because it's "just a fish". Just a fish you bought. Take responsibility and make it a comfortable and healthy enviroment, not a stressful box to pace in.

They make some outstanding screensavers now too
The ironic thing is that the one I have (can't remember the name off hand) actually will not let you put certain fish in certain tanks
If you choose the clownfish tank, it will not let you fit a shark in there, claiming it is too small to house a shark
I love it!!
I might be a giant kelp hugger....now that I think about it.
 
who dey

who dey

Active Member
my powder blue's about to have his 2 year b-day in my 55gal. For his 3rd b-day present he's getting a 125gal!! Catch my drift??
 
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