tangs in 55 gallons? which type if any
- Thread starter clownrico
- Start date
clownrico
Member
DAMN lol, i didnt expect all the comments.... very very good points, but how i like to think about it all is. Noone can really say that any fish is happy in their tank because every saltwater fish deserves the ocean. not a 150 200 ect gallon tank., so i dont think anyone has the right answer.. the only answer is they have plenty of swimming room in the ocean. not our tanks.. 
:joy:
:joy:
mryoung7
Member
Originally Posted by ClownRico
DAMN lol, i didnt expect all the comments.... very very good points, but how i like to think about it all is. Noone can really say that any fish is happy in their tank because every saltwater fish deserves the ocean. not a 150 200 ect gallon tank., so i dont think anyone has the right answer.. the only answer is they have plenty of swimming room in the ocean. not our tanks.. :joy:
completely disagree. yes, the ocean is ideal but any given fish (that are common in the hobby) never travels over more than a tiny fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the ocean. in fact, some stay in a relatively confined area for their entire lives. secondly, those that do move around quite a bit likely do so for food, or so i assume. someone who knows more about the natural behavior of fish should tell me if i'm right about this.
there is a big difference between a 2ft tank and a 6 ft tank. and i think even one foot makes a big difference, when you're comparing 55g with 75g and 75g with 110g, etc. some fish are known to have quick swimming bursts, where they like to dash through the water. a tank must accommodate that and that's what this whole argument is about.
it's similar to having a dog. yes, it would have much more space to run if it lived in an open prairie somewhere. but a giant backyard gives the dog the same opportunity to run around, they just do so in the same closed in area. similarly, certain dogs should not be confined to a tiny apartment -- they need to be able to be active when they choose to.
am i way off base?
DAMN lol, i didnt expect all the comments.... very very good points, but how i like to think about it all is. Noone can really say that any fish is happy in their tank because every saltwater fish deserves the ocean. not a 150 200 ect gallon tank., so i dont think anyone has the right answer.. the only answer is they have plenty of swimming room in the ocean. not our tanks..
:joy:completely disagree. yes, the ocean is ideal but any given fish (that are common in the hobby) never travels over more than a tiny fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the ocean. in fact, some stay in a relatively confined area for their entire lives. secondly, those that do move around quite a bit likely do so for food, or so i assume. someone who knows more about the natural behavior of fish should tell me if i'm right about this.
there is a big difference between a 2ft tank and a 6 ft tank. and i think even one foot makes a big difference, when you're comparing 55g with 75g and 75g with 110g, etc. some fish are known to have quick swimming bursts, where they like to dash through the water. a tank must accommodate that and that's what this whole argument is about.
it's similar to having a dog. yes, it would have much more space to run if it lived in an open prairie somewhere. but a giant backyard gives the dog the same opportunity to run around, they just do so in the same closed in area. similarly, certain dogs should not be confined to a tiny apartment -- they need to be able to be active when they choose to.
am i way off base?
merredeth
Active Member
I don't think anyone mentioned this - but if a tang is in too small of a tank they get stressed - and when they get stressed they end up with ich.
If you want ich in your tank, then go fir it. However, one thing to keep in mind is that these tank 'requirements' mentioned are BARE minimum requirements and bare minimum requirements of a 55 gallon are generally given by those that want to sell you a tang.
Kole tangs are about the only tang I've seen that can be okay in a 55 gallon. However, because they are a tang as well - I am inclined to recommend to go with longer tanks.
55 gallon tanks are generally 48 inches long if memory serves me correctly and 75 gallon tans are 72 inches long. If you observe tangs when they swim the legnth of a tank. If you really watch them, larger tangs need more room to turn around to swim back to the other side of the tank.
Providing ample room for fish to flourish in a tank is what this hobby is all about - not just making them 'survive.'
Besides, anyone that has had an ich outbreak will tell you seeing an empty display tank for six weeks sucks.
So basically what it comes down to is either provide tangs with more than enough space or watch your tang timebomb - because odds are in your favor that you will deal with an empty display tank for six weeks because ich can and will become a problem - it's just a matter of time.
Denise M.
If you want ich in your tank, then go fir it. However, one thing to keep in mind is that these tank 'requirements' mentioned are BARE minimum requirements and bare minimum requirements of a 55 gallon are generally given by those that want to sell you a tang.
Kole tangs are about the only tang I've seen that can be okay in a 55 gallon. However, because they are a tang as well - I am inclined to recommend to go with longer tanks.
55 gallon tanks are generally 48 inches long if memory serves me correctly and 75 gallon tans are 72 inches long. If you observe tangs when they swim the legnth of a tank. If you really watch them, larger tangs need more room to turn around to swim back to the other side of the tank.
Providing ample room for fish to flourish in a tank is what this hobby is all about - not just making them 'survive.'
Besides, anyone that has had an ich outbreak will tell you seeing an empty display tank for six weeks sucks.
So basically what it comes down to is either provide tangs with more than enough space or watch your tang timebomb - because odds are in your favor that you will deal with an empty display tank for six weeks because ich can and will become a problem - it's just a matter of time.
Denise M.
murph
Active Member
IMO and especially for reef systems; any fish that is going to reach the dinner plate proportions most tangs do will eventually look quite out of place in even a six foot tank and this dimension is usually the max for a home aquarium.
If there is a large commercial or public display to donate them to at this point I honestly don't see the problem with keeping these fish in your average four foot home display when obtained small.
Given the fact that many tang species are actually used for bait by fishermen in there native waters the entire debate as to the ethics of keeping these fish in our home systems is borderline absurd.
If obtained small the grow out time should be at least a couple of years and depending on the species this works out to about 2 cents a day. So if your willing to part with this kind of money and can find a suitable home for the fish when the time comes go ahead and keep your tang. JMO.
The ability of most tangs to keep rock and glass algae free is worth 5 to 6 cents a day if you asked me.
On a side note; parasites do not just magically appear because a fish is stressed. If there is a low level infestation that can become a large infestation due to stress factors the tank needed to go fallow any way.
If there is a large commercial or public display to donate them to at this point I honestly don't see the problem with keeping these fish in your average four foot home display when obtained small.
Given the fact that many tang species are actually used for bait by fishermen in there native waters the entire debate as to the ethics of keeping these fish in our home systems is borderline absurd.
If obtained small the grow out time should be at least a couple of years and depending on the species this works out to about 2 cents a day. So if your willing to part with this kind of money and can find a suitable home for the fish when the time comes go ahead and keep your tang. JMO.
The ability of most tangs to keep rock and glass algae free is worth 5 to 6 cents a day if you asked me.
On a side note; parasites do not just magically appear because a fish is stressed. If there is a low level infestation that can become a large infestation due to stress factors the tank needed to go fallow any way.
beldarfish
New Member
Hi,
Just A quick Hit,
I have a tang in my 55',that I TOLD my GF not to buy.(sailfin)
I feel bad for the guy, & he is getting Bigger & people that
know say the tank looks quite healty,(my fishy buds)I don't like it.
he needs more room as he is growing & I just bought my lights :cheer:
1 good thing that has come from sailfin (4&1/2"-5" fish),
we are now looking at buying a 215 gal for a fowlr tank & turning the
55' into a reef/clam tank now that the lights are up & running.
to think this started from a goldfish in a bowl on my counter
when I came home from work one day,that "goldie:,just got updated
to a 10 gal. tank BECAUSE he outgrew not only the bowl, but
the 5 gal he went into,he just seemed to be "stuffed into the
5 gal, but he had no swimming room ,he is much happier now
,the effect i was going for.Soon to be doing ,in essence, the
same for my tang,I hope I get the same results ***)
thanks,
Beldar
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/203675/totally-new-55-gal-needs-advice
Just A quick Hit,
I have a tang in my 55',that I TOLD my GF not to buy.(sailfin)
I feel bad for the guy, & he is getting Bigger & people that
know say the tank looks quite healty,(my fishy buds)I don't like it.
he needs more room as he is growing & I just bought my lights :cheer:
1 good thing that has come from sailfin (4&1/2"-5" fish),
we are now looking at buying a 215 gal for a fowlr tank & turning the
55' into a reef/clam tank now that the lights are up & running.
to think this started from a goldfish in a bowl on my counter
when I came home from work one day,that "goldie:,just got updated
to a 10 gal. tank BECAUSE he outgrew not only the bowl, but
the 5 gal he went into,he just seemed to be "stuffed into the
5 gal, but he had no swimming room ,he is much happier now
,the effect i was going for.Soon to be doing ,in essence, the
same for my tang,I hope I get the same results ***)
thanks,
Beldar
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/203675/totally-new-55-gal-needs-advice
rudedog40
Member
If you spend more money, a purple tang would be happy in a 55. I believe they don't get any bigger than 6", unlike a Blue Hippo that can grow up to 14". I have a blue hippo in my 55. I'm like the others who keep them until it gets too big for the tank. I don't get emotionally attached to my fish. You can pretty much tell when a fish gets uncomfortable in its environment - erratic swimming, heavy breathing, change in color, etc. When that happens to my blue hippo, I'll take him to my LFS and use him for trade bait.
1journeyman
Active Member
As this thread is originally more than a year old, and one of the topics destined to cause a riot, I'm locking it.
Clownrico, feel free to start a new thread if you desire.
Clownrico, feel free to start a new thread if you desire.