tangs

[1journeyman]

I think this thread has run it's course...
Can you put a Tang in a Nano tank? Sure. Can you expect it to survive? Maybe. Will it thrive? Absolutely not...
Tangs are built to swim. I bought a very small Purple Tang. It, from day one, paced the length of my 210. Saying "buy a small one" is not particularly accurate. Even small ones want to swim. They are also pretty selective grazers. The more tank the more variety of foods they can graze naturally. Proper feeding is often overlooked for these fish.
A 6 foot tank is not the ideal habitat for a Tang. It is what hobbyists and experts generally consider to be the minimum habitat required. We make decisions in this hobby based on public desire vs. feasible habitat.
I'm not sure what Tangs live in a few yards of a reef. I've dove with schools of Tangs in the Caribbean and Pacific and seen both travel a good distance. Even a few yards in the ocean, however, is far richer than even the largest of hobbyist tanks.
Above all, as a good hobbyist you must weigh your wants/desires against the well being of your potential pet. For many people fish are nothing more than disposable decorations. For those truly concerned about the well being of our hobby, the oceans, and promoting the conservation of both, however, fish are a beautiful gift for us to enjoy. For those people, providing the best habitat is a requirement we place on ourselves.
As responsible hobbyists we need to quit asking "can I do something" and focus more on "should I".

 

[nigerbang]

:cheer: :cheer: :cheer:
Woot Woot...Well said..

 

[larryndana]

Originally Posted by larryndana
is a kole the only one for 75, no others? at first its no tangs now its a kole. i always thought 6ft or longer for any tang.
let me clarify my statement, just for my satisfaction....
i know no tang should go into less than a 6 foot long tank.
i want to know if there were any others besides a kole that would be ok in a 75.
and if a kole is ok, does it include the blue spotted kole?

 

[caleigh05]

by the way everyone says its so cruel to keep a tang in a 4' tank, I imagine a 6' tank would be just as cruel,i mean come on really whats 2 or even 3 feet, and who came up with 6' as the magic number, and why not 10' or 20' for that matter. It just seems so hypocritical by the way everyone says "to keep an exotic animal you must replicate its natural habitat", and in the case of the tang, if its such an open swimmer do you really think 6' is enough?
but thats just my opinion

 

[sharkboy13]

Originally Posted by caleigh05
by the way everyone says its so cruel to keep a tang in a 4' tank, I imagine a 6' tank would be just as cruel,i mean come on really whats 2 or even 3 feet, and who came up with 6' as the magic number, and why not 10' or 20' for that matter. It just seems so hypocritical by the way everyone says "to keep an exotic animal you must replicate its natural habitat", and in the case of the tang, if its such an open swimmer do you really think 6' is enough?
but thats just my opinion
well 6' is the minimal, optimally 8' should be then length, a bigger tank is best

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by caleigh05
by the way everyone says its so cruel to keep a tang in a 4' tank, I imagine a 6' tank would be just as cruel,i mean come on really whats 2 or even 3 feet, and who came up with 6' as the magic number, and why not 10' or 20' for that matter. It just seems so hypocritical by the way everyone says "to keep an exotic animal you must replicate its natural habitat", and in the case of the tang, if its such an open swimmer do you really think 6' is enough?
but thats just my opinion
Read again what I posted..... I addressed most everything you questioned.
The difference between 4 and 6 foot is 33% more swimming room.

 

[hammerhed7]

Originally Posted by Sharkboy13
well 100s even rnt gonna be 6ft, a 125 yes, 100 no
how many times can sharkboy regurgitate the 6 ft tank rule? my count is four and running

 

[mavis1032]

Originally Posted by Brewski4u1
i agree tangs should be in a 6ft or longer tank there intire life! o wait except when you fish store owners get them in and make them chill in little A&& tanks that might be a foot long w/ 5 of them in there and dont say that one store is bad i'm sure all do it ! so how about you guys start to arguee about that! this whole thrread is like being first in the retard olympics ! in the end your still a retard! you can yell scream moan and groan all day on here in the end there gonna put a tang ina 29 55 75 90 or what ever the heck they want to put it in and then ask why it died!
i said my peice and i wont be posting about this anymore! hope i didnt piss all of you off! if i did o well !

PISS ALL OF YOU OFF!!!
There is no reason for any kind of "RETARD" comments in reference to the tang issue. I have a special needs child and do not appreciate these comments at all!!!!!

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by MAVIS1032
PISS ALL OF YOU OFF!!!
There is no reason for any kind of "RETARD" comments in reference to the tang issue. I have a special needs child and do not appreciate these comments at all!!!!!

My suggestion is that you report a post that you object to, as it tends to turn threads particularly ugly to respond emotionally. If you hit the red triangle, you can report the post, your reason for reporting it, and all the mods will see it for review.

 

[ophiura]

These are my thoughts:
I am NOT a member of the "tang police" as they are known.
Why?
Because few provide REASONS, or are open to ANY discussion of alternatives or provide "why" answers.
I believe that most tangs will need 6' or longer tanks. If you have really seen a naso or something - they are big and fast. Their needs are obvious.
But people will often say "oh, they need a 125, etc." There are MANY different footprints for these tanks. A 150 is often a 5' tank. A 120 is a 4' tank. They need a specific footprint that few people ask about.
Not all tangs need this. There is often not discussion about different types of tangs. I don't see a particular issue with a Kole in a 75g tang, but I wouldn't agree long term to a yellow or regal, and a naso wouldn't even be on the list anywhere.
I also feel that these quarter size tangs in the hobby now would be in very bad shape if thrown into a stocked 125, 180, etc. I think they would be better off in an established 55g to grow and get established, then moved. Now I don't think there should be many, if any other fish...but yes, horrors, better off short term in a 4' tank.
How often are people asked about their options, and plans? I do believe you should buy fish that you can keep or at least have solid options of what to do (trading back to the LFS is not one of those options, IMO).
My beef with the so called tang police is as strong as with those who say "it isn't the ocean so who cares."
Every situation is different. Please ask what the issues are, otherwise, people get ticked off and it becomes totally unproductive. People are generally open to discussion and reasoning. They get turned off and bitter by the "NO NEVER EVER" answers they get. I've seen enough unproductive tang threads.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I've seen enough unproductive tang threads.
ALmost every tang thread I have seen has eventually turned into the nonproductive circle running. its like a hamster on a wheel it goes on and on but really doesnt get anywhere. (my hamster gave me a dirty look for that comment. she says "she's watching her figure so its not pointless, unlike this thread")_
IMO the larger an environment you can provide for ANY animal being housed the better. I have never had Any critter die from too large a habitat. some have higher minimum requirments. either you can go with the fact that some fish are happier in freer space or you can stuff it in a little tank and be selfish about it. as long as your happy the fish cant complain... And dont worry if you want some one to tell you its ok, eventually someone will.