Yellow Tang in a 90g?

aquaguy24

Active Member
what do u guys think...are yellow tangs to much of an open swimmer or can it thrive in a 90g....anyone have done this setup before?..how did it go? i've talk to my LFS ,they said if it gets to big for my tank i can trade it in for another smaller one. but im afraid ill be to attached to the fish just to trade it in.. heres my current fish list and also fish i want to add..
Fishes i have-
-2 true perc clowns
-randalls goby with pistol shrimp
-coral beauty(i know its a risk in a reef)
Fishes i want in the future-
-foxface lo
-maybe a yellow tang...
-some type of fairy wrasse
any suggestion of a tang that will do well in a 90g?
 

m0nk

Active Member
Tangs vs tank size can be a touchy subject, but if you have enough live rock (so they can hide and graze on algae all day) you should be "ok". Of course tangs love bigger tanks, but a 90 is certainly better than some other tank sizes that people try to stick yellow tangs in.

Also, although yellow tangs are peaceful, it will likely get somewhat aggressive over time in somewhat smaller tanks, so if you plan on adding any other semi-aggressive fish, be ready for some territoriality in the tang.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
I'd say it'll be fine in a 90gal. Of course a 300gal would be even better but I think a yellow tang can live happily in a 90 as long as it's not overcrowded.
 

nicetry

Active Member
IMO, a kole would be a better choice. Not as active/schizophrenic as a yellow but a good grazer and a nice looking fish as well. FWIW, I kept a kole in my 120 (5 foot tank) and it could have used more space. If you add the tang, nix the foxface; too big. A fairy wrasse would work well.
 
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tizzo

Guest
If you have a 90, you are very limited to the tangs you can (responsibly) keep, but I am one that does believe that a yellow is one of the few that will do good in a 90.
 

gb387

Member
I have a yellow tang in my 90 and he is doing just fine, I have 100-125# of live rock and he swims in and out all day.
 

aquaguy24

Active Member
thanks for the input guys...looks like im gonna add the yellow tang to my stock list....i have about 120lbs of live rock and lots of caves so i think it should be fine in there....also thanks for not flaming me since this is such a sensitive subject for some ppl....
 

hammerhed7

Active Member
One thing to remember is that tangs do not grow very fast, so a small yellow would do well in a 90 for quite some time, however if you have ever seen a fully grown yellow they can be the size of a small dinner plate, so a 90 would not be an ideal tank for the life of the fish.
 
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tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by Hammerhed7
http:///forum/post/2659007
One thing to remember is that tangs do not grow very fast, so a small yellow would do well in a 90 for quite some time, however if you have ever seen a fully grown yellow they can be the size of a small dinner plate, so a 90 would not be an ideal tank for the life of the fish.
Maybe, but I have seen contradictions in their life span. However this one was a very healthy 5 years old. He grew up in my 90, I gave him to a friend while I moved and when I was ready for him, his spine pierced the bag and he died in shipping...

 

txfishman

Member
Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2659303
Maybe, but I have seen contradictions in their life span. However this one was a very healthy 5 years old. He grew up in my 90, I gave him to a friend while I moved and when I was ready for him, his spine pierced the bag and he died in shipping...


Man that sucks! that was such a beautiful fish.
 

hammerhed7

Active Member
I agree with you on the lifespan/ growth rate in my experience yellow tangs are not fast growers I have had my current yellow for a year and a half, and he had only grown a little more than an inch, from 4" to a little over 5. Which is why if you start with a fairly small one he will be fine for a long time
 
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tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by txfishman
http:///forum/post/2659538
Man that sucks! that was such a beautiful fish.
It did suck! I cried like a big baby! He was so fat! I should left him where he was. He was in a big ol' reef swimming pool, and instead of just buying a new one, I wanted mine back. Stupid.

He was one of my very first fish! I have him in pics of my tank when I was brand new to the hobby, all the way til the day before I broke it down.
He was a little yellow circle with fins when I got him.

Anyway, I read their lifespans are 5-7 and I also saw 8-10, so I don't know.
 

aquaguy24

Active Member
Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2659303
Maybe, but I have seen contradictions in their life span. However this one was a very healthy 5 years old. He grew up in my 90, I gave him to a friend while I moved and when I was ready for him, his spine pierced the bag and he died in shipping...


wow sorry for ur loss..looks exactly like the one i just got....but mines only 2inch tho......i love my new tang..great swimmer...very fun to watch....to bad i don't have a 200g tank or i would get a couple more..my tank is only 2 1/2 months old but i already want a 180g tank...
 

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2660580
Anyway, I read their lifespans are 5-7 and I also saw 8-10, so I don't know.


Their lifespans are 40 - 50 years.
A Yellow in a 90 is marginal at best. The size of the Tang isn't that important, it's the need to swim to feel comfortable. IMO a 6 foot tank is the minimum.
Have you looked into a Kole Tang?
 

aquaguy24

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/2661747
Their lifespans are 40 - 50 years.
A Yellow in a 90 is marginal at best. The size of the Tang isn't that important, it's the need to swim to feel comfortable. IMO a 6 foot tank is the minimum.
Have you looked into a Kole Tang?
i thought kole tangs need a bigger tank then a yellow tang..i been thinking about trading my yellow tang in for a scopas tang instead..my yellow tang is still in my QT so he'll be easy to get out....my QT is a 24g..
 
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