Tank sizes for tangs: Help us create a list!
- Thread starter revhtree
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hinovak
Well-Known Member
In my very humble opinion, I feel that strong flow is huge factor in keeping tangs happy in a reef tank. I have noticed with my extra high flow in my sps system, I find my tang does not frequently feel the need to swim from one end to the other. He is happy just keeping up and swimming into the flow. Not saying the whole size thing is wrong, but I think flow is a def. added bonus...its basically a tangs endless pool.
saltysilverado
Active Member
Flow does have a huge factor on it but also every fish has a different personality. I had a yellow tang in my 125 and he didn't always swim far lengths but between all the caves and not so much in the current
Have to agree with a lot of the posts here, open room and flow seems to work pretty well. I've got a purple and powder brown in a 36x36x27 with a bunch of open space and flow. They seem happier than some I've seen with 4-6' of straight run room. Water quality and feeding are also a huge part of the puzzle.
I'm not saying that length of run isn't important just that, as others have noted, there are other factors to consider.
I'm not saying that length of run isn't important just that, as others have noted, there are other factors to consider.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
I work with aquarium maintenance and have first hand seen tangs "be happy" in tanks that are supposedly too small and seen other tangs "pace" in tanks that should be large enough. Flow has a lot to do with a "happy" tang, more so than actual tank volume.
saltysilverado
Active Member
Anyone have any ideas for the 55g?
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
Anyone have any ideas for the 55g?
Kole? Small yellow, maybe tomini
Kworker
Tang Lover
I agree that they're a possibility. Mainly the tomini. I hate yellow tangs....
But, if tomini tangs are generally like the one in my 180. It should be fine in the tank shown. I find that the tomini tang in my tank generally hangs around only his cave structure and doesn't do all that much swimming out in the open. The exact opposite Achilles and hippo.
( I won't even mention the unicorn tang in the 180.. But after seeing it at the LFS since May, I had to bring it home a month ago.) [emoji55]
robert
Valuable Member
One you missed (or I missed).
The Jewel Tang or Mustard Guttatus Tang- probably the strongest most active tang I've encountered, uses vertical space more than most and is lightning (and i mean lightning) fast when he wants to be, and even when hes not trying to be fast - hes fast. Easily runs circles around all other tangs in my system. Achellis - no match - not even close - and a pig. Would be happy to live in a 10g tank as long as you keep dropping in the pellets...but realistically needs 6' min -8' prefered. I would guess 300 gallons and up.
The Jewel Tang or Mustard Guttatus Tang- probably the strongest most active tang I've encountered, uses vertical space more than most and is lightning (and i mean lightning) fast when he wants to be, and even when hes not trying to be fast - hes fast. Easily runs circles around all other tangs in my system. Achellis - no match - not even close - and a pig. Would be happy to live in a 10g tank as long as you keep dropping in the pellets...but realistically needs 6' min -8' prefered. I would guess 300 gallons and up.
I have had a unicorn tang in my 2500 for five years now. He is 24" and the boss of the tank. To tell you the truth even a tank this big seems small for him sometimes. He generates a lot of waste as well. I am not sure how people are able to keep this fish long term in a 180. Mine grew from 10 inches to 24 in five years and the fish has got to be about 4 inches thick. I also have a 18" Blonde naso and a 13" bairnie. The tank seems much more appropriate for them. I must say the personalities of the large fish are quite interesting. They can tell me apart from all other people that come close to the tank.
Kworker
Tang Lover
Yeah, I'm already trying to figure out a permanent home for the unicorn in my tank.. I just couldn't keep him in the store fish section since he was there for 5 months. I know for a fact the fish wasn't even ordered by the store either. It replaced another fish that was supposed to be in the box.
Myka
Valuable Member
One of my clients has a ~14" Unicorn in an 8' 240 and in my opinion the tank is too small for him. Him and his ~11" Mata buddy. I think their growth gets stunted when people keep big tangs in typical 6' tanks. Some fish just don't grow - I can't say that's a good thing.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Actually, tanks size has little to do directly with stunting growth. Subpar water quality and organics and hormones released by fish has a lot more to do with it. Now, too large of a fish often negatively impacts water quality, but that can be dealt with.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Not faster, all parameters and flow equal but with proper flow and filtration, just as fast, but if flow and water quality are better in the smaller tank it will grow faster.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Google.scholar fish growth, tank size, and water quality, there has been a lot of research done, and any time there is a reference to tank size affecting anything it is related to nutrients or hormone excretion, not swimming space.
One such example
"Investigations into the Growth of Haddock, Melanogrammus Aeglefinus (L) and Whiting, Merlangius Merlangus (L) in Aquaria"
In. Which was stated:
An investigation was made of the effect of tank size in the case of haddock, and stock density in the case of whiting on the results. It was found that for the range of tank sizes and stock densities used in these experiments, neither of these factors had a significant effect on the results."
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
So you have never applied data from one thing you have learned to another? There is similar data about salmon, tilapia, sticklebacks, bluefish, discus and others. They are all bony fish, like a tang, and even though they are not tangs, certainly do share many features of care.
In that case where is your scientific backing for your stance?
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