Blue tangs - small tank

[KDB]

I’m still very new to the aquarium set up. I got into this hobby by accident , but I am enjoying to process, although Ive made some mistakes.
As previously stated I lost all my fish to velvet, so I started to add fish back in my tank. It’s been a couple months, and everything is going very well. I stared with a royal gramma and a black cap. I have no corals, but a good amount of rock. so, lots of places to hide.
After velvet, I switched fish stores, because I don’t have a quarantine tank and I found a supplier that quarantines them for me.
I was just there and he sold me 2 small blue tangs. While doing some research after the fact, I read that blue tangs are only for big tanks, I have a 45 gallon. Not sure what to do, I can’t invest in a bigger tank at the moment. Due to covid, here in Calgary, there are hardly any fish, I had to go to the supplier for a few weeks to try to add to my tank, but now I am wondering if this will cause for the new fish to die. Are they doomed?

 

[Saltysecondsreefing]

how big are the tangs? i would return one of them and if the other is small then keep and save for a larger tank. I would also do some research on the fish you want before going to the fish store. I know its hard to say no to cool fish but it will pay off in the long run.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I’m still very new to the aquarium set up. As previously stated I lost all my fish to velvet, so I started to add fish back in my tank. It’s been a couple months, and everything is going very well.
I switched fish stores, because I don’t have a quarantine tank and I found a supplier that quarantines them. I was just there and he sold me 2 small blue tangs. I have a black cap basslet and a royal gramma in my tank so far. While doing some research after the fact, I read that blue tangs are only for big tanks, I have a 45 gallon. Not sure what to do at the moment, I can’t invest in a bigger tank at the moment

You can also try to rehome them by advertising on CanReef; there's a fairly large Calgary contingent on the website. Perhaps you could try for a trade with smaller fish more suitable for your build.

 

[KDB]

how big are the tangs? i would return one of them and if the other is small then keep and save for a larger tank. I would also do some research on the fish you want before going to the fish store. I know its hard to say no to cool fish but it will pay off in the long run.

I would normally, everytime I go in they never have anything available and that is all they had, so I thought I was in luck! I guess not.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

IMO they are the worst Ich Magnets of any fish out there. Add Live Rock, Invert, Coral to that tank, without Quarantine, and they are very likely to get Ich. Stressed in too Small of a Tank, and you can triple the risk. I used to Swear all I’d have to do is walk through a LFS, come home and not touch the tank, and have them get Ich.

 

[KDB]

how big are the tangs? i would return one of them and if the other is small then keep and save for a larger tank. I would also do some research on the fish you want before going to the fish store. I know its hard to say no to cool fish but it will pay off in the long run.

They were the smallest ones of the group.

 

[Rmckoy]

You can also try to rehome them by advertising on CanReef; there's a fairly large Calgary contingent on the website. Perhaps you could try for a trade with smaller fish more suitable for your build.

Canreef ?
Never heard of them .

back to the op …,,
a 45 gal is kind of small for 1 blue tang , but as small tin the juv they will be ok for a short time . I would personally either start shopping for a upgrade , even used .
trade them for smaller suitable fish .
there is a chance they will develop ich as they are prone to it .
this is where a quarantine or hospital tank would come in .

 

[KDB]

IMO they are the worst Ich Magnets of any fish out there. Add Live Rock, Invert, Coral to that tank, without Quarantine, and they are very likely to get Ich. Stressed in too Small of a Tank, and you can triple the risk. I used to Swear all I’d have to do is walk through a LFS, come home and not touch the tank, and have them get Ich.

ugh! That sounds like a nightmare. Im not equip enough to deal with that.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I'd also recommend getting your fish from fellow enthusiasts or from Chris at Ethical Aquatics or Mitchell at New Dawn Aquaculture. Both are in the Edmonton area, and are excellent. Chris sells pre-quarantined fish, and Mitchell often gets in Biota captive-bred stock.

Canreef : an excellent resource (especially for used hardware and livestock) if you're in the Lower Mainland, okay for Albertans, and pretty much unused by anyone anywhere else in Canada.

 

[Tamberav]

I can't figure out why they would sell you two...

One I could see them saying well it grows slow and blah blah... but tangs are highly territorial as adults so TWO of the same kind for such a small tank makes zero sense because eventually fish do grow up.

Seems like they were sold as temporary fish. Maybe the LFS expects them to die or you to get rid of them later or upgrade.

 

[KDB]

I'd also recommend getting your fish from fellow enthusiasts or from Chris at Ethical Aquatics or Mitchell at New Dawn Aquaculture. Both are in the Edmonton area, and are excellent. Chris sells pre-quarantined fish, and Mitchell often gets in Biota captive-bred stock.

Canreef : an excellent resource (especially for used hardware and livestock) if you're in the Lower Mainland, okay for Albertans, and pretty much unused by anyone anywhere else in Canada.

Thanks for the advice. I am passing through Edmonton in January, I will stop by.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Thanks for the advice. I am passing through Edmonton in January, I will stop by.

They ship! It's so much easier than risking the roads in the winter.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Tang Police: hold it right there

 

[KDB]

Tang Police: hold it right there

but is it wrong?