Chocolate tang confusion

[Gobi-Wan]

Hey guys. I have a 75 gallon 4' tank and am doing some research into what tang or tangs could be a possibility. I had a kole tang for about a month and it died of unknown cause, so I'd rather not try another kole. I see a lot of people with up to several tangs in a tank this size and I also see lots of hatred and holier-than-thou posts when the topic of tangs and tank size comes up on forums. Anyway I have been researching chocolate tangs and it seems most retailers say 50-75 gallons is ok for a chocolate tang. I have a hard time believing this as they can reach 6-8", right? Is there something I am missing? I would love to have a chocolate tang. Curious about anyone's experiences with them. Thanks in advance!

 

[KJ]

@4FordFamily

 

[saltyhog]

I would believe whatever @4FordFamily says but I would not think a chocolate tang would do well in a 75 long term.

 

[Fishfinder]

Chocolate tangs get rather large. I wouldn't put one in a 4' tank

 

[4FordFamily]

I wouldn’t put one in a 75 but they aren’t fast growing acanthurus so you might have a few years.

 

[Gobi-Wan]

I wouldn’t put one in a 75 but they aren’t fast growing acanthurus so you might have a few years.

Thanks everyone. @4FordFamily are there any options or combinations of tangs that would be happy in a 4' 75g? Or do I just need to wait for a bigger tank.

 

[4FordFamily]

Thanks everyone. @4FordFamily are there any options or combinations of tangs that would be happy in a 4' 75g? Or do I just need to wait for a bigger tank.

A convict tang is a smaller slow-growing tang. Perhaps that and a small yellow tang, or tomini tang. All smaller relatively slow-growing tangs that can be housed temporarily in a 75.

 

[lion king]

Chocolate tangs begin life as a mimic tang, mimic tangs are very nice fish that do grow slowly, maybe even painfully slow. Collected adult chocolate tangs seem to be rather difficult, picky eaters and many times don't make it for many. As an adult they would be on the order of a powder blue or powder brown, but not aggressive; so yes they would need at least a six foot tank.

Mimic tangs come in a yellow, mimicking a heraldi angel; lemonpeel, half black, and elibi all mimicking the angel of the same namesake. This guy would be happy for a few years in a 75, also look into the scopus tang, another slow grower that seems to be peaceful. Here's a yellow mimic starting to change at about 4", he was happy in the 90 for a few years.

 

[nereefpat]

I would not suggest any Acanthurus spp tangs for a standard 75/ standard 90. There are a couple of folks here and another board that I've seen with a lavender or convict tang in the wider 120 gallon, and that seems reasonable to me.

For a 75, if you wanted one tang, I would suggest any of the Zebrasoma besides the two sailfins or any of the Ctenochaetus besides Chevron.

So... yellow, purple, Kole, two-spot, truncated, tomini, etc.

 

[Zionas]

Late to the party but yeah I’d also like to know what you feel is a good minimum tank size for the Mimic. From what I’ve gathered they seem to get to 6-7” tops for most specimens. Do they really need that 6ft or more swimming space? What about the Lavender and Convict?


What about the Japonicus?