Hex for a quarantine tank?

[Michael White]

I have an old 50 gal hex tank I’d like to use for a QT. What are everyones’s thoughts? Initial fish set would be 4 small tangs. My concern is horizontal swimming room and territory. Would I just be better off getting a 40 breeder for this use? Just trying to use the old tank for something, my Dad gave it to me from when he was in the hobby years ago and I resealed it, but haven’t used it really.

 

[Bfragale]

Hi - for tangs I would think they’re prefer more horizontal room then vertical room. Especially if there will be 4- I would go with a 40b instead- less likely to run into aggression and less aggression means less stress. If you do I would introduce all four at same time and try to get all about same size if possible.

 

[Michael White]

Good call, picked up a 40 breeder today

 

[JasonK84]

What 4 tangs are you looking at getting and sizes? I did 4 yellow tangs in a Biocube 14 (10 gallon actual volume). They were small like 2-2/34” each. At first they were in all swimming together and not fighting. Then a little bickering started and 1 got a bad infection and another was just barely starting to get one. I quickly built a divider and separated each one of them. All 4 completed QT and I had all 4 in my display tank From November 2019 until about April 2020. I now have 3 of them (no, 1 didn’t die) because a local reefer was looking for one and it was when hardly any fish were available due to COVID and flight shortages from overseas. He still has it as well in his 100 gallon Rubbermaid frag tank. So, while I wouldn’t advise someone to do this and it can be considered reckless I guess I still think your 50 gallon Hex would have been just fine with the proper attention paid to details.

 

[Michael White]

What 4 tangs are you looking at getting and sizes? I did 4 yellow tangs in a Biocube 14 (10 gallon actual volume). They were small like 2-2/34” each. At first they were in all swimming together and not fighting. Then a little bickering started and 1 got a bad infection and another was just barely starting to get one. I quickly built a divider and separated each one of them. All 4 completed QT and I had all 4 in my display tank From November 2019 until about April 2020. I now have 3 of them (no, 1 didn’t die) because a local reefer was looking for one and it was when hardly any fish were available due to COVID and flight shortages from overseas. He still has it as well in his 100 gallon Rubbermaid frag tank. So, while I wouldn’t advise someone to do this and it can be considered reckless I guess I still think your 50 gallon Hex would have been just fine with the proper attention paid to details.

I don’t think you’re wrong. I decided to use the 50 hex as a coral quarantine and later frag tank. I did find previously that it was great for that because I can move the mag racks up and down the glass to find exactly the ideal depth for each coral. I do intend to use egg crate dividers in the 40 breeder during quarantine. My list keeps getting adjusted, but as of now it’s : Convict, purple, kole, powder brown. There is a possibility one of the three is getting swapped For a blue hippo. They are all going in my 210 display once they’re all eating and settled in.