regal tang?

jimmybling31 · Jan 22, 2009

ok the total system volume will be 180 gallons including all the tanks in the system(59 gallons will be refugiums) I would like to keep a regal tang in the 40 breeder part of it though. if I can't keep one in there could I keep one in a 60 cube as part of the system?

bkv1997 · Jan 22, 2009

jimmy:

The issue is total water volume first... then it is more about swimming room in my opinion.

Ideally a longer tank is more important than a deeper one.

jimmybling31 · Jan 22, 2009

the 40 breeder is 3 foot long? i know that's not the largest it could be but it isn't too small... ok it's small, but is it big enough for a single tang? I was only gonna have it and a wrasse or a couple clowns. it's the frag tank of the tanks and I was hoping I could have the tang to clean up some of the nuisance algae I was gonna get a big clean up crew to go with it too, as all but a couple hermits died in my tank...

AquaWorldPSC · Jan 22, 2009

You can keep a 1.5" regal tang in a 40 breeder but smaller ones don't do good.

jimmybling31 · Jan 22, 2009

wouldn't it be ok till it got to be about 5 inches? I don't completely know. I am coming from keeping central american cichlids.

AquaWorldPSC · Jan 22, 2009

I actually keep a 2.5" Regal tang in our LE tank it's 60"x14"x16". It's plumbed into our 120 gal system. We also have 2 other 60" tanks plumbed in too. Anyways, the regal tang is really healthy and really bright and vibrant.

AquaWorldPSC · Jan 22, 2009

A good size is 3"

jimmybling31 · Jan 22, 2009

so I could, but it wouldn't be a forever type setup?

jimmybling31 · Jan 22, 2009

AquaWorldPSC said:
A good size is 3"

ok don't they get to be foot long eventually?

AquaWorldPSC · Jan 22, 2009

Yeah about a foot max, but the biggest one i have seen in captivity was 9"

jimmybling31 · Jan 22, 2009

so I wouldn't have a problem then?

AquaWorldPSC · Jan 22, 2009

The biggest one I would get is a 2" max for your 40 breeder. It definitely won't be long term.

seafansar · Jan 22, 2009

You could keep a small one in there for a while, but it'd need a bigger tank when it gets about +3". I saw a poor regal that was kept in a 54 gal bowfront. The owners finally brought it to the lfs to find a bigger home. The fish was about 6", very grey in color, and would kind of swim forward and back cause it had very little room in the 54.

seafansar · Jan 22, 2009

Why not try a lawnmower blenny, dragon goby, or some snails to take care of the algae instead? They all stay small.

AquaWorldPSC · Jan 22, 2009

Or even a sea hare, they are the best algae grazers that I have ever seen in my 6 years experience. But then sometimes they can knock over stuff and would be a bad idea for a tank that has frag discs laying around.