Tang in a Nano??

Kworker · May 8, 2014

steventaylor702 said:
With all this being said remember that so much has changed in this hobby over the last couple of years and a lot of people giving advice even though I would say the are experts in this hobby. Are still stuck in the old mind set where it is still impossible to even own a live and thriving nano tank let alone have tangs or any other fish in one.

I agree in the old mindset up until the coral and fish in a nano. Coral does not swim around. Fish do. Otherwise, after that its all parameters.

tyler1503 · May 8, 2014

tgp4274 said:
ok what I'm reading here is that no tang should EVER be in a tank 30"........ so if that's then we're all gulty for every fish store I've been in n even the big box ones that all of you hate have had most tanks in a ten gal tank or at best a 30 when you bought them........... so if going to regulate then I guess none of us will ever buy another fish scince no store is going to be able to keep a 100gal tank for one fish............ my 2cents

Id say for a few weeks it would be ok. We quarantine larger fish in smaller tanks for more time all the time. Short term, yes. Long term, definitely no. Most people won't question a tang in a 2ft tank at an LFS because it's generally only there for a few days or weeks at the most. Some tangs can reach 2ft long. It would be like a human living in a pantry for their entire life.

BryanD · May 9, 2014

I have had yellow tangs in a standard 55 gallon on and off for years. The first one did fine with me for 3 years, sold the tank and animals to a friend when I did a multi-state move. Second one has been going strong for over 7 years and is now in a 60 gallon which at 36 inches is shorter by about 12 inches than the 55. He races around, in and out of the rockwork which I purposely set-up with him in mind so he had plenty of spaces he could run through without having to slow down, but he has found many more which he will explore slowly. They aren't as scatter-brained as Dori in Finding Nemo will have you think, their smart enough to know where they are and what they can do. Yes, he has remained small, its only about 6 inches lone but as healthy as could be, thick muscle mass in the area above the eyes, no sunken in stomach, etc. I have to supplement feed, but he constantly picks at the LR. My point is I don't know about a 30 inch tank or trying one in one of those "mini" tanks, but the people who get all in a huff and start the "prison" talk about tangs in a 55 or 60 gallon are just ... Well, I'll stay civil. I care about my fish too, they are also part of my family, and my tang is a happy, healthy, well-fed member of my family. One yellow tang in a 55 or 60 is just fine.

BryanD · May 9, 2014

Oh, yeah, and he has become the tank "cop". Did buy a royal dottyback without researching due wife falling in love with it at the pet store. Knew it was probably a mistake, but did it anyway. After I got home and researched, felt the gloom and doom descend, figured it would end up being a tank tear down somewhere down the road to take it back but after living in a 20 gallon quarentine tank with a black clown for a month and no issues started to feel comfortable. Put in display tank, was fine for a week, then started hassling my pajama cardinalfish. But the yellow tang kept stepping in (the tang and pajama have been together for the entire life of the tang) and it soon became obvious that whenever the tang saw the dottyback bug the pajama, he would swim between them. Dottyback never questioned or challenged the tang. Now 6 months later I'm happy to report no issues with the dottyback and the pajama, everyone lives in harmony, and the few times the dottyback gives the pajama the "hairy eyeball" so to speak the tang puts a quick end to it. I only have 4 fish in my 60 gallon tank and I think that very important, a low fish load leads to much fewer problems all around.

tyler1503 · May 10, 2014

This may not be the thread for this topic per se, but I think diet is just as much of an issue and tank size.
Ever seen a tang in the wild? Or even in a good quality public aquarium? They're almost round. Not flat like a pancake like most in the hobby are.
What do MOST people feed there tangs? Green nori and mysis (from my experience). That's not enough....

Kworker · May 10, 2014

tyler1503 said:
This may not be the thread for this topic per se, but I think diet is just as much of an issue and tank size.
Ever seen a tang in the wild? Or even in a good quality public aquarium? They're almost round. Not flat like a pancake like most in the hobby are.
What do MOST people feed there tangs? Green nori and mysis (from my experience). That's not enough....

I agree, of course nori is important to their diet. I would switch between green and red algae sheets, my tangs go nuts over red. Also agree mysid shrimps are not probably sufficient enough unless vitamins are added which you could find. Since I switched to a food with a large mix of ingredients from mysid to broccoli my fish seem to have better health.

Really goes for any fish, look at dragonets and copperband butterflies. People shouldn't purchase without being willing to give proper nutrition. It's like having a dog and only feeding kibble, not right.