Tang in a Reefer 250

[Alenya]

Quick question for the more experienced: How would a Bristletooth tomini tang go in a 250, as the only tang/algae eater? I have read a few people seem to be fine with this fish in this size tank, but I've also read it gets to 6" which seems way too big for this tank size.

 

[User1]

I believe you are going to get a mixed bag of answers here. I think that is what, 50 some odd gallons? I've personally never owned a Tomini so can't really speak from experience but they are smaller so may stay in the 4 to 6" range in home aquarium.

The one thing I look at when adding fish is:
1. competing food source
2. total rock volume
3. total water volume
4. tank maturity
5. coral maturity

Those may seem odd but total rock, substrate and coral maturity yields the tangs swim space. I do not believe Tomini's are going to be open water swimmers but they constantly graze. So will want the surface area to feel like they are working. Sounds dumb, right? But a working fish that has available space to graze all day means they stay out of trouble and are less likely to become aggressive.

The one thing I avoid at all cost is the "but I will return it to the LFS or upgrade" if it gets too big or aggressive. The short answer is no. Why? Because in order to catch it you may get lucky and trap it on first try or not and have to remove rock, corals, and water to remove it. The former is a piece of cake, the trap. Removing water, rock, and corals stresses everyone out to include the hobbyist and will generally have a mini cycle. So simply avoid it.

Not sure if this answers yes or no, and not my intent. But rather give you some ideas what to factor in before you buy it. It may help. It may not.

 

[Alenya]

I believe you are going to get a mixed bag of answers here. I think that is what, 50 some odd gallons? I've personally never owned a Tomini so can't really speak from experience but they are smaller so may stay in the 4 to 6" range in home aquarium.

The one thing I look at when adding fish is:
1. competing food source
2. total rock volume
3. total water volume
4. tank maturity
5. coral maturity

Those may seem odd but total rock, substrate and coral maturity yields the tangs swim space. I do not believe Tomini's are going to be open water swimmers but they constantly graze. So will want the surface area to feel like they are working. Sounds dumb, right? But a working fish that has available space to graze all day means they stay out of trouble and are less likely to become aggressive.

The one thing I avoid at all cost is the "but I will return it to the LFS or upgrade" if it gets too big or aggressive. The short answer is no. Why? Because in order to catch it you may get lucky and trap it on first try or not and have to remove rock, corals, and water to remove it. The former is a piece of cake, the trap. Removing water, rock, and corals stresses everyone out to include the hobbyist and will generally have a mini cycle. So simply avoid it.

Not sure if this answers yes or no, and not my intent. But rather give you some ideas what to factor in before you buy it. It may help. It may not.

Cheers - I absolutely hate the 'return or move it on when it gets too big' tactic, I get attached to my fish!

The tank is young and the rockwork is very open, I designed it to allow lots of opportunity for fish to swim around and through for interest, including once corals had grown in some. I'm working on my fish list at the moment which is primarily designed to hold smaller interesting fish - any tang addition would be well down the road from now as I expect it would need to be the last one added?

I initially shortlisted a lawnmower blenny for algae crew, however the tomini tang came up as an option that I felt behaviour wise might be a better match.

With the tank planned to be a softy and LPS mix having it a little more dirty from a tang shouldn't be a big factor - but I am definitely not sure about their mature size and whether the tank would feel a bit too small for one.

Thanks for the response!

 

[h2so4hurts]

I wouldn't suggest putting any sized tang in a tank that small. Even a 4ft 120 would be questionable for most tangs.

 

[Leemcg]

Probably not a great idea to put in a tang. The tanks about, what, 67 gallons total water volume before rock, sand etc.
So probably not very fair to the fish, tangs really need that swimming room, young or adult. At the very least your inviting stress and possible illness, or aggression down the road.

 

[Alenya]

Cheers guys, just wanted to check before crossing this one off the list Any other algae munching suggestions welcomed!

 

[User1]

Cheers - I absolutely hate the 'return or move it on when it gets too big' tactic, I get attached to my fish!

The tank is young and the rockwork is very open, I designed it to allow lots of opportunity for fish to swim around and through for interest, including once corals had grown in some. I'm working on my fish list at the moment which is primarily designed to hold smaller interesting fish - any tang addition would be well down the road from now as I expect it would need to be the last one added?

I initially shortlisted a lawnmower blenny for algae crew, however the tomini tang came up as an option that I felt behaviour wise might be a better match.

With the tank planned to be a softy and LPS mix having it a little more dirty from a tang shouldn't be a big factor - but I am definitely not sure about their mature size and whether the tank would feel a bit too small for one.

Thanks for the response!

That is a nice aquascape. Good job. Easy for flow to get around. I think when full you will have something special.

Depending on the soft coral it could cover the rocks which bristletooth tangs use. Xenia and green star polpys for example. May take away surface area on rocks. Encrusting corals it may not be a issue and you still have the glass panels although you will more than likely be keeping those clean A tip I read years ago for bristletooth tangs is to leave one glass panel uncleaned to build up algae for its go-to algae food source if the rocks are too clean. The back wall is what I did when I had a yellow eyed / kole tang.

Lawnmower is a nice blenny. So is a starry. I had a lownmower had it had a great personality. Not sure how I would rate it eating algae looking back but I think it was ok.

In any case the tank looks great. Could always go with a starry and maybe pick up a coral beauty. Day is young still lets see what some others think.

 

[Alenya]

That is a nice aquascape. Good job. Easy for flow to get around. I think when full you will have something special.

Depending on the soft coral it could cover the rocks which bristletooth tangs use. Xenia and green star polpys for example. May take away surface area on rocks. Encrusting corals it may not be a issue and you still have the glass panels although you will more than likely be keeping those clean A tip I read years ago for bristletooth tangs is to leave one glass panel uncleaned to build up algae for its go-to algae food source if the rocks are too clean. The back wall is what I did when I had a yellow eyed / kole tang.

Lawnmower is a nice blenny. So is a starry. I had a lownmower had it had a great personality. Not sure how I would rate it eating algae looking back but I think it was ok.

In any case the tank looks great. Could always go with a starry and maybe pick up a coral beauty. Day is young still lets see what some others think.

Thank you, I appreciate that While I like Xenia and GSP any would go into very isolated areas - I prefer duncans, hammers, flowerpots, acans, zoas and of course elegance corals.

The starry sounds nice, will need to take a look to see what a coral beauty is. Thank you for the advice and suggestions

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

Your tank looks great! I have a reefeer 250 on the way I am finishing up my aquascaping in my garage and it looks like we had very similar inspiration. I used caribsea dry life rock which looks like maybe what you used. I am doing a very open scape too. What did you end up getting for a fish to eat algea? I had the same question.

I will post a build thread once I get my tank.

 

[Alenya]

Your tank looks great! I have a reefeer 250 on the way I am finishing up my aquascaping in my garage and it looks like we had very similar inspiration. I used caribsea dry life rock which looks like maybe what you used. I am doing a very open scape too. What did you end up getting for a fish to eat algea? I had the same question.

I will post a build thread once I get my tank.

That sounds very similar to what I used! I don't have algae cleanup crew yet (apart from some hermit crabs) - hoping to get a lawnmower blenny