Tank Good enough to keep Blue Tang?!

[Travis123]

Hello there everyone! i was wondering if i would be able to keep a blue tang in my 90 gallon aquarium. I want to buy the smallest one i can find to watch it grow. The tanks is 48" x 18.5 x 24. I do plan on getting a 230 gallon aquarium but not for at least 2 years. Any words of wisdom would be greatful! I also will be adding 2-3 more nero powerheads.

 

[boacvh]

oh no! you just stepped on the Tang landmine!

FWIW I got a small one on my 75g before my upgrade, and lived w/o any obvious stress signs in it for 3 years, so I'd say yes, go ahead.
(but pretty sure the tang police will come shout at you pretty soon, because even Andrew's 17,000k+ tank is too small for a tang )

 

[areefer01]

oh no! you just stepped on the Tang landmine!

FWIW I got a small one on my 75g before my upgrade, and lived w/o any obvious stress signs in it for 3 years, so I'd say yes, go ahead.
(but pretty sure the tang police will come shout at you pretty soon, because even Andrew's 17,000k+ tank is too small for a tang )

There is no need for these types of replies.

Hello there everyone! i was wondering if i would be able to keep a blue tang in my 90 gallon aquarium. I want to buy the smallest one i can find to watch it grow. The tanks is 48" x 18.5 x 24. I do plan on getting a 230 gallon aquarium but not for at least 2 years. Any words of wisdom would be greatful! I also will be adding 2-3 more nero powerheads.

You are going to get various opinions on this but the main take away is that the Blue Tang can get large. The other thing to be aware of is the speed at which they can get there. I've personally not owned one but knowing a few who do it reached 4 to 5 inches in a year. That is quick.

Be aware of their size, growth rate, and space. It all factors in. The only other thing to note is what if you don't do the upgrade? What is your plan b.

Pretty fish. All the best.

 

[littlefoxx]

I wouldnt, stock for the tank you have incase life gets in the way. I almost wasnt able to upgrade my 125 gallon to a 300. I was close to re homing my naso and unicorn tangs I got as juveniles with the same idea as you. I was very lucky to find a whole set up when I did, because if not they would have had to go. Learned my lesson about stocking fish for tanks I want. My cousin’s blue hippo is 5 inches in under a year. I just rescued one from an LfS. Dude is 8-9 inches. Unicorn is 6 or so inches for size reference

 

[Tamberav]

Just upgrade your tank right now.

They grow fast and you said “at least” so min two years but possibly longer.

I think you know the answer

 

[Lavey29]

No you have a small tank for that type of fish.

 

[Reefering1]

Have you done any research on the subject? This is at least the 3rd time someone asked the same question in the last few days, I doubt the responses will be any different...

 

[littlefoxx]

Have you done any research on the subject? This is at least the 3rd time someone asked the same question in the last few days, I doubt the responses will be any different...

Yes it is. OP here is a link to another thread with the same question. Answers will be the same here as there:

tank size for a Blue hippo tang

Never kept a tang before and would love to put a single tang in a 120 gallon 4'x2'x2' tank. Will a blue hippo tang or yellow belly hippo tang be ok in a 4x2x2 (120 gallon). Only other fishes are pair of 3 inch occelaris clowns pair of leopard wrasse a flame hawk a purple firefish a diamond...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Formulator]

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I personally would not get one for that tank.

 

[Travis123]

I appreciate all the info everyone!

 

[NanoNana]

Here’s my thing, and it’s MY thing. I’m not saying it has to be anyone else’s thing.
I’m an expect the best, prepare for the worst kind of person. I EXPECT to have a larger tank in two years. But in all my years on this earth, I have planned for and expected many things and had issues I would never have imagined occur that meant postponing and even completely scrapping plans. So I accept that the only constant is change and live accordingly.
I want to get a small tang now and but it in a tank that I know won’t sustain it long so I can watch it grow up….. because getting a tiny one after I get my 230 gallon tank and watching it grow up would not be as fulfilling?, not be as fun?, logic isn’t present here.

Honestly what I read there is I want a tang now and I’m going to get it now. These threads are really just troll threads that get the board riled up in one direction or another because literally no one is not going to put the Tang in the tank after they have posted the question.
I’m going to really stir things up with this but I will never have an issue with is my tank large enough for a tang because I don’t like them. Lol

 

[GARRIGA]

That 90 more than capable early on and knowing larger coming gets seal of approval from me but might not from others. End of day. Your tank.

 

[Lavey29]

That 90 more than capable early on and knowing larger coming gets seal of approval from me but might not from others. End of day. Your tank.

Technically his 90 is maybe 70g with rocks.

 

[Uncle99]

I kept a blue and a yellow in a 65g for two full years without any issue,
I transferred to a180g after two years.

As long as your going to upgrade, that’s fine.

 

[GARRIGA]

Technically his 90 is maybe 70g with rocks.

Technically the controlling factor is swimming room and not water volume. Four feet of leg stretching space what matters plus he’s likely starting with a two inch fish. I’ve kept 18 plus 2” hippos in a 15g without issue. Facts matter.

 

[DaBigBossFrawg]

I've had a blue hippo tang for 5 years or so, it was about 3 inches when I got him (rescued from a lady whose tank broke and she got out of the hobby). 5 years later and maybe we are pushing 5 inches. Not really sure why everyone else's grows so fast. Maybe 5 years goes so fast that it feels like only 2, maybe my tang has a growing problem. I'm not sure but I wouldn't hesitate to put a small one in there.

I would only hesitate to tell people because everyone has an opinion about it. I would say, when you look for a tank upgrade, tall tanks like yours are a pain to clean and longer provides more room to zoom around. Happy reefing!

 

[Lavey29]

Technically the controlling factor is swimming room and not water volume. Four feet of leg stretching space what matters plus he’s likely starting with a two inch fish. I’ve kept 18 plus 2” hippos in a 15g without issue. Facts matter.

True, facts matter and apparently you have not read them. Every reputable source on the internet recommends 6 foot tank like 180g.

Yes you can put the fish in a 15g like you mentioned. I saw 6 shamus in a swimming pool. Question is though is it morally and ethically right to do so knowing the fish's miminum requirements as stated above? To each his own. There are reefers who embody the ethical treatment of the animals in their care and reefers who don't and wouldn't hesitate to put a fish in a small tank because to them it's just a fish and their personal enjoyment is more important. Pretty simple really either you're a true reefing hobbyist or you're not.

 

[GARRIGA]

True, facts matter and apparently you have not read them. Every reputable source on the internet recommends 6 foot tank like 180g.

Yes you can put the fish in a 15g like you mentioned. I saw 6 shamus in a swimming pool. Question is though is it morally and ethically right to do so knowing the fish's miminum requirements as stated above? To each his own. There are reefers who embody the ethical treatment of the animals in their care and reefers who don't and wouldn't hesitate to put a fish in a small tank because to them it's just a fish and their personal enjoyment is more important. Pretty simple really either you're a true reefing hobbyist or you're not.

I'm not going to argue with you. I made my comments. Accept them or not. Don't care. Go off my own experiences vs assuming another knows how to qualify what is reputable or just following others based on their thoughts.

Free Willy

 

[areefer01]

I'm not going to argue with you. I made my comments. Accept them or not. Don't care. Go off my own experiences vs assuming another knows how to qualify what is reputable or just following others based on their thoughts.

Free Willy

You do know you both said the same thing, right? You are replying to a post saying that it is more important to have swim room. That post noted that 90 g isn't really 90 g when you factor in rock, coral, or any equipment. So to you total volume. The mistake you made is that our fellow hobbyist actually is aware of the distinction. Rock and corals and equipment take up, wait for it, swim space...

You are both saying the same thing just differently. There is a disagreement on the 15 gallons, hippos, and of course facts surround that because we know that wasn't their home for more than a brief spell be it QT or observation which doesn't count. You know as well as other experienced hobbyist that those conditions are different and growth rate is also an important factor when considering these things.

Hope your day is well.