Tank sizes for tangs: Help us create a list!

ruppertb · Mar 27, 2012

Is that an adult kole tang, i have never seen them SO BLUE!!

cdness · Mar 27, 2012

My only disagreement is the "80g - min: 4ft" which could just as well be 75G 4 ft. 5 gallons isn't going to make a difference. It's like adding less than an inch to the height of the tank...

This is a very debatable topic and there are lots of opinions out there. It is more than just the tank size though as there are compatibilities with other tangs, amount of live rock or coral affecting swim room, and bio-load can all affect the decision to buy a tang or two. Unfortunately some (the few) people tend to gravitate to hard numbers like a tank size chart and just go buy all that fit their chart and wonder why they have bad luck. You should split up the list into their groupings genetics and label compatibility as well just so others know which ones to keep away from others.

ruppertb · Mar 27, 2012

i think the chevron should be in a larger tank. they get pretty big, divers den live aquaria has one in there coral vats that is very old, huge probaly 10in or more. black as the night with blue lines, just beautiful

shred5 · Mar 27, 2012

The bristletooth tangs like the kole and Tomini are ok in a 75 gallon tank.

I would not put any tang in less than a 75 (4 feet) not a 55 its two narrow and most require a 180 or larger and a few are ok in a 120.

shred5 · Mar 27, 2012

cdness said:
My only disagreement is the "80g - min: 4ft" which could just as well be 75G 4 ft. 5 gallons isn't going to make a difference. It's like adding less than an inch to the height of the tank...

This is a very debatable topic and there are lots of opinions out there. It is more than just the tank size though as there are compatibilities with other tangs, amount of live rock or coral affecting swim room, and bio-load can all affect the decision to buy a tang or two. Unfortunately some (the few) people tend to gravitate to hard numbers like a tank size chart and just go buy all that fit their chart and wonder why they have bad luck. You should split up the list into their groupings genetics and label compatibility as well just so others know which ones to keep away from others.

I agree.

Aquaph8 · Mar 27, 2012

Yeah, I wouldn't argue over 5 gallons either. 80g was just a more familiar size tank for me.

shred5 · Mar 27, 2012

What people need to realise with tangs it not the size (gallons) of the tank its swimming room required.

Some small fish require a large tank while some large fish are ok in a small tank..

Also a small yellow tang requires the same size tank as a large one.

ness · Mar 27, 2012

I think Chevron and Black Tangs full grown should be kept in at least 180g. Black Tang gets much larger than other Zebrasoma. I used to have one in a 120g and it started running out of room quickly, it grew very fast and I tried not to overfeed it algae too.

Lets not forget about Deep Dimension and custom tanks that are huge cubes though. You could keep these tangs easily in a 4'x3' in my opinion.

revhtree · Mar 29, 2012

Any more input?

FishBeard · Mar 29, 2012

revhtree said:
Any more input?

acanthurus imaginaricus

Requires min 14g tank, is immune to cryptocaryon, and photosynthetic, only requiring occasional nori as a treat. ;-)

ritter6788 · Jun 22, 2012

White Tail Bristletooth Tang, Ctenochaetus flavicauda. Live Aquaria has them listed as max 6.5" and 70 gallons minimum. This sounds like another fish to be grouped in the 75 gallon minimum group.

Chaetomorpha · Jun 25, 2012

How about some of us who have a Cube tank? mine is 30x30x24 and I have one Kole Tang that loves it in there. I have the rockwork setup in the middle so he takes advantage of it by going through all the holes into the middle rock work or just swimming superspeed through it like a lap...
Honestly I see zero issue with keeping one tang in a tank with this dimension so the 4' min imo is not always applicable.

chris13115 · Jul 3, 2012

Sorry I'm late for this, joined not too long ago, here is some tangs

Scopas Tang: 125 gallons

Black Longnose Tang: 180 gallons

Moorish Idol (it is considered to be one): 125 gallons

Thompsons Surgeonfish: 220 gallons

there are a lot more, but these are some nice ones!

Aqua Jen · Jan 27, 2013

WAAAYYYY behind!!! Been really busy. But what about the Tenneti tang? They are so pretty!

rewlee · Jan 27, 2013

thought I would bang wagon, saw nothing for eibli mimic tang, guessing 90 would be fine?

rewlee · Jan 27, 2013

also, could you do a Eibli mimic and a kole in a 90, with just a few other smaller fish

jessikarabbit · Apr 26, 2013

We just purchased a Tomini tang for our 65 gal/ 3 ft. tank. It will be the only big fish in the tank, and Im thinking our rock setup is good with allowing ample swimming room.

zab34 · Apr 26, 2013

cdness said:
My only disagreement is the "80g - min: 4ft" which could just as well be 75G 4 ft. 5 gallons isn't going to make a difference. It's like adding less than an inch to the height of the tank...

This is a very debatable topic and there are lots of opinions out there. It is more than just the tank size though as there are compatibilities with other tangs, amount of live rock or coral affecting swim room, and bio-load can all affect the decision to buy a tang or two. Unfortunately some (the few) people tend to gravitate to hard numbers like a tank size chart and just go buy all that fit their chart and wonder why they have bad luck. You should split up the list into their groupings genetics and label compatibility as well just so others know which ones to keep away from others.

I have an 80 gallon and it has a 4x2 footprint. I find this has much more swimming room overall than a 75 gallon, more room for turn arounds etc.

eliramos · May 9, 2013

people just dont realize just how big most tangs get or how fast they love to move..

dory said it best

"can't fight evolution, i was built for speed."

dwilliams87 · May 10, 2013

It is somewhat amusing to me when aquarists will argue how a tang is any more happy in a 4 ft tank than a 2 ft tank, or 75g vs. 180g. When you really get down to it. These fish naturally have no walls to hit, so how can we say "no, that's rediculous to put a tang in a 55, when there natural habitat is billions of gallons of water. That said, o do believe 180g is better suited than 20g. Lol

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