To Tang or not to tang...

[JOE_2217]

I really love yellow tangs, however, I only have a 55 gallon mixed reef tank. Would it be ok for me to house a small yellow for a couple years or is my tank just to small? I'm really struggling to find a nice medium size omnivore for my tank. Don't want to hurt the fish or my tank. Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Crabs McJones]

I really love yellow tangs, however, I only have a 55 gallon mixed reef tank. Would it be ok for me to house a small yellow for a couple years or is my tank just to small? I'm really struggling to find a nice medium size omnivore for my tank. Don't want to hurt the fish or my tank. Thanks in advance for any advice!

I wouldn't do a yellow tang in a 55. It won't be a couple years, it'll be more like a couple months to a year before you'll have to rehome him. The only ones you might get away with for a little while is either a Kole Tang, or a Tomini Tang, but even those you want a minimum of a 75 gallon tank.

Tang, it's a kick in the glass

 

[FLAdaboy]

I used to have 3 tangs in a 90g with no issues. Also have a hippo in a 60g that I've had for 4 years. Still around 5 inches. My yellow tang was around 6 inches when I got rid of it in the 90g. They don't grow that fast. Get a small one if you can.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I wouldn't do a yellow tang in a 55. It won't be a couple years, it'll be more like a couple months to a year before you'll have to rehome him. The only ones you might get away with for a little while is either a Kole Tang, or a Tomini Tang, but even those you want a minimum of a 75 gallon tank.

Tang, it's a kick in the glass

I'm going to have to agree, its best to stick with fish you can house long-term until you are able to upgrade. It would be a shame to raise a fish for years and then have to give him away because he has gotten too big/aggressive for the tank...

 

[finncole14524]

My grandparents have a kole tang in a 34 gallon it's been there for over 2 years and has done fine it's only now starting to outgrow the tank but it will be moved into my larger tank when I get it

 

[joec]

Get a pygmy angel instead. Flameback angels are cool

 

[xjiang7]

I used to have 3 tangs in a 90g with no issues. Also have a hippo in a 60g that I've had for 4 years. Still around 5 inches. My yellow tang was around 6 inches when I got rid of it in the 90g. They don't grow that fast. Get a small one if you can.

It feels to me that in a smaller aquarium they also grow much slower

 

[the_reef_keeper]

Why not a lemon peel angel or a yellow wrasse if you are looking for something yellow.

 

[JOE_2217]

Why not a lemon peel angel or a yellow wrasse if you are looking for something yellow.

It's the whole reef safe thing. I don't want a fish that might eat my corals... Makes me nervous every time I see 'with caution' next to the reef compatible box.

 

[JOE_2217]

Why not a lemon peel angel or a yellow wrasse if you are looking for something yellow.

That and I have an open top tank...

 

[JOE_2217]

Get a pygmy angel instead. Flameback angels are cool

Yeah, angels make me a little nervous around a lot of coral...

 

[joec]

Yeah, angels make me a little nervous around a lot of coral...

Flamebacks an Cherubs are supposed to be the most potentially reef safe of the pygmys. Your could try one. I don't think the tang is good idea

 

[the_reef_keeper]

A yellow wrasse is in the family family as the melanarus wrasse. (Halichoeres) they are commonly kept in reef tanks. The only reason they are 'with caution' is because they like feather dusters and tiny shrimp.
Yellow wrasses can also eat pyramidellid snails, flatworms, fire worms which helps protect the rest of the tank from these pests.

 

[FLAdaboy]

It feels to me that in a smaller aquarium they also grow much slower

I feel like there is no actual science behind that.

 

[erk]

You are going to find the majority of people are going to warn against housing a tang in that size tank. Probably anything smaller than 120g. You can house a tang if you want, no one can stop you. But if you are unsure of your husbandry skills, I'd consider something else. I wouldn't do it for the tangs sake, your other fish, and because a large fish in a smaller tank just makes the tank look cramped.

For angels, I think there is enough anecdotal evidence that they really aren't reef safe in the long term. Mike Paletta recently published an article discussing bad choices and choosing an angel was one of those bad choices. If you are worried, I'd avoid them at all costs.

Wrasses are a good choice, but the majority of them are not omnivores. If this is OK, then there are several great options to choose from. I love my Melanurus. Constantly cruises the tank, interesting behavior, and great color.

But first, please list what fish you currently have in the tank. That will help others give you advice on a good addition. Choosing a new fish to add to an established order can be difficult depending on what you already have in the tank.

 

[JOE_2217]

You are going to find the majority of people are going to warn against housing a tang in that size tank. Probably anything smaller than 120g. You can house a tang if you want, no one can stop you. But if you are unsure of your husbandry skills, I'd consider something else. I wouldn't do it for the tangs sake, your other fish, and because a large fish in a smaller tank just makes the tank look cramped.

For angels, I think there is enough anecdotal evidence that they really aren't reef safe in the long term. Mike Paletta recently published an article discussing bad choices and choosing an angel was one of those bad choices. If you are worried, I'd avoid them at all costs.

Wrasses are a good choice, but the majority of them are not omnivores. If this is OK, then there are several great options to choose from. I love my Melanurus. Constantly cruises the tank, interesting behavior, and great color.

But first, please list what fish you currently have in the tank. That will help others give you advice on a good addition. Choosing a new fish to add to an established order can be difficult depending on what you already have in the tank.

I have always mainly focused on corals, so I am lite on the fish side. All I have at the moment is one Ocellaris Clownfish, a Falco Hawkfish, one blue Chromis, and a Royal Gramma. I would like to add more of a showcase fish, so I am looking for something more medium sized, and that is fairly challenging for a 55 g tank. I have always battled with little bits of hair algae, so I was hoping to find some type of grazer that would not hurt my corals. Thanks for your input.

 

[Gweeds1980]

I feel like there is no actual science behind that.

It's not growing slowly... it's growth is stunted by the unsuitably small tank... at 4 years of expect to see a regal tang at about 6 or 7 inches at least. Mine has grown from 3 inches to 7 inches in 15 months in a 320g... just saying. There is some science behind it... https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...e&q=fish growth stunted by small tank&f=false

Also, more recent research into FW Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) suggests that the fish release a hormone beginning at fry stage which controls growth. Too small a tank and growth may be limited forever.

To the OP... please don't get a tang... just too small imo. How about a coral beauty (centropyge bispinosa) or eibli angel (centropyge eibli)? Will eat the algae, about as reef safe as pygmy angels come and both have stunning colouration.

 

[GoPitt88]

I wouldn't do a Tang in a 55. I have a 55 gallon reef, and tried a Kole Tang. After adding it to the tank, it never got comfortable, and in a couple days got Ich. It died a couple days later, and within 2 weeks, the rest of my fish got Ich and died. After going fallow for 6 weeks and SLOWLY restocking, my centerpiece fish is a Coral Beauty. I have 12 different corals, and it doesn't touch them.

 

[Gweeds1980]

I wouldn't do a Tang in a 55. I have a 55 gallon reef, and tried a Kole Tang. After adding it to the tank, it never got comfortable, and in a couple days got Ich. It died a couple days later, and within 2 weeks, the rest of my fish got Ich and died. After going fallow for 6 weeks and SLOWLY restocking, my centerpiece fish is a Coral Beauty. I have 12 different corals, and it doesn't touch them.

To add to this, I have a coral beauty in my 320g too... stunning velvety purple with those bright orange markings. I have sps inc acro, various lps and softies and it hasn't touched a thing.

 

[Young@Heart]

I have a mixed reef (55 G). I would not put a yellow tang in there for several reasons:
- I understand they are territorial - there for they should be among the last fish there
- They will grow and like others have said, you don't want to take care of fish for a while and then either be forced to re-locate the fish or do an upgrade before you want to. - Just my thoughts. I may have a Yellow tang in my 180 - not sure yet.