To Tang or not to tang...

[Dlionsfan09]

I'm going to disagree with most of the people on this thread. I was in a similar situation a few years back when I started. I bought my yellow tang from My LFS has been going for over 20 years. With their guidance I put him in my 40 gallon breeder for two years. No issue at all.

Go ahead and do a yellow tang in a 55. Just know you will have to move him into a bigger tank in the future, that is all

 

[Cyndi & Jim]

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.

Yellow coris wrase is reef safe

 

[Young@Heart]

I have a Pygmy Angelfish when he does not get enough to eat I have caught him pecking at my zoas. I still have him, but I feed him directly now - not a problem since.

 

[Boops]

I don't know what to say, actually. I have been scuba diving in the red sea. I saw different species of tangs, schooling along the reef. I thought to myself - it's not fair to put those fishes in a tank. It's torture. But on the other hand, in my 54 g home reef, which I set up 1997, the first fish was of course a yellow tang. And he (or she) is still alive after twenty years. never caused any problems, never got any diseases, peaceful and no stress with other tank mates etc. But compared to his mates swimming in the ocean he is a sort of a bonsai tang. Is that OK? I don't know.

 

[DH-Reef]

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.

This ^^^ My yellow tang is now exiled to my FOWLR, because he started nipping at my Derasa clam.

 

[Reefbuds]

Hey man! I've got a 55 gallon mixed reef as well. I have 5 fish in my reef, one being a yellow tang. I bought him when he was pretty young and of small stature. He has proboly doubled in size since I bought him last year but is extreme healthy and happy. I feed the normal high grade frozen food and supplement with algae sheets. I recommend buying a small young one so he can grow into his environment and feel comfortable in it. I do plan on upgrading in a few years to a larger tank and transferring him tho. If you get one make sure it is a juvenile so he will have time to grow into his home.


PS- He was the last fish I added tho, I haven't had any territorial issues. I did that on purpose because I heard they CAN be territorial. I have added fish since but my 6-line bullied them to death, not my tang.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

I think if you tried a coral beauty or flame dwarf angel you would be happy just one dwarf angel in a tank that small. it will eat the algae and should also get some algae type food if there is not enough in the tank. If they are well fed they will never go after a coral unless the coral is already having problems.

 

[BluewaterLa]

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!

A small yellow will be fine in a 55 gallon for quite some time.
I got mine almost four years ago around this size ================= from tail to tip of the nose. This tang spent its time in a 90 gal and now is residing in my 210 for the last 10 months or so going on its fifth year with me.
This fish is fat and healthy as all of my tangs are and is around twice that length fully extended fins is about 3 1/2 inches from top to bottom.

Get it small, make sure to have a good varied diet with plenty of nori or algae pellets like the ones Hikari sells and you will be fine with that yellow algae muncher in your reef.
Just like all fish some are great with other fish and never give you any issue while others will rule the roost
Good luck and happy Reefing
BluewaterLa/ Mike

 

[Bruce Burnett]

A small yellow will be fine in a 55 gallon for quite some time.
I got mine almost four years ago around this size ================= from tail to tip of the nose. This tang spent its time in a 90 gal and now is residing in my 210 for the last 10 months or so going on its fifth year with me.
This fish is fat and healthy as all of my tangs are and is around twice that length fully extended fins is about 3 1/2 inches from top to bottom.

Get it small, make sure to have a good varied diet with plenty of nori or algae pellets like the ones Hikari sells and you will be fine with that yellow algae muncher in your reef.
Just like all fish some are great with other fish and never give you any issue while others will rule the roost
Good luck and happy Reefing
BluewaterLa/ Mike

You have to be talking very very small. I have two yellows got as small and one is about 4" and the other is over 5" in 2.5 years.

 

[scardall]

I'm going to disagree with most of the people on this thread. I was in a similar situation a few years back when I started. I bought my yellow tang from My LFS has been going for over 20 years. With their guidance I put him in my 40 gallon breeder for two years. No issue at all.

Go ahead and do a yellow tang in a 55. Just know you will have to move him into a bigger tank in the future, that is all

+1 overall))))
When it comes to fish type to tank size, these rules are IMO general in nature. For reference material I use www.liveaquaria.com )). IMO A tamini tang might be a better chose because it is less aggressive , grows slow and is a bristtle tooth tang (scrapes algae off rock/glass better). For me Filtration capacity that is 2-3 times the size of your tank will allow you to have fish met for a larger tank.(biological capacity rules still apply) ( To a point, as it is a combination of filters/skimmers etc) makes a very big difference. Another note. Some fish will grow slow and others very fast(even in the same family) and tank size is relative. there are many factors involved, which means that their is no simple answer. I had a blue hippo tang in a 55g for 7 years ( 5") till a moray spooked it out of the tank. My Bad. @JOE_2217 Good luck ( Remember over sized Filtration is critical)

 

[PatW]

I think a Kole tang would do better in a small tank than a yellow. But if you get a small tang and do not stock much, a yellow could work. Tangs are great for algae control. I don't think that I have ever seen a big frag tank with corals that did not have a large happy tang in it for algae control.

 

[thaitopher]

I feel like there is no actual science behind that.

I can confirm this. I kept a clown in a ten gallon for 10 years. Never got bigger until I upgraded to a 20 gallon.

 

[gobie1kenobi]

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 had a yellow Tang for nearly 10 years in a 55 and I didn't have a Better Homes and Gardens type tank either! It was a delight! No issues, suffered through my poor housekeeping and all. The only reason it's gone- no power for 6 days during winter storm. I couldn't go to work and keep up with the tank at the same time. Lost it all.

 

[Young@Heart]

I know there are thoughts on both sides, but I just spoke to another person at a On-Line LFS and I spoke to her about me getting a tang. And she mis-under stood me, but recommended a tang NOT be placed in a 55 Gallon Tank. But I guess it comes down to this. You can have a small one in there, but be prepared to upgrade the tank or find him a new home. You might get lucky and get a few years - then again you might not. As for me I will wait until I get my 180 going.

 

[Young@Heart]

What kind of algae do Tangs like?

 

[shrimped]

What kind of algae do Tangs like?

90% of all marine Algae including macro Algae. Also no tang in a tank under 75 gallons it is like putting a rabbit in a small cage and expecting it to live a full long life. I would recommend a Sunburst anthias or a nice Wrasse such as a PinTail Super Male or Lineatus Super Male

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

Had a yellow tang in a tank almost 400g and it was a pain. So would never try in a 55g.

Currently have a tomini in a 75g. I think that would be a great choice if you get it small you could keep it for a while.

 

[Bubs2]

My yellow tang in my 50G grew ***** fast. Got him as 2.5 inch had to rehome him after like 7 months because he was way to big

 

[Empress]

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

That's a myth.