When is the "tang" thing too big?

[Steve1500]

Hello, I know that a 75G is too small for a full sized yellow or blue tang, but I have read that I could hold a juvenile yellow/blue tang in a 75G tank and then when the tang gets too big, I could trade it in for another fish. If so, what size of tang is too big for a 75G tank....2 inches, 3 inches? If a juvenile, how long before it gets too big? I have about 60 lbs of LR and will also have 8-10 other fish with some softies and maybe SPS. I just finished my cycle and trying to plan out the livestock.


Thanks in advance
Steve

 

[Syed123]

I think a 75 gallon standard 4 ft tank is okay for a yellow tang. Even a full size (6-8 inches) can live a "happy" life in there if the aquascape is done properly and tank mates are appropriate. 6-10 fish is too much for a 75 gallon tank, especially if you're adding the yellow. I agree about the Blue tang getting to big for the 75 gallon tank. Only keep it in the 75 gallon till it reaches 4-5 inches and then you'll need a bigger tank. How long that will take depends on how much you feed and stocking levels. A 6 foot long at least will be needed, preferably a 180 gallon tank.

Also I would only have 1 tang in a 75 gallon at a time. They can be vary mean to each other.

My opinion anyways.

 

[Brew12]

Hello, I know that a 75G is too small for a full sized yellow or blue tang, but I have read that I could hold a juvenile yellow/blue tang in a 75G tank and then when the tang gets too big, I could trade it in for another fish. If so, what size of tang is too big for a 75G tank....2 inches, 3 inches? If a juvenile, how long before it gets too big? I have about 60 lbs of LR and will also have 8-10 other fish with some softies and maybe SPS. I just finished my cycle and trying to plan out the livestock.


Thanks in advance
Steve

There isn't a hard and fast rule. The fish will typically tell you when they have a problem. They may start killing their tank mates or they may stop eating. . If you don't QT your system they are likely to cause an ich breakout when the stress from the small system harms their immune system. Every fish is different and you will need to watch closely for signs of problems.

 

[mcarroll]

IMO, any fish that cruises from reef to reef to reef in the course of a day probably has no chance of a naturalistic life in a tank where they are cramped onto a single micro-reef. That means stress. If it's their only stress – no problem, fish are really tough. But we're not usually that good and we very often have all manner of stresses on them.

A few tangs, such as the bristletooths, are more solitary and much more amenable to tank life.

Personally, a 72" tank is the smallest tank that I've been able to talk myself into putting a yellow or blue tang in.

How behaviorally complex are marine fish? and Why do the tang police exist? might be interesting while you're in this position.

2¢

 

[Instigate]

I wouldn't buy a fish I couldn't keep healthy and happy for their whole life. Some of these fish grow very quickly, like the Blue Tang. Like mcarroll said, get a tang from the genus Ctenochaetus. I like the Two Spot Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus binotatus) or Yellow Eye Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus).

 

[Steve1500]

Thanks to all. I will certainly get one of the fish you mentioned.

Mcarroll, that was a great article on fish behavior. Interesting to know that fish “fart!

 

[Steve1500]

Thanks to all. I will certainly get one of the Fish you mentioned.

mcarroll, that was a great article. Interesting to know that some fish ”fart”!

 

[Swoody]

I wouldn't buy a fish I couldn't keep healthy and happy for their whole life. Some of these fish grow very quickly, like the Blue Tang. Like mcarroll said, get a tang from the genus Ctenochaetus. I like the Two Spot Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus binotatus) or Yellow Eye Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus).

I agree...I don't find myself digging the " I'll only keep it until it is too big for my tank" thing. There are so many fish suitable for a full captive life span available for that sized tank..why not go that route??

 

[mcarroll]

mcarroll, that was a great article.

@jeremy.gosnell hit a homerun with that one, IMO.

 

[4FordFamily]

Yellow tangs grow slowly, I don’t have a problem with them in a 75 gallon tank. I kept one in a 75 for 7 years without any issues, and he had several tankmates.

It’s true though that it’s less ideal than a bristlooth tang, and that it may be more stressful for it than a bristlooth tang.

 

[Luna]

IMO, any fish that cruises from reef to reef to reef in the course of a day probably has no chance of a naturalistic life in a tank where they are cramped onto a single micro-reef. That means stress. If it's their only stress – no problem, fish are really tough. But we're not usually that good and we very often have all manner of stresses on them.

A few tangs, such as the bristletooths, are more solitary and much more amenable to tank life.

Personally, a 72" tank is the smallest tank that I've been able to talk myself into putting a yellow or blue tang in.

How behaviorally complex are marine fish? and Why do the tang police exist? might be interesting while you're in this position.

2¢

What if you put the blue tang in when it like 1-2 inches, won’t it be a custom to aquarium life without the stress?

 

[Luna]

I agree...I don't find myself digging the " I'll only keep it until it is too big for my tank" thing. There are so many fish suitable for a full captive life span available for that sized tank..why not go that route??

Can you give me a list of some fish that are cool that would be happy in a 75g (a show fish). I am planning on upgrading from a 40B to a 75G. I have 2 clownfish, 2 chromas, six line wrasse, yellow watchman goby, and a yellow tang. The blue tang is what brought me into this hobby & really want one (again). I use to have one awhile back for about 2-3 years but didn’t qt my goby and all my fish got velvet and died.

 

[Brew12]

What if you put the blue tang in when it like 1-2 inches, won’t it be a custom to aquarium life without the stress?

It may not know any different but the natural instinct of a fish isn't based on its experience. Think of it in terms of clown fish. You can buy a tank raised clown fish that has never seen an anemone yet if the correct anemone is presented it will go to the anemone to be hosted. A Blue Tang will still desire to have room to swim as an instinctive behavior.

Can you give me a list of some fish that are cool that would be happy in a 75g (a show fish). I am planning on upgrading from a 40B to a 75G. I have 2 clownfish, 2 chromas, six line wrasse, yellow watchman goby, and a yellow tang. The blue tang is what brought me into this hobby & really want one (again). I use to have one awhile back for about 2-3 years but didn’t qt my goby and all my fish got velvet and died.

Have you looked into the Fairy Wrasses at all? And if you want a splash of blue, you can go with sapphire chromis.

 

[LJLKRL05]

I will throw this out there just because I have recently experienced it.
I have a 210 and in that tank I have a blonde naso, a one spot fox face, a powder blue tang and a small blue hippo. Also a starry blenny and a diamond goby.
All were happy and getting along in the 210.
I had an ich outbreak because I introduced the powder blue too early. He did not stay in the smaller QT long enough because I was going out of town.
I now have all these fish in a 75 gallon tank, and they are feeling cramped, and showing aggression towards each other. The powder blue is pushing on the larger blonde naso, but the naso holds his own. The blenny has run the diamond goby out of the tank somehow and I cannot find it. I have a good lid on it but he might have gotten in the overflow, but I have not seen it for a couple of weeks.
The little 2 inch hippo hides half the time, where he was out swimming in the open in the 210.

These fish have to stay in the 75 for two more weeks and my fallow period is over for he 210. This is not an ideal situation for any of these fish, but it is the best I could do in a rush.

Fish need a certain amount of space to call their own, and when they get cramped they will do what nature tells them to and fight for their space.
It is not only tangs that need space, but apparently the blenny and goby needed more space because one has eliminated the other while claiming his territory.

I thought maybe since these fish were in the big tank together and they were "buddies" and knew each other they would be fine for 76 days in the smaller tank. Their nature showed me different behavior than I thought I would see.

Give your fish the room they need. They will grow fast and out grow a small tank faster than you think.

 

[ChrisOFL]

I keep a full size Tomini Tang in my tank and he has been doing extremely well. It's probably one of the only tangs I would consider putting in a 75 gallon because they are normally solitary in the wild. They also stay smaller than other tangs so max size is just at 6" in length and they are great detrivores as well. For tangs I would say they are not very active. Mine only swims about to get to his algae clip on the other side of the tank from his rock (home). Sometimes he goes scavenging but this just lets me know he's hungry for some frozen food.

 

[Luna]

It may not know any different but the natural instinct of a fish isn't based on its experience. Think of it in terms of clown fish. You can buy a tank raised clown fish that has never seen an anemone yet if the correct anemone is presented it will go to the anemone to be hosted. A Blue Tang will still desire to have room to swim as an instinctive behavior.

Have you looked into the Fairy Wrasses at all? And if you want a splash of blue, you can go with sapphire chromis.

Not a fan of wrasses & it not the blue I’m looking for, I just like tangs like the blue tang & the powder blue tang. I just don’t like the fact that there itch magnets.

 

[Brew12]

Not a fan of wrasses & it not the blue I’m looking for, I just like tangs like the blue tang & the powder blue tang. I just don’t like the fact that there itch magnets.

Sounds like justification to get a bigger tank!

I have only had 1 Hippo tang and he is still with me. He got to 5" long in my 6', 120g tank. He is much happier in my 187g system. I've also always practiced strict QT protocol and have never seen a sign of disease. It can be done, and it isn't that hard. It just takes a little patience. 2 small extra tanks helps, too!

 

[mjlash22]

I have a blue and purple tang in my 65g tank. Both were bought when they were an inch or less in size. They swim around together all day, seem very happy/content, and each have their own "resting" place when the lights go off. Blue has definitely grown quicker than the purple. Currently 2.5" to 1.5" respectively.

I think one of the biggest issues to address to somewhat answer your question is regarding stress and how to manage/minimize it. IMO, purchasing tangs as small as you can get them will help. The smaller the tank, the less you should have. Maybe not as easy to raise when that small, but long term, you have more time before they "outgrow" their environment.

Also, how many other fish do you have or plan to have. Most tangs like to have their "own space" in the tank, especially at night. The more fish you have, the more the likelihood of them getting their space taken, which equates to more stress on the fish or aggression from the tang towards the other fish.

In my old tank, I gave my first blue tang to a good friend who had a much larger setup when she got to be around 4" (55g tank to a 200g tank). I could visually tell she was not the same. Was not as active, didn't eat as much, and the last straw was when I noticed ich.

 

[Luna]

Did you tell she wasn’t the same before or after you gave it to your friend?

 

[madweazl]

...

These fish have to stay in the 75 for two more weeks and my fallow period is over for he 210. This is not an ideal situation for any of these fish, but it is the best I could do in a rush...

Is this more of a hospital tank with very limited aquascape? I'm not advocating for tangs in smaller tanks but you cant compare a hospital/quarantine setup to an aquascaped tank either.

For what it's worth, I've had a smaller yellow tang in a 75g for a little over a year now. It has grown a little but is definitely the boss of the tank (it and the coral beauty posture occasionally to reassert who is boss). I have little doubt that same behavior would happen in a tank twice the size but it certainly doesnt help to be in a confined area. While not a major factor, my aquascape allows the fish to swim all the way around the the rock structure (no rock comes within 2" of the glass) and two "islands" are split at a 45° to help foster larger swimming lanes for all the fish the best I could. Does it make a difference in reality, probably not much but I guess it makes me feel better.

On another note, the yellow tang requires a lot of food to keep plump and healthy. The additional food to keep them happy may put a strain on your system that prevents you from keeping nutrients at levels ideal for your other inhabitants (e.g. corals). There is a trade off for everything you do in your tank.