Tank size requirements for PBT herd
 

Ok I thought I'd just throw this out there for fun. OA has 3 good sized powder blue tangs in right now in one of their coral tanks. They're such gorgeous fish and seeing the three of them is giving me ideas. I've always loved these fish and added a smaller one to my tank a couple of months ago and after a bit of reorganizing of the hierarchy he's fit right in.

Anyway, my question is, what kind of tank size would be suitable for these fish? I know they get large, need their swimming room etc. They seem to be treated "differently" than most other tangs because they are deemed harder to keep. Are they really that special or just like other surgeonfish/tangs in terms of environmental requirements?

Why not a few hundred?

http://x75.xanga.com/bf5e7b216323414.../b79372241.jpg

I have nothing of worth to add, obviously. Good luck with getting your answer :D

Yeah I love seeing those kind of photos, one day when I win the lottery........*sigh*

I'm just waitin' for the tang police to show up here and provide some info :wink:

Wow Chef that is an amazing picture!!

Awesome photo!

So by herd Christy do you mean those three, or something larger like a shoal of PBTs? I would probably say you require at least 500g for a bigger herd, and of that 500 I would say most of it should be in length and depth. Look at oregonreef.com he has a shoal of regal tangs, and while they aren't the same as PBTs, I am kind of assuming thats the look your after?

I wish I could take credit for the photo :)

I'd love to do a school of like 5-7 or something but ultimately I think I will be restricted to about 3 or so. I'm looking at (one day) getting a tank that is 96" x 30" x 22" (or thereabouts). I'm kind of bored at work so I'm working on "Project Pipe Dream" :razz: and looking at what I can do with this type of tank and the equipment I'd need etc. I don't think anything above 300g is in my future at all due to logistics and cost.

I keep forgetting about oregonreef.com. I'll have to get over there and scope it out. Thanks for the link! :biggrin:

i have a similar dream tank in mind as well. I need to win the lottery though, because I want a tank at least 1000g with about 10 tangs.

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I think 3 or 4 would be quite happy in the tank you described, provided you got them as babies and not 4-5" already.

Speaking of space requirements for tangs, I really would like some input on how many I can put in my new 3" cube? I already have 1 3" reagal and wouldn't mind a Chevron or Naso when the time comes.

What do the tang police think?

I hope you mean 3' cube... :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

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I did.:biggrin:

My theory is that I'm doubling the surface area of the tank so why not double the number of tangs I can keep.

Hehe, good thinking but I think many will argue that they need at least 4' of swimming room. Mind you I guess the diagonal on that tank will be 4' so there you go :wink:

I find that most fish school only for protection. I've bought a small school of chromis and anthias in the past - they will school together for the first week or two but once they realize there is no longer a presence of a threat, they stop and start in-fighting for hierarchy.
Anthony used to have FOWLR with 5-6 yellow tangs and it was an awesome sight to see them in a tank. They swam independently and did not swim in a school like in that pic.
That is an awesome picture BTW

Yeah you're right but it would still be neat seeing them occasionally pass by each other. I just like the idea of being able to have more than one in a tank actually. Kind of like having a school of chromis or anthias but larger fish :biggrin:

200-300 gallons IMO.

I would not recommend you do it with Powder Blue tangs.

They are very difficult to keep. They seem to do alright for awhile and than get sick and die taking a few of their tank mates with them.

By buying 3 your chances of this happening triples therefor please do not take the risk.

Wayne Ryan

At least 20 gallons, 25 if you have the space.

GG

:rolleyes: I would think 3-4 for a 250g-300g would be fine. Of course bigger is always better :mrgreen:

sweet my sump is like 25 gallons I can put a couple in there too :razz:

*please note: I will not be doing this.

Ya bigger is better but its also more work and more expensive. I'm already calculating up to 6K on this tank and thats just the stuff I can think of let alone all the stuff I've forgotten :razz:

Besides, its just a Pipe Dream (TM)

PBs are hard to keep because they're about the only fish out there that is MORE prone to ich that Regal/Hippo tangs are (and that's sayin' somethin'!). If they feel the least bit crowded I'm guessing things would go downhill from there. You're gonna need a BIG tank to make them feel comfortable. Whoever said 200 - 300 gallons for a small shoal was probably in the ballpark. I'd go even bigger.

Anthony has about the healthiest specimen I've seen.

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Its best not to think about those sort of things.

I agree. I'm sure I've spent the same on our 120g but man I'd love a 300g+ tank. Now if I only had more money..... :puppydog:

I think the aggression would be unmanageable after a while. Even if all were doing well otherwise.

But it sure would be cool! The ones OA has are outstanding! I understand where you're thinkin Christy!!! Maybe if we had a group buy on 1000G tanks we could get a good deal in the works....however, we may be more in the $30,000 range instead of only the 6K+ that you were thinking!:lol:

Think big :)

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...ead.php?t=8952

Cheers,
Vic [veng68]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA HAA HAA!

If you can do that for 6K then lemme know where you are stealing from! Does that include water? hehe:mrgreen:

I know... I'm a jerk!

Hey like I said, that was just the stuff I could think of offhand. Theres way more to a large tank than a small one so no doubt I've forgotten some major stuff (either that or I'm just better connected than you :razz:)

My dream big tank would cost 6K just in return pumps :)

Well my plans are sort of the "reined-in Pipe Dream" not the "free-for-all Pipe Dream" which includes winning the lottery :wink: In that dream I say screw the tank and buy a small island in the carribean or something.

ha ha ha...now wouldn't that be great!

I have asked my real estate agent to keep an eye out for the day when the city of Vancouver puts the Aquarium in Stanley Park up for sale.

I would then just add a penthouse on to the structure for living quarters with a view of the north shore mountains. I would maintain the parking outside the aquarium so I could invite my many Canreef friends over on a regular basis.

Now deep breath open my eyes and !!!

Tom R

PS the Beluga Whale tank would be converted to my reef tank.

Hah! Could I build a small bungalow in the parking lot instead?

And Christy...are we all invited if you *do* ever buy that island in the Caribbean? :)

Hell yeah, you guys have to keep me from turning into one of those rich snooty types that gets bored by everything :razz:

No problem I'd be happy to stay on your island and help you out with that :lol: