question regarding tangs and tank size
 

this question is not to point fingers or start a debate

It is mearly intended to gain some insight on the situation .

I am a severe newbie when it comes to SW tanks and fish . I am currently building my first 110gallon .. semi cube 36x28x25h



Question

Tangs .
I am really trying to tell myself that I should not be getting any tangs whatsover due to my tank size .. My longest run is 36" .

But I am incorporating a minimilst approach to my rock work . There is an extreme amount of open space in my tank , So thus i am wondering if a Yellow and PB tank would be acceptalbe if purchased very small >?

And ive done hours of reading that say never buy a fish that can outgrow your tank.

heres the problem .
I see lots of pictures of TOTM with tangs in small tanks. I also see tangs in very large tanks (6ft long ) with so much rock work that the fish can barly swim down the front pane of glass.

I have also seen 6ft tanks with like 5 or more tangs in the same tank .

I Just wonder why there seems to be this blanket rule for tangs when it comes to 6 ft and shorter tanks, But 6 feet and above is open season on cramming them in there

I would like to possibly have a TOTM in the future .Thus i would like to follow the responcible fish keeping trends that appear to be the norm .

(Essentially Any cube tank should never have a tang .. )

Just this tang buisness has got me all worked up

sorry for the rant .
all thoughts would be appreciated
Jon

Wayne should be along any time now, if his macro is working properly :)

I agree. A 6ft tank with 300 pounds of rock isn't any more suitable than a 36 inch tank.
Of the two you've mentioned, the YT would, IMO, be more suitable. The PBs tend to like really blasting around the tank.
Another point to consider is that while yes, Yellows can get to be the size of dinner plates, I've never actually had one grow much beyond the size I purchased it. I feed a lot.
So if you have a smaller tank with tons of swimming room, add a YT. Keep the water clean and feed it well to ensure good health. While there are tons of rules about this online, Tangs don't read a lot online and don't know the rules. :)

Get a smaller to mid size, make him the primary large fish for the tank, keep him healthy and you're doing fine.

I have many tangs in a 6' tank but I don't entirely agree with the notorious tang police when it comes to tank size ;). I have never seen my fish do full 6' laps of my tank but they do have plenty of room to roam around or to find privacy.

I would personally rather see someone properly care for and nurture a tang in a small tank than see someone neglect one in a big tank. Pick a smaller sized tang like a Kole or Yellow and keep them happy, that's what matters.

I myself have a very happy 2-3 year old tang in my 66 gallon. He is very happy and healthy and has room to swim. I see no issues with this as he is the only large fish I have. As long as you care for them and keep them happy and healthy I don't see any issues with a smaller tank like mine keeping a tang.

I wouldn't get any more though. haha

I have many tangs in my 6 feet tank and they're doing just fine. They have ample room to swim and fight sometimes too...lol
My rock work is done with many crevices and caves so they can have some privacy and places to hide.

I have a PB tang and I have noticed that guy needs a lot of space to swim, he swims from one end to the other end of the tank in no time. Powder blues are very active swimmers and need lots of space. Now Yellow tangs in what I've seen in my tank, are less active and they graze a lot on the rocks, so they're fine with a bit less space IMO.

I agree with the others here, Yellow tang should be fine in your tank dimensions.

I have 3 tangs in my 120 gallon (Minimal Rock) 4' tank. They seem to be fine. I wouldn't worry too much about a yellow in your tank.

In my 6' tank I have:

Yellow Tang
Purple Tang
Sailfin Tang
Regal Tang

I think all do well but eventually the Regal will need a bigger tank. He's too much of a mover and grows so quickly. Everyone else will do well in there for years to come.

I have 3 tangs in my 6' - yellow, sailfin and tominini. I also have a blue throat trigger, these are my 4 big fish. The yellow is not much of a wanderer, but the other 2 are. That said, they don't race from one end of the tank to the other. Interestingly enough, my clarkii clown is the same size as my trigger.....

While you won't have the length of tank, I think you should be fine as others have noted.

thanks for all the replies . I do appreciate them .

I am going to attempt to start a build thread tonight . I only want to start one if i can figure out how to post pics in the thread .. (something i have never done before ..)

thanks
Jon
Vic BC

Hmm... I wonder if I should list the number of tangs in my 210.