Tangs in a 90?

[doch]

So there seem to be a lot of opinions out there on weathere or not a regal tang works in a 90. Just looking for some more opinions. One peice of advice I got recently is to buy the tang as small as possible and it should be OK. Do all tangs require a lot of room? or is it specifice to Regals? I also like the Powder Blues; Are they a better choice for a 90? Thanks for all opinions.

[Beverly]

I've got a 120g and would not keep any species of tang in it. Tangs get very large. Unless you are going to do a serious upgrade in the future for the sake of your tangs, I'd hold off. JMO, though.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Beverly

Tangs get very large.

I read this all the time, but I've never actually seen a tang get much larger than it's store bought size. My yellow is the same size as it was 5 years ago, although much fatter. Same with my white cheek...hasn't grown much if any in the 2 years it's been with me. Others have noted the same thing, so since my tangs are only 3-1/2" long, they do fine in a 75g. Grnated the regal is one that is known for growing, but others are fine candidates for a 90, IMO.

[naesco]

Originally Posted by doch

So there seem to be a lot of opinions out there on weathere or not a regal tang works in a 90. Just looking for some more opinions. One peice of advice I got recently is to buy the tang as small as possible and it should be OK. Do all tangs require a lot of room? or is it specifice to Regals? I also like the Powder Blues; Are they a better choice for a 90? Thanks for all opinions.

Thanks for you post.
The opinions of keeping tangs in only large tanks (six footers) is pretty much an established rule of thumb now largely based on experts and authors, and those who have experience keeping them.

Tangs are swimmers and need the length that larger tanks provide.
An exception would be the kole tang which grows large but tends to spend its whole day eating the film algae of glass and rocks which it needs for its diet.

Reef raf, if you placed your tangs in a six footer and observed them for a while, I think you might be giving this reefer the same advice as well.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by naesco

Reef raf, if you placed your tangs in a six footer and observed them for a while, I think you might be giving this reefer the same advice as well.

you just pop out of the woodwork for these tangs post, don't ya??

While I in essence agree with you, and have had my tangs in my old 155g, their behaviour now is no different than in the 155. I will always agree that ANY fish should have as big a tank as possible, but should the big tank not be possible does not neccesarily prevent someone from having some species of tang. Can all tangs go in a 90? IMO, no. Are some candidates for a 90? again, IMO, yes. Most (all?) zebrasoma I think are fine, exception being perhaps a large sailfin. Many of the acantharus are also possibilities, although more of these really should have a larger area.

[Doug]

[quote="naesco"]

Originally Posted by doch

An exception would be the kole tang which grows large but tends to spend its whole day eating the film algae of glass and rocks which it needs for its diet.

Again I must disagree with this. My Kole is larger than my yellow and uses more of my 170 for swimming than the yellow. So in my case its the opposite.

Plus they have a long body length, with a somewhat similar shape as the Regal, but not as large.

Yellows, Scopas and Purple tangs, seem to stay smaller and swim less. {if thats possible with tangs. }

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by naesco

The opinions of keeping tangs in only large tanks (six footers) is pretty much an established rule of thumb now largely based on experts and authors, and those who have experience keeping them.

so which experts and authors have made this a rule of thumb? I have never seen anyone but fanatics say you must have a 6 foot tank because if you think of it what does that mean? well if I have a 6 foot tank that is 12" high and 12" wide I have a 43 gal tank and by your statement It is enuf for a tang. I think water volume wise, a 43 gal is to small for any tang.

going back to your "and those who have experience keeping them" how long do you need to keep tangs to be experienced? I got 3 years now and mine have all grown in my 94 gal tank, My latest, an Achilles has grown 1" in 4 months, he is fat and generally looks content (if we can really tell with a fish) he never darts around nervously or does any weird laps in the tank. so generally I think I am successfully raising a tank in a 3 foot long tank. having said that my 3 foot long tank is 2 foot wide and 25" tall with lots of rock, kept fairly low, and massive flow for a tank that size. Maybe it is the flow that keeps the tang exercised and content who knows.

Steve

[Aquattro]

Ya know, I just get sick of this stuff. Tangs need to be kept in oceans, not aquariums, just like all the other fish we keep. Now if punishing a fish by putting it in a 6 foot tank helps you sleep better than punishing it in a 4 foot tank, great. But let's not pretend one is any better than the other. These fish would be better off left where they came from, and we're all a little selfish in making up excuses on how we justify stealing them from their homes. So please stop with the garbage that a wild fish is better in a 6 foot box over a 4 foot box. That's just silly. There better off in their homes. Period.

[Willow]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

Ya know, I just get sick of this stuff. Tangs need to be kept in oceans, not aquariums, just like all the other fish we keep. Now if punishing a fish by putting it in a 6 foot tank helps you sleep better than punishing it in a 4 foot tank, great. But let's not pretend one is any better than the other. These fish would be better off left where they came from, and we're all a little selfish in making up excuses on how we justify stealing them from their homes. So please stop with the garbage that a wild fish is better in a 6 foot box over a 4 foot box. That's just silly. There better off in their homes. Period.

thats it im getting a powder blue! thanks brad

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Willow

thats it im getting a powder blue! thanks brad

remember, if it starts looking like it needs to swim more, just cut it's tail off. Then it's smaller, and needs less length!!

Oh, and not sure if you're aware, but they do better in harems.