blue tangs in very small tanks... what compells people to do so...

[Sk8r]

Doing it for a while because you've rescued it from death is commendable. But you do need to get it asap to a situation where it can go full-stretch, oxygenate its tissue (they have a fierce oxygen requirement, and will be the first to die if a tank is failing in oxygen)---and grow. It needs to breathe properly, even as a baby.
If you have one where it cannot run---you need to look for a fellow reefer with a loooooong tank who has room to take it in.

For those of you who would like to understand these fish, here is a link http://www.breathebonaire.com to a website with a reefcam (visible only in the day, naturally) where you can see what these fish do: they come and they go, huge schools, and they do it FAST. Right now, of course, they're having some sort of maintenance issue, but bookmark that site and drop in on it: it's fun, and you'll be able to see your fish in their native behaviors. It'll tell you a lot about various species. You can see how angels and damsels hang close to one particular coral head and live there all their lives; and jacks and tangs come and go like flocks of birds.

 

[WhoDey64]

I have to say this thread is borders on hypocrisy. Questioning people who house fish in undersized tanks (agreed its wrong) but yourself housing a pair of Blue Jaw triggers and a Harlequin Tusk that can grow up to 12" in a 75 gallon?? It could have slid until you knocked people who say they plan on upgrading and then answered somebody else in this thread by saying you're planning on upgrading.

 

[terry4505]

What then am I supposed to stock my 4" tank with?.... I meant 4', obviously

 

[Alunai]

I have thought about a baby tang in my 29 gallon until it outgrows the tank, but I know how attached I get to my animals and I wouldn't want to part with them after some time. So I have reluctantly stayed away from this. My LFS is always honest and informing about stuff like this. They'd rather you succeed and have happy, healthy fishies than sell stuff that you don't need or animals that won't thrive.

 

[Pallobi]

thank you for the valid input Sk8r... oxygenation of tissue, etc... very good stuff

 

[Pallobi]

What then am I supposed to stock my 4" tank with?.... I meant 4', obviously

read up on fish and sizes... compatibility amongst other species, system requirements etc... then you can come up with an educated list of suitable species and both you and the fish will be more happy with your decisions

 

[Alunai]

Pallobi, I commend you for keeping this thread civil. =) It is a good topic that really SHOULD be discussed, for some simply don't know any better.

 

[RVANANO]

I have a small-medium yellow and sailfin in my 120 gallon with only two medium sized rock islands. They have lots of room to swim IMO.

 

[Pallobi]

I have to say this thread is borders on hypocrisy. Questioning people who house fish in undersized tanks (agreed its wrong) but yourself housing a pair of Blue Jaw triggers and a Harlequin Tusk that can grow up to 12" in a 75 gallon?? It could have slid until you knocked people who say they plan on upgrading and then answered somebody else in this thread by saying you're planning on upgrading.

my female is 3" long and the male is 3.5"... and my tusk is 2.5"...

maybe you missed where i mentioned the new 125g 6' tank is already in my possession... i have and had no intention of keeping them here in the 75... however, they do not have the same captive requirements as blue tangs... my system has plenty of flow, filtration and oxygen...

i see how you can feel i am a hypocrit, but again, MY upgrade is already in my possession... not "in my future"

 

[Pallobi]

Pallobi, I commend you for keeping this thread civil. =) It is a good topic that really SHOULD be discussed, for some simply don't know any better.

thank you friend... jus trying to make some productive discussion based on my love for the animal itself...

 

[twinypalm]

I love those tiny blue tangs, and I would never underfeed my fish. I know a lot of people underfeed to keep their tank low in nutrient, but I would never do that. I would rather keep the bioload small in relation to the tank size. When the tiny blue tangs turns into a small tang I will switch him out for another tiny one. Why would only people with budget and space for a monster tank get to enjoy tangs? It's not like the tang will grow to its adult size in a month.

 

[Pallobi]

I have thought about a baby tang in my 29 gallon until it outgrows the tank, but I know how attached I get to my animals and I wouldn't want to part with them after some time. So I have reluctantly stayed away from this. My LFS is always honest and informing about stuff like this. They'd rather you succeed and have happy, healthy fishies than sell stuff that you don't need or animals that won't thrive.

you are very fortunate if this is the case... i have lived in 4 states in seperate parts of the country, and been to many many LFS's in numerous areas... very few are honest and actually care for the livestock they sell as far as where it goes after it leaves their store...

 

[Alunai]

maybe you missed where i mentioned the new 125g 6' tank is already in my possession... i have and had no intention of keeping them here in the 75... however, they do not have the same captive requirements as blue tangs... my system has plenty of flow, filtration and oxygen...

i see how you can feel i am a hypocrit, but again, MY upgrade is already in my possession... not "in my future"

:thumbsup:

 

[Alunai]

very few are honest and actually care for the livestock they sell as far as where it goes after it leaves their store...

Absolutely. This is why I only go to this LFS. If a fish is not doing well, they will take it back and QT it until it is healthy again. Very commendable store.

 

[Pallobi]

I love those tiny blue tangs, and I would never underfeed my fish. I know a lot of people underfeed to keep their tank low in nutrient, but I would never do that. I would rather keep the bioload small in relation to the tank size. When the tiny blue tangs turns into a small tang I will switch him out for another tiny one. Why would only people with budget and space for a monster tank get to enjoy tangs? It's not like the tang will grow to its adult size in a month.

a monster tank is not necessarily a must... jus length and proper filtration and oxygenation... also, i would like to add that swapping your fish in and out is somewhat cruel as well... if you do not have the means to keep the fish for its full life span, i dont feel they should be kept at all... i do feel this is different than having one for a couple years and finding a fellow reefer you know, who you know has a proper system and ensuring the animal gets to a proper home... jus bringing him back to the LFS to be stuffed into a small holding tank once again, only to be sold to some other less knowledgable person is not the answer imo...

 

[scubasteve06]

I have a small-medium yellow and sailfin in my 120 gallon with only two small-medium sized rock islands. They have lots of room to swim IMO.

This is OK IMO even though you only have 4' of length you have 2' of depth. I wish I had 2' of depth in my tank to go with my 6' of length it would really open my stocking list up. I'd love a Powder Blue Tang, but I can't bring myself to putting him in a tank that's not 2' wide. I've seen the turns these guys make and they make long, gradual, fast sweeping turns and even though I only have roughly 75lbs. of live rock I just don't think I can meet it's requirements. This is also the reason I got rid of my Niger as I felt bad for him always constantly pacing the glass. One day in the next year to two years I would like to upgrade to a 6'x3' tank. I think this is the perfect size tank for multiple tangs, a reef safe trigger like a crosshatch or blue jaw, butterfly fish and a large angel which are my dream stocklist. I have two zebrasoma tangs in my tank right now. I am trying to catch my scopas or have been for the past two days to take back to the LFS and get some credit for him and put some money with the credit to get a Flame Angel.

On another topic do you all think with my tank I could house a Regal and a yellow together? I also like purple tangs a lot, but don't want it fighting with my yellow. I was thinking if the Regal was completely out of the question then a Kole Yellow Eye would make a nice addition. I also would like a Butterfly fish of some sort, but have heard they are hard to acclimate to frozen foods. My LFS also has 3 CBB's in right now and I have been eyeing them once my Scopas goes.

Here is my current stocklist:
3" Yellow Tang
3.5" Scopas Tang (soon to be traded for Flame Angel)
4" Male Square Anthias
7) 1" Blue/Green Chromis
1 2.5" Female Occelaris Clown paired with a 1.5" Percula Male
2" Red Scooter Dragonet
3" Green Mandarin
2" Lawnmower Blenny
3" Lyretail Hawkfish
1.5" Bi-Color Pseudochromis
2) Cleaner Shrimp
1) Peppermint Shrimp
25 Ceriths
50 Hermits

What do you guys think can I add a Regal, and if it's out of the question what about a Kole Yellow Eye, or a CBB?

 

[RVANANO]

a monster tank is not necessarily a must... jus length and proper filtration and oxygenation...

Agreed. This is why I felt comfortable with 2 tangs in my 120 with a 50 gallon sump, oversized skimmer and an additional 20 gallon fuge. I also setup my rock islands so they only go up about 1/2 the height of the tank. There is lots of room for the fish to stretch their sea legs
`
FTS

 

[T Diddy]

Serious answer. Yes. 4 inches is too small of a tank for any tang.

LMAO! betta bowl?

 

[scubasteve06]

Very nice tank rvanano

 

[Pallobi]

steve, imo the kole tang would be jus fine, and the CBB... i have always thought, getting back to my original post, that 6' is the minimum for a regal (blue) tang...