blue tangs in very small tanks... what compells people to do so...
- Thread starter Pallobi
- Start date
Alunai
New member
Thank you, agreed, for the benefit everyone posting in this thread.
Trolling is the term for deliberate posting of messages in the intent to incite a negative response from other members.
Alunai
New member
I think everyone feels your input is welcome, as is everyone elses, so long as it is kept friendly.
Alunai
New member
Trolling is the term for deliberate posting of messages in the intent to incite a negative response from other members.
Thank you!
When I had first started stocking my 55g, I was interested in tangs. Read around a bit on LiveAquaria, and saw my tank was too small. Went to the LFS, and they said they said the smallest tank they'd recommend for a Yellow or Blue tang is 55g, so they convinced me to buy them. Needless to say, they died within 3 days (don't think they were healthy fish to start, but I'm not convinced the tank size didn't contribute either) and once I researched more online, I decided not to replace them.
Perhaps a more useful piece of information for judging what tank is OK for a tang is not by volume, but by dimensions. Why would a 100g hexagonal tank be "OK" when there is no more than 3 feet of distance in any direction, while a 4' long 55g tank not?
I understand the requirements are amount of swimming space. Since this is the case, why are minimum requirements given in gallons? Same lines: why do most people say "yeah, your 100g is OK" when in fact, the fish may have less linear swimming space than in a 55 gallon.
Perhaps a more useful piece of information for judging what tank is OK for a tang is not by volume, but by dimensions. Why would a 100g hexagonal tank be "OK" when there is no more than 3 feet of distance in any direction, while a 4' long 55g tank not?
I understand the requirements are amount of swimming space. Since this is the case, why are minimum requirements given in gallons? Same lines: why do most people say "yeah, your 100g is OK" when in fact, the fish may have less linear swimming space than in a 55 gallon.
RVANANO
SWAGON
Precisely
GregsReef brings up an excellent point that I was waiting for a poster to mention. If something happens to you or your family, god forbid, then your forced to sell the 125G or the 400G you got saved in your basement. Now, your critters are forced to live in the same tank for a few more weeks, months, years.
As for your question towards the people who keep hippos under 75G, its simple "they like the fish and can't afford/maintain a 6' tank". I'm curious to what other response were you waiting for? "i like to see a hippo tang die slowly in my 58G?"
Aside from the hippo tang being too large for a 58G, hippo tangs love to swim as a previous poster mentioned. Most people are highlighting the fact that since their hippo tang is a small size, its okay for their x ft tank. Swimming behavior is very crucial. if your hippo tang sits in the same spot all day, then your hippo tang needs to get checked.
You mention resources. The question is what happens if you need those resources for a life-threatening event. Everyone can say they have a 6ft tank waiting for their hippo tang in their savings account or currently in their basement. With that said, everyone is going to tell you they have future plans/resources for their future sized hippo already setup. In addition, i find nothing wrong with continuing to purchase the same species at a small size and replace them when the size becomes detrimental. If you really want to fix this tang situation since the start, then the rule of thumb would be to only house fish that are capable of your current sized tank.
i find this thread completely useless as I don't see what other response the OP is waiting for besides the one already mentioned in his first post.
at this point, being 3 days in, i dont think your tank size would have had anything to do with it... serioulsy doubt it in fact...
as far as min. size requirements in gallons, i think it is a reference to the length of the standard tank of that size...
but as you mentioned the linear swimming room, this is where the aquarist needs to do his own research and make sure he/she has the appropriate length tank... i mentioned previously, that the tank legth, and filtration, and amount of oxygen in the water along with proper feeding to support the tang's, in this case the blue or regal tang's metabolism...
Be it stated, the Original Poster has tried to have a sane discussion and to bring out the reasons why it is not a good idea to put this species in a small tank, even when 'baby.'
If we are to continue this discussion---1---if you are keeping this species in a tank that may not be adequate and want to know the arguments against it, a) first read the sane parts of the thread, and b) ask a civilized question to get more information. 2---if you want to criticize the practice, try to provide rational answers to questioners, who may just have heard that this is not a good idea. Assume the best of the other guy. But if you scent 'troll', report the post.
If we are to continue this discussion---1---if you are keeping this species in a tank that may not be adequate and want to know the arguments against it, a) first read the sane parts of the thread, and b) ask a civilized question to get more information. 2---if you want to criticize the practice, try to provide rational answers to questioners, who may just have heard that this is not a good idea. Assume the best of the other guy. But if you scent 'troll', report the post.
Paul_TheOctopus
New member
Very well put, Ali1. I totally agree.
i am sorry you dont agree with my selection of discussion...
i do jus want to point out before too many read jus your post without reading through a few of the more important posts here, that i was talking about 40g or less... i feel a 75, with the proper plan for future housing, is fine for a juvi blue, but definatly not a 40 or less
we all here keep aquariums and can never be prepared for the major variable... ie something crazy happening to house or family... however, myself, have made the necessary preperations for my pets futures without having to get rid of them...
please, this is a discussion on blue tangs in small home aquaria... from juvenile through to adult hood... all aspects of care if you will... feeding, swimming space, aggresion issues etc...
RokleM
Premium Member
As RC Team member Sk8r stated... ^^^ THIS or we're done here.
etepperman
Member
I had a blue in a 55g and then moved to an 80g. The fish lived for 9 years, and would have lived longer if not for the Ick invasion of 2010.
Note sure if the 55g would be considered too small, but the guy was only the size of a dime when I got him.
Note sure if the 55g would be considered too small, but the guy was only the size of a dime when I got him.
I was thinking if they weren't completely healthy, the stress of a small tank may have pushed them over the edge while if it were a larger tank and didn't have that stress, they may have recovered.
You mention the person needs to do their research on the appropriate length tank. One of the points I had intended to convey in my post is that that information isn't readily available, and perhaps it should be. Yes, everyone will have a different opinion, but there's almost no where to even find guidelines. Most sites that sell fish give volume guidelines, but as evidenced with tangs, that isn't always the critical pieces when considering tank size.
I think everyone would find it very useful if there was a resource that gave several tank size guidelines for fish - perhaps something like (and these are just made up numbers):
Yellow Tang - 75g, 4'x2' minimum dimensions
Blue Tang - 125g, 6'x2' minimum dimensions
Meggie2409
New member
Hahaha this thread is cracking me up... Listen first and foremost this is a HOBBY! People are going to do as they see fit for them selves... I understand that this is supposed to be an awareness thread but I am sure that 95% of the reefers that have regal/hippo tangs know that their tank is too small... I have a regal in my 55 and I know that I will eventually have to move the big girl to either my LFS or a bigger tank. However, we shld not really tell people they are doing wrong when I think most people over stock their tanks in thought that they will upgrade. Maybe instead of pointing out why we do things.. just ask yourself why u bought that one fish that shouldnt really be in the tank.. CUZ WE JUST HAD TO HAVE IT!!!! LOL I wish we all owned oceans then it wld be perfect but I am sure that someone wld say that the other persons ocean is not good enough for that fish/coral. We created an artificial world to put these beautiful creatures in, so lets just try to take care of them and love them to our best ability. haha I sound like a tree hugger. Heck I am just hoping my oversized anemone doesnt eat my tang let alone if it has enough room to move around haha. But I am going to upgrade soon! haha (really I am by jan.)
I had a blue in a 55g and then moved to an 80g. The fish lived for 9 years, and would have lived longer if not for the Ick invasion of 2010.
Note sure if the 55g would be considered too small, but the guy was only the size of a dime when I got him.
for a small juvi like that, a 55 is fine, its when he reaches 4" or so when he is gonna start needing a little more room imo...
Alunai
New member
Thanks for the humorous take on this thread. A little comic relief is always nice in a controversial thread such as this one. :wavehand:
lets try to save this thread... with that said, i dont wana induce any negative comments... i put an awful lot of time into this hobby and sharing what i know and feel... so please help, and if not, please jus dont post, or jus PM me if you wana question me and we can chat privately
Is this a discussion or an educational thread? If it is a discussion then I will stay in but if this is an educational thread then I will stay out.
When you said you want "to create awareness, not ignorance, or promote selfishness" then you assume you are correct in your thinking. But I have to question your logic: you said a keeping a blue tang in a small tank is a bad choice no matter how small the fish is at the moment. yet you said the fish will out grow the tank fast. Isn't that contradictory ? If the fish is not happy in a small tank would it grow fast?
When you said you want "to create awareness, not ignorance, or promote selfishness" then you assume you are correct in your thinking. But I have to question your logic: you said a keeping a blue tang in a small tank is a bad choice no matter how small the fish is at the moment. yet you said the fish will out grow the tank fast. Isn't that contradictory ? If the fish is not happy in a small tank would it grow fast?
