How many tangs, 125g?

[KashAlp]

Hey fella's and ladies..

I was just wondering if you could offer me your OPINION on how many tangs i could keep contently in my 125g reef tank. Im not talking about any large growing tangs that get up to around 2' like the Vlamingii Tang, but lets just say your average (yellow, blue, powder brown..etc) captive raised tang that will probably only reach max around 6-9".

I LOVE TANGS! lol and although i do plan on adding smaller fish like anthias, clowns, chromis etc etc.. i would like the majority of visual beauty to be about tangs.

Here is my my current fish stock followed by my "Wish list" (i dont intend to add all my wish list but im keping my eyes out for these in specific.

CURRENT STOCK (length are without tails):
1 Hippo blue tang 4"
1 yellow tang 2"
1 sailfin tang 5"
1 stripped damsel 1.5"
2 foxface 4"
2 "nemo" clowns :wildone:
assorted snails, shrimp etc etc..

WISH LIST: (please remember im not adding all these just keeping my eye out for them)

Lieutenant Tang
Blond Naso Tang (yes i know this is a larger tang)
White Cheek tang
Brown powder tang
Pacific blue tang
Achilles tang (in my dreams)
Yellow eye kole tang
Purple tang
Orangeshoulder Tang

There are other fish that are not tangs but thats the tangs id like to acquire for now. Your input is appreciated. Thanks :fish1::fish1:

*sry i did also post this in the newb section also. hope that doesnt bother anyone. More help = less suffering fishies

 

[Toddrtrex]

Honestly, with the tangs you have now, I wouldn't be adding any other tangs to that tank.

 

[TampaReefer79]

Hey fella's and ladies..

I was just wondering if you could offer me your OPINION on how many tangs i could keep contently in my 125g reef tank. Im not talking about any large growing tangs that get up to around 2' like the Vlamingii Tang, but lets just say your average (yellow, blue, powder brown..etc) captive raised tang that will probably only reach max around 6-9".

Here's my OPINION...lol. I think you're at the limit with tangs already. I know you say you don't want any 'large' tangs, yet the blonde naso is on your wishlist. AND the sailfin is a very large tang as well, 16-ish inches. The blue hippo you have is a 12-13 inch fish and the yellow tang will surprise you with how large it gets too. You may have some issues down the road (if you don't already) with the yellow and sailfin in a 125.

I don't know what you mean by captive raised tangs that will reach a max of 6-9". No matter what, every tang in your tank will be a wild fish and will grow accordingly if given space and fed properly. Also, tangs aren't for newly setup tanks and aren't really the best fish for people just starting out. I'm not saying YOU are...but IF you are just keep that in mind. How long has the tank been up and running?

 

[TampaReefer79]

P.S. If you already have a hippo tang in your tank, why is it on your wishlist? lol I'M NOT KNOCKING YOU, just giving my 2 cents...

Someone that doesn't know that a pacific blue tang and a hippo tang are the same fish is probably someone that is fairly new to keeping tangs. That said, it's not best for you to start off a new 125 gallon tank with 10 tangs. Stick with what you have, keep reading, and try to keep the 3 you have now alive.

Always remember, there's a HUGE difference between SURVIVING and THRIVING. :wave:

 

[TampaReefer79]

Oops, I went back and re-read your original post...and didn't even notice the 2 foxface's. So in essense you already have 5 large algae eating fish in the tank. That's probably pushing it as it is. I hope you have a GOOOOOOD skimmer. You need to feed these guys a few times a day...algae (nori), mysis, prime reef, formula one, formula two, etc etc. Mix it up but make sure they get their greens once a day.

 

[velvetelvis]

The only tank-raised (that is, raised in captivity, not bred in captivity) tangs that I know of are the TR blue tangs from Sustainable Aquatics. Diver's Den frequently offers them, usually as trios.

 

[KashAlp]

TampaReefer79:

1. i know tangs are basically 100% wild caught but what i mean when i say captive raised i mean caught as babies and raised in a tank, which mine so far have been. All puchased at 1-2" in length. Except for foxface..

2. I am just starting out and my tank has only been setup for about 8 weeks. HOWEVER my tank isnt "new" persay as it was set up using exsiting water, liverock and sand from a tank already established. i bought the tank from a friend who had it set up but is getting out of the hobby.

3. Sry i put a typo.. i didnt mean pacific blue and hippo. i meant to type POWDER blue & hippo tang

4. Yes i do have a pretty decent skimmer ( i hope) i am currently running a Reef octopus extreme 160 with sicce pump in a 55 gallon sump.

5. My tangs are well fed, i love watching them eat, and have shown very signifigant growth in the time ive had them. Besides my one poor blond naso 3" that refused to eat and died after starving about 2 weeks after i got him. I tried.. i really did. even have a few forum posts on here asking for help. RIP.. he was one of my fav's, just didnt like being caught and put in a tank i guess.


Also id like to add that although i personally am pretty new to the hobby but i have done alot of homework and research. Alsoi have 2 very experianced friends that i can seek help from on a day to day basis that live literally next door.

 

[vr697getta]

i wish i could have that many tangs in my 125. my sailfin has killed 2 tangs that i tried to introduce new to the tank. both were bigger than the sailfin. goldrim tang and a naso tang. so my tank will only be a one tang tank unfortunately.

 

[StripestheEel]

No more large fish. You are already at the heavy end of the stocking line for your tank.

I only have 5 tangs in my tank, you probably want them to have some room to actually move and around (and grow).

 

[IFbettas]

Oops, I went back and re-read your original post...and didn't even notice the 2 foxface's. So in essense you already have 5 large algae eating fish in the tank. That's probably pushing it as it is.

I agree with this. I had 3 tangs (powder blue, yellow, and sailfin) in my 180 along with 2 pyramid butterflyfish. Between the 5 of them they took up the entire space, and were somewhat aggressive with each other. BTW, they were all small with the biggest being between 4-5".

I would not add any more "bigger" fish along with what you already have.

Your skimmer is undersized for a tank of that size, especially if you get into corals/get more fish. I ran an octo extreme 250 on my 180, and it was not enough so I added an old aqua medic turboflotor too.

 

[KashAlp]

Wowzers.. 3 tangs and im already capped? i really do appreciate the help but i find it hard to believe that tangs cannot thrive in a more populated tank. Especially seeing TONS of vids and guys having 10-12 differant species of tangs in tanks similar in size to mine.

I do intend for my fish to thrive and not just survive, so if what i have now is honestly my tanks capacity i will settle for it, just a little disappointed that i am being recommended to avoid adding anymore of my much wanted wish list to my tank thought forsure i was going to be able to pick out atleast 2-3 more of my favorite fish..

Hopefully another experianced tang keeper with more will speak up and give some feedback on how to succesfully keep more of the awesome species.

really do appreciate thehelp, and im not being stubborn. Perhaps i will trade the foxfaces so that i can get another tang if its really that strongly discouraged from adding more with current stock.

 

[mjsfish]

full already, IMO

 

[GoingPostal]

I also wouldn't add another tang, that hippo and sailfin are going to outgrow it as is and you will have 5 huge fish in there one day. I have a 135 with a trigger and foxface and am still debating if I will add a tang to my stocklist. I can't even imagine 5 tangs in a tank my size.

 

[IFbettas]

Wowzers.. 3 tangs and im already capped? i really do appreciate the help but i find it hard to believe that tangs cannot thrive in a more populated tank. Especially seeing TONS of vids and guys having 10-12 differant species of tangs in tanks similar in size to mine.

Yes, I would say you have already reached your limits with large fish. You could squeeze more in there, but they would not last long.

IMO, tangs shouldn't even be kept in tanks smaller than a 75 or 90 gallon tank. A 125 is NOT much bigger than a 75 or 90. If you think about it that way, 3 tangs are already a lot for a standard 125.

BTW, those tanks that you see with so many tangs in them are usually not successful long term.

 

[TampaReefer79]

Hopefully another experianced tang keeper with more experience will speak up and give some feedback on how to succesfully keep more of the awesome species.

Get a bigger tank. That's how you can keep more. :fish2:

I've been keeping tangs for 10 years. I know it's not even close to as long as some folks on here...but a decade is a pretty good amount of time in my book.

Again, I'm not attacking you...just trying to help out. You've literally JUST got into the hobby, have had your tank setup for 8 weeks and already have 3 tangs and 5 large fish total in it. You're going way too fast way too soon. Just relax a bit and keep reading/researching. Nothing in this hobby that happens fast is good. I'm telling you from experience.

 

[BrianD]

You have too many fish in the tank already. There is no doubt that you will get someone to post that your stocking is "just fine". It isn't.

 

[sreefs]

Even without your 2 foxfaces you don't have enough room for another tang! They get a lot bigger than most think!
IMO

 

[prickles]

Just get a bigger tank! Watch your fish...I think you're full, but you can probably prove that to yourself by watching them move around the tank. Do they chase each other? Do they swim laps? Do they look like they need more room? Mine do.

 

[StripestheEel]

Wowzers.. 3 tangs and im already capped? i really do appreciate the help but i find it hard to believe that tangs cannot thrive in a more populated tank. Especially seeing TONS of vids and guys having 10-12 differant species of tangs in tanks similar in size to mine.

I knew it from the beginning. You already had your mind made up before you posted. Just like the 100's of others that come in here knowing exactly well what they are going to do.

Hopefully another experianced tang keeper with more will speak up and give some feedback on how to succesfully keep more of the awesome species.

I have 5 tangs in my 700gallon along with 2 other large fish (Emperor Angel and Bluethroat Trigger) and in my opinion I wouldn't add any other larger fish.

You have a 125gallon. With 5 large fish. Do the math.

See my folks here, lots of room to swim and wow, look at that, no stress, no chasing, no aggression, no predefined swimming patterns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKgpDgR2uGE

 

[jjk_reef00]

Those tanks you see with several tangs are usually 300 gallons or more. A naso tang shouldn't be kept in anything less than 8' long.