Tank size for a powder BROWN school
- Thread starter garvin90
- Start date
zemuron114
In Memoriam
you need a huge tank for a school of any tang... odd numbers is the way to go for schools (so 5 would be better then 6)
i would say in the 1000 gallon range for a full grown school of powder browns... such as 144x60x36 or something like that...
think BIG...
i would say in the 1000 gallon range for a full grown school of powder browns... such as 144x60x36 or something like that...
think BIG...
BTTRFLYGRL
New member
Not a good idea..stick with one
garvin90
New member
Not to be rude but, that told me nothing. why do you stay stick with only one, a problem in their behavior towards each other or just size limitations?
Zemuron, you said try for schools of odd numbers. Can you do anything slightly smaller than five, three for instance or should it be 5 and up? Its funny the dimensions you came up with because thats a tank size I have been considering eventually. How much water column height would they need? I like deeper sand beds especially since I love jawfishes and other burrowers and these need those deeper beds which of course limit column swim height. do you feel they need more of the width and length for continius swimming or just the added tallness due to their larger adult body size?
Last edited:
yoboyjdizz
Active member
I would go with as long as tank as you can... width would be second height not really a factor only to save you money on the build of thickness of the tank.. Powderbrowns are really aggressive to their own kind in the confinds of an aquarium.. 12-15f,4-6ft width with a 3ft height is what i would shoot for.. Would love to see your results.
yoboyjdizz
Active member
I think five or more would be better because with three you could have a chance of two pairing off and killing the third... Not even sure you would even get a school in a aquarium even this big.. Maybe a harem or just here and there they would swim together but then go off on their own... I would get them as small as possible and add them all together Good Luck!
pony_killer
New member
i got a school of 5 chromies in my 46 gallon
zemuron114
In Memoriam
3 is never a good schooling option for the reason stated by yoboy (pair off and kill the third) I would actually suggest 7 or 9 at the very least, just due to their aggression in the home aquaria. I wouldn't even attempt it... There are so many interesting things that would look better then a school of powder browns in that size of a tank! but good luck if you decide to do it.
garvin90
New member
Isnt that what we do anyway but in a smaller scale?
This type of tank project for me atleast, will be years down the line anyway. I am debating on either building my tank or getting one custom made. Either way whichever/wherever the large tank is placed I must reenforce the floor first so thats why Im trying to come up with a definitive tank size.
I experiment and try things out and pick peoples brains for experience before just jumping into things so I appreciate all the constructive feedback so far.
yoboyjdizz, you mentioned they are quite aggressive to thier own kind in the home aquaria. Have you found if that holds true to look alike fishes such as certain centropyge angels or just the acanthurus group? I ask since we had a gold-rim in one of our tanks at work and a midnight angel came into to the same tank. Needless to say they had to be seperated immediately.
jiggy
New member
PBT's get big. for a school youd need at least 1000g's. not to mention the filtration ur gonna need. TONS of rock, TONS of sand, TONS of snails. bubble king thing, deltec that.
u only have 1yr experience in saltwater and ur gonna try to school tangs. lol.. guys have been in the hobby for 3x longer than youve even known what a fish tank was dont even try it/or have tried and failed.
people cant even get chromis' to school well without dieing off, nevermind PBT's
u only have 1yr experience in saltwater and ur gonna try to school tangs. lol.. guys have been in the hobby for 3x longer than youve even known what a fish tank was dont even try it/or have tried and failed.
people cant even get chromis' to school well without dieing off, nevermind PBT's
First of all, tangs don't school, they shoal. Next of all it is highly unlikely that you would be successful in any tank as small as 1000 gallons. Think 10,000 and you might be in the right ball park. A group of 5 tangs will not even shoal, they will aggregate and the odds of them disliking each other is exceptionally high. Tangs by nature don't like each other much as they inhabit the same ecological niche. In very large tanks, (1000 gallons is NOT large), they tolerate each other but only barely.
I would have to agree with jiggy and the others who are trying to tell you this is not a good idea. And it is not just reinforcing the floor, you should probably do that for 400 gallons on up (I did it for my tanks and they are not that large). You most likely will need a different house. Think 15 foot tank, think fish room, think about doing 100 gallon water changes. Too often we in the hobby decide something is desirable when it is clearly not in the best interests of the animals we try and keep. Sure it would be pretty. If you want to see that, take up diving.
I would have to agree with jiggy and the others who are trying to tell you this is not a good idea. And it is not just reinforcing the floor, you should probably do that for 400 gallons on up (I did it for my tanks and they are not that large). You most likely will need a different house. Think 15 foot tank, think fish room, think about doing 100 gallon water changes. Too often we in the hobby decide something is desirable when it is clearly not in the best interests of the animals we try and keep. Sure it would be pretty. If you want to see that, take up diving.
Oh, you also asked about centropyge species. In a large enough tank, you can get away, sometimes, with multiples. Try and make them different sizes and appearances. Also, try and introduce them at the same time. Remember that angels are territorial and the tanks you are providing are less than the territory they inhabit in the wild so they are not keen about neighbors moving in next door who look like them, eat like them, etc.
RichConley
New member
You really dont need a very large tank for multiple Centropyge Snorvich, they just need to be introduced young, and at the same time. I know a couple of people who are keeping multiple species in 40b/58/65 gallon tanks. You just introduce young, and make sure you dont have two that are extremely similar.
Angel*Fish
cats and large squashes
Re these tangs - seems like I read that they don't school/shoal all day --- only for part of the day and that they separate to their own individual territories the rest of the time and these territories are b-i-g
Angel*Fish
cats and large squashes
I agree, but I hope your friends with multiple Centropyges in a 40 have small/argi types!:smokin:
Some of these dwarf angels are not exactly small. Yes, if you are able to get young fish (not always that easy to acquire) it will work better, and as I said, it is best to introduce all at the same time before they can establish territories.
RCT also has some species that will socialize together and I hope to acquire a harem from them (I guess after the last email it will have to be 2007). But, in general, it is not that easy to guarantee multiple centropyge in a smallish tank. Once you are talking about a 120 or so, it is far easier, especially if there is adequate rock work. Still, the greater the size/color difference, the greater the chance for success and they must be introduced concurrently.
RCT also has some species that will socialize together and I hope to acquire a harem from them (I guess after the last email it will have to be 2007). But, in general, it is not that easy to guarantee multiple centropyge in a smallish tank. Once you are talking about a 120 or so, it is far easier, especially if there is adequate rock work. Still, the greater the size/color difference, the greater the chance for success and they must be introduced concurrently.
garvin90
New member
snorvich- i appreciate the info. letting me know that they shoal rather than school in the wild tells me alot.
As far fish rooms are concerned, that would not bother me one bit. Currently my girlfriend and i are constructing a rack system to house our reptiles and her cichlid population.
Like i said, it will be years down the line and i like to gather my research ASAP. hopefully by then my experience wont be a joke to some people right jiggy?
As far fish rooms are concerned, that would not bother me one bit. Currently my girlfriend and i are constructing a rack system to house our reptiles and her cichlid population.
Like i said, it will be years down the line and i like to gather my research ASAP. hopefully by then my experience wont be a joke to some people right jiggy?
I have 4 yellows is a 450. Now I know, yellows and powders are a completely different story. I would say 3k gallons for multiple adult powders, but who knows until someone does it successfully.
I looked in a dictionary, it is either school or shoal.
On a personal note, I think this is a rediculous idea. But then again those first pioneers in this hobby were just as.
I looked in a dictionary, it is either school or shoal.
On a personal note, I think this is a rediculous idea. But then again those first pioneers in this hobby were just as.
