Can I have any tangs?

[ollysaquariums]

Hey everyone,
I’ve got a 4ft long 197 litre marine aquarium and already have a few corals and a pair of clowns. I was wondering, because I really would like a nice centrepiece fish, could I have any sort of tangs or angelfish in my tank? I was told by a few mates who have marine tanks that I could have smaller tangs like a single tomini tang or a bristletooth tang. Is this possible or can I not have any of those real nice fish in my tank?
Thank you!

 

[bluemon]

You can definitely have dwarf angels.

It’s a bit on the small size tank, but you can keep a bristle tooth tang in there

 

[ollysaquariums]

You can definitely have dwarf angels.

It’s a bit on the small size tank, but you can keep a bristle tooth tang in there

Would a bristletooth be happy and able to live its whole life in there? I don’t want to torture the fish either haha.

 

[bluemon]

Would a bristletooth be happy and able to live its whole life in there? I don’t want to torture the fish either haha.

This is a very contested topic, and it really depends on the owner of the tank.

A lot of people will say no less than a 100g.

I’m a bit more lax so I think 60g should be fine, so your tank is pushing it a bit, but people have kept tangs in there as well.

I personally would look at a dwarf angel

 

[ollysaquariums]

Would a bristletooth be happy and able to live its whole life in there? I don’t want to torture the fish either haha.

This is a very contested topic, and it really depends on the owner of the tank.

A lot of people will say no less than a 100g.

I’m a bit more lax so I think 60g should be fine, so your tank is pushing it a bit, but people have kept tangs in there as well.

I personally would look at a dwarf angel

Okay sounds good, thank you for that! What other fish should I get, I’m wanting a yellow coral goby, longnose hawkfish and pair of banggai cardinalfish would that be the cap?

 

[bluemon]

Okay sounds good, thank you for that! What other fish should I get, I’m wanting a yellow coral goby, longnose hawkfish and pair of banggai cardinalfish would that be the cap?

Depends on the type of coral you want to keep as well.

But I really like Pygmy Angelfish

 

[ollysaquariums]

Okay sounds good, thank you for that! What other fish should I get, I’m wanting a yellow coral goby, longnose hawkfish and pair of banggai cardinalfish would that be the cap?

Depends on the type of coral you want to keep as well.

But I really like Pygmy Angelfish

I’ve got a mini zoa garden and some firework polyps, a wilsoni, a duncan, an acan and a favia at the moment but plan on torches and hammers in the future too mainly softies and LPS.

 

[bluemon]

Okay sounds good, thank you for that! What other fish should I get, I’m wanting a yellow coral goby, longnose hawkfish and pair of banggai cardinalfish would that be the cap?

Depends on the type of coral you want to keep as well.

But I really like Pygmy Angelfish

I’ve got a mini zoa garden and some firework polyps, a wilsoni, a duncan, an acan and a favia at the moment but plan on torches and hammers in the future too mainly softies and LPS.

Angelfish might not be for you then as they can sometimes nip at LPS.

I’d look into wrasses

 

[ollysaquariums]

Okay sounds good, thank you for that! What other fish should I get, I’m wanting a yellow coral goby, longnose hawkfish and pair of banggai cardinalfish would that be the cap?

Depends on the type of coral you want to keep as well.

But I really like Pygmy Angelfish

I’ve got a mini zoa garden and some firework polyps, a wilsoni, a duncan, an acan and a favia at the moment but plan on torches and hammers in the future too mainly softies and LPS.

Angelfish might not be for you then as they can sometimes nip at LPS.

I’d look into wrasses

What wrasses do you reckon? I was looking at a banana wrasse earlier at my LFS.

 

[bluemon]

Okay sounds good, thank you for that! What other fish should I get, I’m wanting a yellow coral goby, longnose hawkfish and pair of banggai cardinalfish would that be the cap?

Depends on the type of coral you want to keep as well.

But I really like Pygmy Angelfish

I’ve got a mini zoa garden and some firework polyps, a wilsoni, a duncan, an acan and a favia at the moment but plan on torches and hammers in the future too mainly softies and LPS.

Angelfish might not be for you then as they can sometimes nip at LPS.

I’d look into wrasses

What wrasses do you reckon? I was looking at a banana wrasse earlier at my LFS.

Assuming you mean Halichoeres chrysus,

I would say that’s a perfect addition.

Just make sure to have a sandbed so it can sleep, and a lid as they can jump. And I emphasize the jumping part

 

[exnisstech]

I think the rock scape can play an important roll. I set this 36x22x22" tank up over two years ago and keep a wiid caught yellow and two spot bristletooth tooth. I only have 4 fish total the other two are a sixline and neon blue damsel. I have zero aggression in this tank. No glass surfing, tank pacing or any other stress signs fish can exhibit. I've never even seen a tail smack from either tang. They just spend the day cruising around in and out of the rocks looking for algae to eat.
You never know how an individual fish is going to behave and i have other tanks i can move fish to but I think a single smaller tang would be ok in a 4ft tank.

The tangs

A FTS

PS: I do feed pretty heavy. I believe hungry fish can become aggressive fish because they live in survival mode ready to fight for food so they don't starve. This is just something I believe after watching my fish through the years and not something i can provide evidence of as being fact.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone,
I’ve got a 4ft long 197 litre marine aquarium and already have a few corals and a pair of clowns. I was wondering, because I really would like a nice centrepiece fish, could I have any sort of tangs or angelfish in my tank? I was told by a few mates who have marine tanks that I could have smaller tangs like a single tomini tang or a bristletooth tang. Is this possible or can I not have any of those real nice fish in my tank?
Thank you!

Yes you can, at least 4-5 of them. Shown below is a 135g I had and there was 11 tangs, though not advised

 

[ollysaquariums]

Hey everyone,
I’ve got a 4ft long 197 litre marine aquarium and already have a few corals and a pair of clowns. I was wondering, because I really would like a nice centrepiece fish, could I have any sort of tangs or angelfish in my tank? I was told by a few mates who have marine tanks that I could have smaller tangs like a single tomini tang or a bristletooth tang. Is this possible or can I not have any of those real nice fish in my tank?
Thank you!

Yes you can, at least 4-5 of them. Shown below is a 135g I had and there was 11 tangs, though not advised

Would I be able to have a happy bristletooth tang or a tomini for it’s whole life?

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Would I be able to have a happy bristletooth tang or a tomini for it’s whole life?

not sure whole life. I have one in 69g which will soon be an 83. It’s a baby only 2 inches.

 

[Fish Styx]

Yes you can, at least 4-5 of them. Shown below is a 135g I had and there was 11 tangs, though not advised

I'm sorry, but did you just tell him he could put 4 or 5 tangs in a 55 gallon tank? Because that is what a 4' 197 liter is.

The answer to his question is a resounding, "No".

There is absolutely NO tang that is appropriate for this size aquarium. Full stop.

 

[Tangdora]

A tomini is a nice tang to consider. I’m personally a fan of it dark grey body and bright organge fins. Plus the tang is not an active swimmer. It prefers to dwell in the rock work and graze. At least mine does.

 

[ollysaquariums]

Would I be able to have a happy bristletooth tang or a tomini for it’s whole life?

not sure whole life. I have one in 69g which will soon be an 83

Okay, I’ll have to see what I’ll be able to have in there then haha, thank you!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm sorry, but did you just tell him he could put 4 or 5 tangs in a 55 gallon tank? Because that is what a 4' 197 liter is.

The answer to his question is a resounding, "No".

There is absolutely NO tang that is appropriate for this size aquarium. Full stop.

Im picturing 90 gal but based on 55g , yes he can have 2-3. There are many tangs which quality such as chocolate, Tomini, maculips, kole and some bristletooth species. Obviously proper diet and husbandry plays a role.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Would I be able to have a happy bristletooth tang or a tomini for it’s whole life?

In a 55 yes. Ive kept tangs for decades and have 27 currently and most do not grow to sizes often mentioned on sites and are based on size in the wild. You can add a couple tangs, not stuff them in the tank for safety from squabbling and territory

 

[Fish Styx]

Im picturing 90 gal but based on 55g , yes he can have 2-3. There are many tangs which quality such as chocolate, Tomini, maculips, kole and some bristletooth species. Obviously proper diet and husbandry plays a role.

No, absolutely not. I respect your experience in the industry, but I wholeheartedly and emphatically disagree with you here. This is a Petco mentality and not responsible advice at all, IMO.

Can you? Sure. Throw whatever you want in there. Should you. No.

Nutrition is always important for good health and combatting aggression amongst tangs, but part of proper husbandry is being good stewards to the specimens in our charge. These are living creatures and housing them in appropriately sized enclosures is paramount to longevity. The stress caused by doing this will stress them to the point of near constant disease.

The only tang that would possibly live a long and healthy life would be a Tomini, and even then, in that size enclosure it would be a demon.

You're better than this, Vette.