Clown Tang Success

[dyno]

Has anyone been successful with a clown tang? They are stunning and my LFS sometimes gets in nice 6-8" specimens that are just brilliant looking. Healthy, eating, and active. Still I have never seen anyone be able to keep them long term. Any secrets?

 

[Goaway]

Very large 300+g tanks. Is all i know.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

I know a prime example of clown tang success. I hope he won’t begrudge me tagging him

@WVNed

 

[Goaway]

But, he's got 400g tank or somefins.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

But, he's got 400g tank or somefins.

the clown is in a 240 tied into other tanks in the system

 

[NowGlazeIT]

@vetteguy53081 (cough)

 

[WVNed]

Yes I have one in a 240.

It was tiny when I brought it home from Petco.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Yes I have one in a 240.

It was tiny when I brought it home from Petco.

Beautiful fish reefer

 

[Goaway]

But, is 240 total water capacity?

 

[WVNed]

The clown tang is in a 96x24x24 tank
I have a 240, 75 and 29 gallon with a 100 gallon sump = 400 gallons

 

[Goaway]

The clown tank is in a 96x24x24 tank

Omg, the electric bill.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

But, is 240 total water capacity?

for practical purposes, yes. The tang has a (12ft incorrect. Please ignore) 8ft
tank it lives in. The system has a greater water volume overall, but other than filtration and stability, it doesn’t affect the tang. It’s still living in a 240g

edit. Not 12ft. 8ft. That’s what I get for trying to have a conversation while posting.

 

[WVNed]

for practical purposes, yes. The tang has a 12ft tank it lives in. The system has a greater water volume overall, but other than filtration and stability, it doesn’t affect the tang. It’s still living in a 240g

It's an 8 foot tank. But the total water volume helps with filtration.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

It's an 8 foot tank. But the total water volume helps with filtration.

sorry, I meant 8ft. Was talking with my partner about 12 of my coworkers when I wrote that and it bled through.

my mistake

 

[Jeffcb]

I love the Clown Tang. I bought one when I added my other 4 tangs to my 240 a few weeks ago. He ate the first and second day. Next he started swimming back in forth from one end of the tank to the other. Then he started swimming into the power head. He actually swam into the power head all night. I though maybe Velvet but saw no signs of it. Died after 4 days. The other tangs I added at the same time are doing well.

 

[Goaway]

Success is a wonderful thing. Now watch people buy Petco clowns.

for practical purposes, yes. The tang has a 12ft tank it lives in. The system has a greater water volume overall, but other than filtration and stability, it doesn’t affect the tang. It’s still living in a 240g

 

[Goaway]

I do believe smaller tangs acclimate better to our home aquariams rather than the big ones (near adult) sizes.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Success is a wonderful thing. Now watch people buy Petco clowns.

I know people who still think drinking Diet Coke will make them slim when they eat more than I eat in an entire day within the context of a single meal. Then they ask why.

people will be people

 

[dyno]

The clown tang is in a 96x24x24 tank
I have a 240, 75 and 29 gallon with a 100 gallon sump = 400 gallons

@WVNed awesome tanks! I love all the gorgs...do you keep photosynthetic gorgonians or non? Any special foods to keep them healthy?

 

[Montiman]

I guess it depends on what you mean by success I had one for 3 years and then moved and lost him in the move. I got a new one since them and he is also doing well.

From my experience in the LFS Clowns really aren't harder than any other Ancanthurus species. The one exception to this is that they do not ship well. When receiving new fish many specimens particularly large ones would die from shock immediately but of the ones that made it past the first week all did great. We transshipped all our fish so the tangs had been in bags for more than 3 days sometimes. Clown tangs really don't like this. I assume that the online vendors list them as expert only because they will be much more stressed shipping to your house than one would be if you get it from the LFS and take 20 minutes to take it home.