Is there any tang small enough for a 54 gallon DT?

[Dkeller_nc]

It's tough to determine minimum tank requirements. Those things vary, and more and more, I think the tank size is only one variable to consider and may not be as big of a factor as some people think.

I'd second this. There are cases where even 6 foot long tanks are really too small for really actively-swimming fish such as the pomacanthus angels and larger tangs because the tank's so crowded with rock there's little or no swimming room. In tanks aquascaped this way, smaller active fish that can easily swim through the rock work such as wrasses might be more appropriate.

Conversely, keeping fairly large, actively swimming fish in a minimalist aquascape might not be so good either, depending on how "minimalist" it is. Most vertebrate animals that we keep as pets, including fish, need stimulation in some form or another to avoid developing behavioral problems. In the case of fish, one of the most common behavioral problems that's easy to observe is "pacing" - swimming the exact same path through the tank constantly throughout the day. IMO, keeping a reef-dwelling fish in even a quite large tank that has very little in the way of structure to excite the fish's instinct to browse is inviting behavioral issues.

I think this is a subject that has rather clear outliers that most would agree is good/not good, and a whole lot of gray area in the middle. I'd guess most of us would not want to see a Sohal tang in a 3 foot long tank, and most of us would say a 12 foot long, 6 foot wide reef tank at a commercial aquarium might be appropriate.

 

[dodgerblew]

I'm not the tang police but I personally think that a 36" tank with scape is to small for any tang that has to graze. Sure, you can supplement nori and all the tricks but as a previous poster said in defense of adding a tang, "any tank is to small compared to the ocean" but would you rather live in a bedroom or a closet. If we are going to artificially replicate environments for these species then at least replicate them as best we can to the natural conditions and tangs and small spaces don't mix. As for your wife wants somehow I don't see a grown woman having an issue long term because you won't get a tang because you want to do what you think is the right thing.

My question to all the posters who say "do it" is, how many of you are parents who when their children ask for a dog and they live in an apartment or they ask for a big dog and your replies are "we really can't because it's not fair to the animal because they need to run and we don't have the space or something similar? Or criticize people who keep birds in small cages as pets? Why can't you keep a large dog in a small yard or an apartment or a bird in a cage. Some live many many years in these conditions. I don't think they'd perish because of it.

Just some food for thought and my $.02.

 

[Westside Guy]

One of the people in my LFS gave me an idea that might work. Instead of the yellow tang that my wife really wants he suggested a yellow Assessor. She will be seeing the bright yellow color she wants and in addition as an added bonus at times the Assessor will be swimming upside down!

 

[JustAnt]

One of the people in my LFS gave me an idea that might work. Instead of the yellow tang that my wife really wants he suggested a yellow Assessor. She will be seeing the bright yellow color she wants and in addition as an added bonus at times the Assessor will be swimming upside down!

Tomini “tommy” tang. It’s suitable imho for55 gallon tank. I have one in RSR 250. It’s fins have yellow parts to it.

 

[Squidward]

Flames can become very mean. Out of all the angels these guys are they most aggressive angel. But they are gorgeous.

If you want to throw your wife a curve ball a yellow angel. You could call it a tang hybrid.

Disagree wholeheartedly. The Flameback Angel is way worse and easily the meanest Dwarf Angel. He bullied fish bigger than him. I had to sell him.

To the OP, the answer is simply No.

 

[Mr Mumblez]

I realize this post was a long time ago but I’ve got a yellow eye kole tang that’s 2 1/2 inches in my 46 gallon bowfront and she loves it there she works all day long Eaton stuff off the rocks, glass. Actually my kids named her smoochy because she leaves a little kiss marks on the back glass.

 

[sfin52]

I realize this post was a long time ago but I’ve got a yellow eye kole tang that’s 2 1/2 inches in my 46 gallon bowfront and she loves it there she works all day long Eaton stuff off the rocks, glass. Actually my kids named her smoochy because she leaves a little kiss marks on the back glass.

When she gets bigger she will need a bigger tank. If a tank is too small she may turn very agressive defending her little space. Even more so if there is another algae eater with her.

 

[ReefPig]

Lots of people talk like they have first hand experience of such things, or that tangs come with a care label around their necks stating the minimum tank size, any less will result in death.

The reality is, most of the people here don't know, they just state opinions as facts because they heard someone else says it.

The topic of tangs is by FAR the worst in this hobby.

I have a Bristletooth (white tail) tang in my 50G, it's been in it for over a year, he's fully grown and he's more than happy. He is occasionally a bit of a bully, but thats a tang thing, the majority of the time he's very peaceful and goes about his business eating algae.

My rule is, don't do anything silly, and everything will be fine.

Here's the facts:
The majority of tangs swim MANY miles every day, even the biggest tanks cannot replicate nature and the environment they're used to.
The only difference a bigger tank provides, is more freedom for the fish to not feel threatened, for them to protect a part of it as their home, smaller tanks become increasingly difficult for this, often resulting in bad behaviour (bullying or lots of pacing).
Even in massive tanks, some tangs still pace back and forth, as it's never enough for them, they like swimming.
We decided to get into this hobby and we decided to take fish out of nature and put them in a glass box, as long as we're reasonably sensible, it's fine in my opinion.

This by no means me saying "fill your boot, put whatever tang you want in and it'll be fine". That is absolutely not what I'm saying. I'm saying be sensible.