Opinions on larger fish for 90 Gal!

[sfin52]

Interesting, as I am in a similar situation with planning my 90-gallon reef. My 75-gallon FOWLR came with a 4" purple tang in it, so I would like to make this fish work for a while.
I am also planning to have a Tomini tang, since they are one of my favorite tangs and should fit in a 90-gallon tank.


Is it a bad idea to keep a fish until it grows too large for a tank? I acquired a 75-gallon FOWLR with a 4" purple tang. I am planning an upgrade right now to use an empty 90-gallon tank for a reef. In the future, I have hopes to get a tank large enough to easily house fish up to the size of purple tangs and foxfaces. Could I keep the purple tang in the 90-gallon for several months or is it likely to grow fast and get stressed out in a 90-gallon?

The only thing different from the 75 is height. Smaller tangs like the kole will do fine in a 75

Sweet! Thanks!

Your welcome

 

[excell007]

So the pictures you put, are okay long term in a 90 Gal?

I think he meant, if you like your tang looking like that, don't put them in a 90G. These are his tangs and I think they're on a 300G tank. I have kept a purple in a 90 and he lasted more than 12 years not sure how old he is when I got him, but I never had more than 8 fish at a time on that tank. Having said this, I think he did not grow to his full size. Never got another tang when that one died 3 years ago.

 

[sfin52]

I’m back on the forums for like the 800th time lol. So, I wanted some opinions on a little bit larger size fish that could go in my tank! (FOR TANGS)!! (BASED OFF OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE!!!) I wanted a little bit of a larger fish, so just opinions on good fish. Obviously I know that it can’t be too big, but the max size for my tank for them to thrive!! A purple tang, powder blue, lavender tang ( can someone give specific advice on these guys? I’m in love with them.)!! Thanks!

Tank sizes for tangs: Help us create a list!

Let's put our heads together and come up with a good general rule of thumb for tanks sizes for specific tangs in gallons and in feet. Here is a list of tangs: (please let me know if I missed any) FISH - Minimum Gallons - Minimum Tank Size in Feet Achilles Surgeonfish - 180g - 6 ft...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Soren]

The only thing different from the 75 is height. If it work
...

I understand this. I am upgrading to a 90-gallon that is probably the same dimensions as that of Brooke24. My question is if a 90-gallon is still too small for a purple tang or not, which I take to be part of the same question that Brooke24 had. I may plan to upgrade to a larger reef next year to make sure the tank is big enough for a purple tang.

I think he meant, if you like your tang looking like that, don't put them in a 90G. These are his tangs and I think they're on a 300G tank. I have kept a purple in a 90 and he lasted more than 12 years not sure how old he is when I got him, but I never had more than 8 fish at a time on that tank. Having said this, I think he did not grow to his full size. Never got another tang when that one died 3 years ago.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I am hoping my purple tang will be fine (at least for a while) in the 90-gallon though I still do not know that a purple tang can be recommended for a lifetime in a 90-gallon. I suppose it depends on whether we are willing to have a tang that may not reach full size due to stunting like your experience seems to be.

 

[sfin52]

I understand this. I am upgrading to a 90-gallon that is probably the same dimensions as that of Brooke24. My question is if a 90-gallon is still too small for a purple tang or not, which I take to be part of the same question that Brooke24 had. I may plan to upgrade to a larger reef next year to make sure the tank is big enough for a purple tang.


Thanks for sharing your experience. I am hoping my purple tang will be fine (at least for a while) in the 90-gallon though I still do not know that a purple tang can be recommended for a lifetime in a 90-gallon. I suppose it depends on whether we are willing to have a tang that may not reach full size due to stunting like your experience seems to be.

Purple will do fine in a 90. Just don't add any more tangs.

 

[excell007]

I understand this. I am upgrading to a 90-gallon that is probably the same dimensions as that of Brooke24. My question is if a 90-gallon is still too small for a purple tang or not, which I take to be part of the same question that Brooke24 had. I may plan to upgrade to a larger reef next year to make sure the tank is big enough for a purple tang.


Thanks for sharing your experience. I am hoping my purple tang will be fine (at least for a while) in the 90-gallon though I still do not know that a purple tang can be recommended for a lifetime in a 90-gallon. I suppose it depends on whether we are willing to have a tang that may not reach full size due to stunting like your experience seems to be.

I think he's already stunted when I got him. He's on a display tank of an LFS that's closing down. I think that tank is a 75g with a bunch of corals and only 3 fishes, a pair of clowns and the purple.

 

[Soren]

I think he's already stunted when I got him. He's on a display tank of an LFS that's closing down. I think that tank is a 75g with a bunch of corals and only 3 fishes, a pair of clowns and the purple.

I suspect that stunting may already be my case as well, since the previous owner said he had the purple tang for about two years in the 75-gallon before my acquisition. Personally, I am fine with that if it allows me to keep my tang regardless of a future upgrade larger than the 90-gallon, but I do not want to be responsible for intentionally placing fish in too small of a tank for full-life growth expectations. If my tank is not big enough for expected growth, I will skip that fish until I am sure I can supply enough space.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Long term:

yellow eye kole
Tomini
Eibli tang
Gem maybe (btw now fallen to about $450)
Chocolate
Lavender

 

[HB AL]

I've had a yellow, purple, hippo and blonde naso in my 90g for the last few years and they are doing great. With that said I knew at some point I was gonna need a larger tank so I'm gonna be upgrading to around a 200g which should work out good for all my fish which I have alot of. I would add some tangs if I were you and thats what you want.

 

[Soren]

...
Gem maybe ...

Whoa, aren't these usually recommended for a minimum tank size of 180 gallons? (...or maybe 125 if pushing the lower limits)? I would like to know more about your advice, as I find these interesting as a potential consideration for a 90-gallon reef.

 

[Brooke24]

I think he meant, if you like your tang looking like that, don't put them in a 90G. These are his tangs and I think they're on a 300G tank. I have kept a purple in a 90 and he lasted more than 12 years not sure how old he is when I got him, but I never had more than 8 fish at a time on that tank. Having said this, I think he did not grow to his full size. Never got another tang when that one died 3 years ago.

Ohhhh, haha! I was like... wait isn’t that what he said not to do?

 

[Brooke24]

Long term:

yellow eye kole
Tomini
Eibli tang
Gem maybe (btw now fallen to about $450)
Chocolate
Lavender

Can the lavender thrive in my 90?

 

[Soren]

Can the lavender thrive in my 90?

It seems like a larger tank (120 or 125) is usually recommended for a lavender tang, but it is probably on the borderline for inclusion in a 90-gallon. It probably depends on how much swimming space you leave in the tank as opposed to filling with rock and coral, and it depends on the other fish in the tank (especially other herbivores).

Since I like tangs so much and have been planning my 90-gallon reef, I have been researching the same question. It seems like the best recommendation would be a yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) or bristletooth tang (Ctenochaetus) like Kole (strigosus) or Tomini (tominiensis) as previously suggested by more experienced reefers. Anything larger is likely to receive suggestions for a larger tank at adult size.

My situation is a bit different, since I already acquired a purple tang that may be stunted in a 75-gallon tank, though it seems like purple tangs (Zebrasoma xanthurus) might be another borderline-acceptable option for a 90-gallon tank.

 

[fishlover1478]

The tang police have arrived...

why is the tang driving a Ferrari?

 

[Brooke24]

why is the tang driving a Ferrari?

lol

 

[Brooke24]

It seems like a larger tank (120 or 125) is usually recommended for a lavender tang, but it is probably on the borderline for inclusion in a 90-gallon. It probably depends on how much swimming space you leave in the tank as opposed to filling with rock and coral, and it depends on the other fish in the tank (especially other herbivores).

Since I like tangs so much and have been planning my 90-gallon reef, I have been researching the same question. It seems like the best recommendation would be a yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) or bristletooth tang (Ctenochaetus) like Kole (strigosus) or Tomini (tominiensis) as previously suggested by more experienced reefers. Anything larger is likely to receive suggestions for a larger tank at adult size.

My situation is a bit different, since I already acquired a purple tang that may be stunted in a 75-gallon tank, though it seems like purple tangs (Zebrasoma xanthurus) might be another borderline-acceptable option for a 90-gallon tank.

Yeah I figured that out as well, but with a lavender I think it should be fine as long as I have good swimming room for him, keep him fed, and have good aqua scaping

 

[Brooke24]

It seems like a larger tank (120 or 125) is usually recommended for a lavender tang, but it is probably on the borderline for inclusion in a 90-gallon. It probably depends on how much swimming space you leave in the tank as opposed to filling with rock and coral, and it depends on the other fish in the tank (especially other herbivores).

Since I like tangs so much and have been planning my 90-gallon reef, I have been researching the same question. It seems like the best recommendation would be a yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) or bristletooth tang (Ctenochaetus) like Kole (strigosus) or Tomini (tominiensis) as previously suggested by more experienced reefers. Anything larger is likely to receive suggestions for a larger tank at adult size.

My situation is a bit different, since I already acquired a purple tang that may be stunted in a 75-gallon tank, though it seems like purple tangs (Zebrasoma xanthurus) might be another borderline-acceptable option for a 90-gallon tank.

I don’t like the thought of buying a fish and trading it out later either, all my pets are my family so that’s kinda just having them for show, you know? So whatever I get will stay in my tank forever

 

[Soren]

Yeah I figured that out as well, but with a lavender I think it should be fine as long as I have good swimming room for him, keep him fed, and have good aqua scaping

Based on my research, I would probably consider a lavender tang to be on the same acceptable borderline for inclusion in a 90-gallon as a purple tang.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Definitely a few mixed answers. IMO most tangs require 6' at a minimum swimming room. I personally have bought tangs from people who had them in small tanks for 1+ years and their behavior was terrible. Very skittish, randomly swim into rock or glass, but would look 'healthy' if just evaluated from appearance. When I put fish like this in my tank (6'x2'x2') it took around a year before their behavior somewhat normalized. One just never improved. They were all chubby and the only negative I could see is the size of tank they were housed in. I am in the process of building out a 8' tank to move my fish in. This is just my opinion. In large enough tanks I have seen the most 'aggressive' of tangs be model citizens.

 

[Brooke24]

Definitely a few mixed answers. IMO most tangs require 6' at a minimum swimming room. I personally have bought tangs from people who had them in small tanks for 1+ years and their behavior was terrible. Very skittish, randomly swim into rock or glass, but would look 'healthy' if just evaluated from appearance. When I put fish like this in my tank (6'x2'x2') it took around a year before their behavior somewhat normalized. One just never improved. They were all chubby and the only negative I could see is the size of tank they were housed in. I am in the process of building out a 8' tank to move my fish in. This is just my opinion. In large enough tanks I have seen the most 'aggressive' of tangs be model citizens.

thank you!!!