Purple tang in 20 long

[Aide]

Hi I was wondering how long I could have a 3 inch purple tang in my 30 inch 20 gallon long before I need to find a new home or upgrade?

 

[najer]

Hi I was wondering how long I could have a 3 inch purple tang in my 30 inch 20 gallon long before I need to find a new home or upgrade?

Yesterday!

 

[MelReefer]

Hi I was wondering how long I could have a 3 inch purple tang in my 30 inch 20 gallon long before I need to find a new home or upgrade?

Yes. Please don’t try it #TangPolice

 

[Hydrored]

If yours grows like mine did within 2 months. I had mine in a 20 long for 30 days in quarantine and suffered from HLLE until she was released in a bigger tank, really that fish should be in a 72" long

 

[MERKEY]

Only for Quarentine purposes....I have done it for those purposes only.

Tangs will get HLLE really easily in confined places.

 

[Aide]

What about a 1 and a half inch purple

 

[Auquanut]

Welcome to R2R!

I really think a 3" tang is already too big for that tank. If you haven't added it yet, I wouldn't. If you have, I would rehome or upgrade soon.

 

[Aide]

Don’t worry I haven’t added or even looked at buying one yet

 

[AcroNem]

I wouldn't at all. I often use 20L for quarantine purposes but would never house a tang in one for longer than that.

 

[Jmart]

Not to long especially if there's other fish for it to kill

 

[Aide]

would it work for 2 months I am in the process of upgrading and my LFs has one that would need qt. My tank had a clown and has a lot of open space for it to swim.

 

[Auquanut]

How big is the new tank? When do you intend to have it cycled?

 

[Aide]

It is 48 by 20 by 12 and It will be cycled by the end of July

 

[Hydrored]

I would honestly pass in a tank of that size, my purple tang has killed more fish in my house than any quarantine or issue combined. She only likes her fox face, other than that hates all fish including cardinals. I'm going to a larger 180G tank in a few weeks and I'm really contemplating giving her away.

 

[tehmadreefer]

No

 

[ApoIsland]

Hi I was wondering how long I could have a 3 inch purple tang in my 30 inch 20 gallon long before I need to find a new home or upgrade?

While 30'' is enough room to swim back and forth i don't think it will be enough to swim vertical or front to back. Tangs don't want to just swim laps.
Also, put enough food in a tank that small for the tang not to be stressed and you are looking at some serious water quality issues. Would probably have to change half the water every week and even then it might not be enough.
If 30'' is your max space then get a 55 tall. I have kept tangs in a 30x18x24 without issue. Do your rock work correctly and that would be plenty of room for that fish for a few years if you are not over feeding.

 

[ApoIsland]

What about a 1 and a half inch purple

Tangs go from 1 inch to 3 inches very quickly. Within 6 months with minimal feeding. You can slow the growth significantly after that so figure out a system that can hold a 3 inch tang and you are good.

 

[Dbichler]

Your options for a tang in 48 inch tank is tomini or kole and that’s pushing the boundaries. Every other tang will need bigger or get stressed and cause issues either with others or itself.

 

[CindyKz]

Your LFS will have another one at some point. Pass for now.

ETA: pass until you have a tank large enough to house it comfortably. I don't have experience with purple tangs, but even my Tomini tang seemed cramped in my 4' tank. I wouldn't even have dreamed of a purple.

 

[speedieber]

They grow fast... I would not recommend it... They need at least 100G