Purple tang in 75 gallon

[adittam]

Ain't no way a purple tang is surviving in thar size tank for any length of time.

It'll survive just fine. But for a fish like PT that already tends to be aggressive, putting in a tank that is too small (like a 75g) will just exacerbate its aggressive tendencies.

 

[ApoIsland]

I would say yes to a purple tang in a 75 g or 90g tank. However the caveat to this is that you probably will be limited to other fish you could get . I would say like the following stock list ?

1-purple tang
2- clownfish
1 - goby
1-2 small wrasse

Which is a nice mix

If done properly you can keep much more than one tang in a 75g tank. I have 3 in a 90g and will soon be adding a 4th and that is exactly the same footprint as a 75g. I have kept 5 in a 4' 120 for a while with no issues besides losing my mind trying to keep up with the nutrient export associated with dumping all that food in the tank.

This guy in the video has kept a purple tang, sailfin tang, and powder blue tang all in his 75g tank for years. The people who say you can't do it are either lousy fish keepers, and probably lousy reef keepers in general, or fish rights activists that think they need to swim 40 miles per day to be happy. Keep the water clean and give them enough food and you can stock that tank with as many fish as you want.




ahh crap. looks like that video may be private. I will ask him to share here. All fish are fat and happy for years on end.

 

[czoolander]

Ain't no way a purple tang is surviving in thar size tank for any length of time.

@Ultra Aquatics would disagree with you

" Kept my purple in an 80g for about 5 years with no issue, he’s in a 280g now though. He’s not stunted, disfigured or anything else. If you like the fish and can care for it, get it! It’s not like putting an Achilles in a 75g. "

It can for sure be done !

 

[tmcd94]

This thread is hilarious. The tang police were out in full force earlier today. I had a close to 20-year-old purple tang in my 180 and he was not 10". Maybe in the wild they will possibly grow that size, but not in reef aquaria. I do not see any issue if a person responsibly keeps a juvenile purple tang in a 75 gallon and upgrades over time.

 

[adittam]

This thread is hilarious. The tang police were out in full force earlier today. I had a close to 20-year-old purple tang in my 180 and he was not 10". Maybe in the wild they will possibly grow that size, but not in reef aquaria. I do not see any issue if a person responsibly keeps a juvenile purple tang in a 75 gallon and upgrades over time.

Assuming the OP is going to buy a juvenile or upgrade over time is quite hilarious also, given they said neither.

 

[Lavey29]

@Ultra Aquatics would disagree with you

" Kept my purple in an 80g for about 5 years with no issue, he’s in a 280g now though. He’s not stunted, disfigured or anything else. If you like the fish and can care for it, get it! It’s not like putting an Achilles in a 75g. "

It can for sure be done !

An anomaly is not the norm sorry and far more have failed but im happy for his success. I tried a small bristletooth in my 80 and after 3 weeks it was climbing the walls so stressed out. The swim 150' of reef territory in the wild. Never again for me and to think a 10" tang in mine absolutely not.

 

[Fishy888]

Purple tang should be ok in a 75g as long as you maintain good water quality and diet.
To end all argument, here is My 135g - Nothing- is impossible

Now THAT is a reef! Awesome! I hope mine will look like that in few years.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Now THAT is a reef! Awesome! I hope mine will look like that in few years.

You need a teaser pic:

 

[Fishy888]

You need a teaser pic:

Yeah that is awesome! I hope to be able to upgrade one day but I probably will stick to my 75. I want to get a yellow tang eventually but I don't think I will be able to keep many of the fish you have in there. Now the corals you have are another story.

 

[Grumblez]

Trying to deligitimize an article I found on a whim doesn't argue the point against. Still waiting for anything credible to say otherwise.

Find me a scientific source showing you need X size tank for Y marine fish. There's definitely and obviously to small like say a 10 gallon for a yellow tang. The other end you have is it is highly unlikely for this fish to show visible signs of stress because it's environment is small, say a 125 gallon for yellow tang. Everything else is in-between that.

It would be cool if someone took hundreds of juvenile off X species and raised them in various size tanks. Spending hundreds of thousands off dollars over many years to get some slightly scientific numbers where we could say "the average yellow tang in a 40 breeder was only 3.8" and had 12% fatality rate compared to yellow tangs in a 75 gallon reached an average off 4.1" and 7% fatality rate"
but obviously that's not practical and still wouldn't be defentive.

The best we can do is use common sense, and look at each individual fish and see if they seem stressed and factor in tank size as a potential candidate among many.

 

[Ultra Aquatics]

An anomaly is not the norm sorry and far more have failed but im happy for his success. I tried a small bristletooth in my 80 and after 3 weeks it was climbing the walls so stressed out. The swim 150' of reef territory in the wild. Never again for me and to think a 10" tang in mine absolutely not.

No offense, but from your post history you seem to be new to the hobby. You failed to properly QT your fish and instead trusted an aquarium service to handle it for you.

I’ve been doing this for about 15 years and can assure you with the proper QT and water quality you can definitely keep Purple or Yellow Tangs in 4ft tanks.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I planned to get a 75 gallon planted rainbowfish tank, but due to the rainbowfish being out of stock, I decided on saltwater. Would a purple tang go in a 75 for many years

I hope that you realise that changing from fresh to salt water is more than just different water?

There is a very big difference in complexity and ongoing costs, as well a huge and very steep learning curve.

You may wish to do some reading for a month or two before leaping into what could be a very expensive mistake.

In regard to the Purple Tang, no 75 g is not big enough long term, it needs a 120g.

Regards

Graham.

 

[Lavey29]

No offense, but from your post history you seem to be new to the hobby. You failed to properly QT your fish and instead trusted an aquarium service to handle it for you.

I’ve been doing this for about 15 years and can assure you with the proper QT and water quality you can definitely keep Purple or Yellow Tangs in 4ft tanks.

And I can keep a German shepherd in a 10' yard with food and water but you don't understand the comparison. To each his own and I wish you continued success. Yes, new reefer for a year now, freshwater about 30 years. I agree, trusting Marine Collectors to properly QT my fish for me at a premium price was a big mistake but now my 9 fish have been healthy and happy for multiple months. Not everyone has the space for a complete QT system so we rely on professional services to assist.

 

[vetteguy53081]

An anomaly is not the norm sorry and far more have failed but im happy for his success. I tried a small bristletooth in my 80 and after 3 weeks it was climbing the walls so stressed out. The swim 150' of reef territory in the wild. Never again for me and to think a 10" tang in mine absolutely not.

It is NOT the norm but with proper management can be accomplished. Its a risk as well as ability. Is it recommended- no

 

[vetteguy53081]

This thread is hilarious. The tang police were out in full force earlier today. I had a close to 20-year-old purple tang in my 180 and he was not 10". Maybe in the wild they will possibly grow that size, but not in reef aquaria. I do not see any issue if a person responsibly keeps a juvenile purple tang in a 75 gallon and upgrades over time.

Agreed and thats where I differ when i see these crazy numbers. In the ocean yes, in captivity, rarely if ever. The largest tang ive seen was a unicorn at 17". My Vlamingi -14"
Typical is 5-7"

 

[Lavey29]

It is NOT the norm but with proper management can be accomplished. Its a risk as well as ability. Is it recommended- no

I agree at some level that very experienced reefers may have success with it but think of the majority who are novices walking into their LFS with the kid begging for dory in the tank and then they read a post from a 15 year experienced expert saying you can do it no problem....cmon we all know the end result.

 

[tmcd94]

Assuming the OP is going to buy a juvenile or upgrade over time is quite hilarious also, given they said neither.

Well if you read my post again you'll see I did not reference anyone particular but rather said "I do not see any issue if a person responsibly keeps a juvenile purple tang in a 75 gallon and upgrades over time". Which I still stand by. My opinion is that the OP does not seem prepared, YET, for this endeavor.

However, your post sure does a lot of assuming, and I think we all know how the phrase about assuming goes

 

[tmcd94]

Agreed and thats where I differ when i see these crazy numbers. In the ocean yes, in captivity, rarely if ever. The largest tang ive seen was a unicorn at 17". My Vlamingi -14"
Typical is 5-7"

Yup, I agree 100%. I had many people comment how my purple tang was the largest they have seen in the hobby, yet he was not even close to 10".
I always wanted a Vlamingi, unicorn, or a sohal but was too worried about them outgrowing my 180 and being "forced" to get an even bigger setup lol.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yup, I agree 100%. I had many people comment how my purple tang was the largest they have seen in the hobby, yet he was not even close to 10".
I always wanted a Vlamingi, unicorn, or a sohal but was too worried about them outgrowing my 180 and being "forced" to get an even bigger setup lol.

My blamingi went from 4” to 11 with 7 months

 

[vetteguy53081]

I agree at some level that very experienced reefers may have success with it but think of the majority who are novices walking into their LFS with the kid begging for dory in the tank and then they read a post from a 15 year experienced expert saying you can do it no problem....cmon we all know the end result.

Agreed