Shout Out: Smallest Tank, Biggest Tang and YOU!

[revhtree]

We do have the Tang Police on standby so whatch yourselves!

With so many tank sizes and so many tang (surgeonfish) varieties available it's inevitable that this topic will be open to user interpretation and opinion. This topic is going to be about what you believe and why! So I'll lead this discussion off with a couple of questions.

1. What's the smallest tank you think is suitable for a tang (surgeonfish)?

2. Why do you think the certain size tank you answered above is the smallest a tang should be housed in?

 

[Utubereefer]

I have a yellow tang in my 65 gallon tank. It’s 18x24x36. He seems happy in there. I’m sure the popo are gonna be on me tho.

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

I've had a yellow tang in a 20g Nuvo that did just fine. It was about the size of a nickel when I got it.

I upgraded after two years and moved him into a 40g. I don't see an issue as long as they are rehomed when they out grow a tank. He was very happy and grazed all day.

 

[Brew12]

1. What's the smallest tank you think is suitable for a tang (surgeonfish)?

It depends on the type of tang. Many Zebrasoma and Bristletooth tangs will do better in a smaller tank than a Acanthurus or Paracanthurus tang will. For most of first two I "might" consider for a 75g. For most of the later two I would want to be in the 180g+ range.

2. Why do you think the certain size tank you answered above is the smallest a tang should be housed in?

The main reason is stress. Obviously, even a fairly large tang can live in a 20g or 30g display tank at an LFS. This doesn't mean it is good for them. Fish under stress are more likely to grow slower, have challenged immune systems and have aggression issues.
I also don't feel that the size of the fish matters as much as the species. I would put a 5" yellow tang in a 75g system before I would put a 2" hippo tang in one. The swimming habits are more important imo than actual fish size.

I also don't feel that tank size is the only factor that impacts if it is appropriate for some tangs. Sight lines and swimming room is also important. A 6', 180g tank with the old style rock wall and mature coral may only leave a very small path back and forth across the front of the tank. A 4' 150g system with more open swimming area and interrupted sight lines may be better for a tang long term.

 

[jsvand5]

I've had a yellow tang in a 20g Nuvo that did just fine. It was about the size of a nickel when I got it.

I upgraded after two years and moved him into a 40g. I don't see an issue as long as they are rehomed when they out grow a tank. He was very happy and grazed all day.

Where were you able to find a yellow tang that small? Seems like that was before the captive bred ones were around. I’ve just never seen a wild yellow tang available anywhere near nickel sized. I was actually looking for one pretty recently. Surprisingly, to me at least, finding tiny sailfins was much easier.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

50g+ but I would only put Ctenochaetus and maybe Zebrasoma tangs in tanks in this range.

If you are thinking Acanthurus, Paracanthurus, or Naso 100+, 180+ for some of the Acanthurus and Naso tangs.

 

[andrewkw]

I've had a 90 gallon that is 36x24x24 and I've thought about adding a small tang but in all the different setups I've had in it it's still not seen a surgeon fish. I would consider a few different species for a tank this size. Ideally though 4 feet long for the small tangs, 6 feet for the mediums and 8-10 for the giants / meanos. That being said I have kept a lot of different tangs in my 5 foot tank.

When you get into the questionable sizes the skill of the fish keeper and type of setup can make a difference. ie 3-4 fish in a 75g one of which being a yellow tang vs 4 tangs in a 120 can be better and if they have lots of flow to swim against.

The other option for smaller tanks is rescue tangs. If you get one with a damaged tail for instance it's probably never going to need a full sized tank since it's handicapped. I have a friend who has a hippo in a 60g but it's always stayed small and has some kind of birth defect with it's tail so it does not swim anywhere near as fast as a regular hippo. May also explain why it's never gotten to be a giant.

 

[Seamore2001]

I clicked nano, but only because I wanted to see if the tang police are real! In reality, I doubt I'd consider a tang for anything less than a 75, and depending on species, more than double that.

 

[MnFish1]

1. What's the smallest tank you think is suitable for a tang (surgeonfish)?

55 gallons with a lot of swimming area ie less live rock more open area. (unless its a baby tang that you plan to re-home if/when it gets bigger.

2. Why do you think the certain size tank you answered above is the smallest a tang should be housed in?

I don't really believe that its absolutely the smallest tank - if it's a very small tang. Given the size that tangs get to in the wild - it makes sense to give them the biggest tank possible.

As to the poll - I would answer 'none of the above'. Because I think length matters as well - but its not the only thing - for example you could have a 55 gallon tank that was 20 feet long (have you ever seen those long/high really narrow tanks that hang on the wall like a picture - in which the fish can barely turn around?). Gallons matter as well - but Length is important too.

We do have the Tang Police on standby so whatch yourselves!

Here is a nice article concerning the 2 questions above - as well as addressing the Tang Police. Its actually informative: https://www.reef2rainforest.com/2009/01/07/beware-the-tang-police/

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

Where were you able to find a yellow tang that small? Seems like that was before the captive bred ones were around. I’ve just never seen a wild yellow tang available anywhere near nickel sized. I was actually looking for one pretty recently. Surprisingly, to me at least, finding tiny sailfins was much easier.

I lived in Vancouver, WA at the time. It just happened to be in the LFS. Had never seen one that small myself and had doubts it would live there or in my tank, but I took the chance and it did well. Wasn't before captive bred, this was late 2015/early 2016

 

[mort]

With tangs my opinion is give them as much space as you can, not just swimming space but territorial space away from other large fish. Unfortunately the bigger the tank the more tangs people add when if you just had a show tang it would look better and you'd have a happy tang. I've seen tangs in tank sizes that are less than ideal but where they are the daddy, and they have normally been calm, fat and happy.

 

[Huff747]

I have a small Kole in my 40 Breeder. But I have a 750XXL coming that everything from 2 tanks will go into eventually so don't arrest me yet.

 

[smartwater101]

6' at the very least. I'm getting sick and tired of people claiming their tang "seems happy" in their 4' tank.

Your skill level and years of experience mean absolutely f@#&all. You haven't discovered some new technique to keeping fish.

Just stop getting fish that are inappropriate for the home you have available to them.

/grumpy old man rant

 

[ca1ore]

Yup, depends on the genus .... and the species. Tomini would do fine in a 90 ; Chevron would not. Yellow can be OK in a 90 for a while; either of the Sailfins get way too large. 6’ tank is a good compromise for most tangs other than the various naso genus and maybe swimmers like Achilles or hepatus.

 

[ca1ore]

I'm getting sick and tired of people claiming their tang "seems happy" in their 4' tank.

Made me laugh. I agree. Not sure how one tells that a fish is happy versus unhappy anyhow. Stressed or not stressed perhaps .... but happy? More anthropomorphism me thinks.

 

[saltyhog]

As @Brew12 said it very much depends on the genus/species of the tang. It's also not just about gallons but swimming space. A good friend who is on this forum had Hippo in his 6 foot tank. It was small when he added it and it did well for several years. Over time his tank matured beautifully and corals literally filled the tank. The tang got very stressed and developed HLLE. He correctly rehomed it.

My issue is not whether the fish will do well as a juvie in a smaller tank. That is likely true. It's also not about can we but about should we. Choosing as fish that we know can't live out his life in our tank just goes against the grain for me. If we do that then when it matures it has to be caught(which is stressful), moved to a new tank (which is stressful) and get used to new tank mates/social hierachy (which is stressful). Then there is also the issue that our intense desire to keep that fish (which is why we got him in the first place) clouds our judgement and leads us to keep it longer than we should when it outgrows our tank.

I would absolutely love to have a naso tang in my 6' tank but I know it's not an adequate long term home for one. I hate it but it's my present reality. Till I get that dream tank, I'll enjoy them in their natural environment.

 

[MnFish1]

It's also not about can we but about should we. Choosing as fish that we know can't live out his life in our tank just goes against the grain for me. If we do that then when it matures it has to be caught(which is stressful), moved to a new tank (which is stressful) and get used to new tank mates/social hierachy (which is stressful). Then there is also the issue that our intense desire to keep that fish (which is why we got him in the first place) clouds our judgement and leads us to keep it longer than we should when it outgrows our tank.

If I use your logic (and btw I agree with it in principle) - should we be keeping fish 'at all'. We are taking fish (in many cases - no matter what the size) - often placing them in environments which may not contain any of the things in their 'natural environment' - and potentially other things (fish, coral, etc) - that may be totally foreign and therefor a stress? Is keeping any fish in a square tank smaller than x hundred gallons 'fair' or right? BTW - I'm not asking this question to argue with you - I think keeping aquariums is just fine. BUT there are several organizations out there complaining that keeping fish of any type is immoral, wrong, etc using the same type of argument you are using.

Always wondered why there wasn't an angelfish police, lion fish police, etc

 

[TheHarold]

A 20 long should be more than adequate for a few months (but no more).

 

[smartwater101]

Made me laugh. I agree. Not sure how one tells that a fish is happy versus unhappy anyhow. Stressed or not stressed perhaps .... but happy? More anthropomorphism me thinks.

Yeah. It may sound cliche but there is a huge difference between 'surviving' and 'thriving'.

 

[smartwater101]

I clicked nano, but only because I wanted to see if the tang police are real! In reality, I doubt I'd consider a tang for anything less than a 75, and depending on species, more than double that.

Lol the tang police are real. I'm one of them. Just read through the replies of people claiming their tangs are "happy" in a 20 gallon. 40 gallon. 55 gallon. They should know better at this point, but for some reason people think that just because they get away with it that their tangs are happy. lol

There is a difference between 'surviving' and 'thriving' and many people will make up whatever excuse they can, to justify keeping fish they shouldn't. Its cruel and people should take better care of the animals they keep.