Tang ID

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I was going to get a vlamingi from him and that is one of my dream fish! As of now my stock is a damsel, one clarkii and my 4 eels. I have a regal being QTd for me. I have a stock plan but would have to re consider with this fish if it does get 2 feet???

They reportedly get to ~19.7" on average, but they can reportedly get up to ~28".

 

[littlefoxx]

They reportedly get to ~19.7" on average, but they can reportedly get up to ~28".

Oh wow okay big fish

 

[OrionN]

It looks like it is going to be a "big one"
I make a mistake getting a really cute tang once that I could not quite ID. I got to 12 inches quickly and keep on growing.

 

[Devaji]

so would you be Qting this fish? would suck if you Qted your regal then it got sicks from any fish.
are you Qting just to get it eating or for ick etc.?

is that a regal tang or angel? i just assumed it was an angel for some reason as most call them hippos.
good luck with the choice!

 

[littlefoxx]

so would you be Qting this fish? would suck if you Qted your regal then it got sicks from any fish.
are you Qting just to get it eating or for ick etc.?

is that a regal tang or angel? i just assumed it was an angel for some reason as most call them hippos.
good luck with the choice!

Regal angel. Shes currently with the seller, he is doing the full QT for me. She wont be ready until mid February. This is her! Shes so beautiful has a misbar at the top too! Eating like a pig too from the video he sent me! Very excited about her!

 

[littlefoxx]

It looks like it is going to be a "big one"
I make a mistake getting a really cute tang once that I could not quite ID. I got to 12 inches quickly and keep on growing.

Yeah! Its in a 125 gallon now with a bunch of very large fish… just not sure if I should take him or not.

 

[littlefoxx]

so would you be Qting this fish? would suck if you Qted your regal then it got sicks from any fish.
are you Qting just to get it eating or for ick etc.?

is that a regal tang or angel? i just assumed it was an angel for some reason as most call them hippos.
good luck with the choice!

And no, biggest tank for QT I have is a 40B. 100% would not be able to keep this monster in it, also why Im undecided

 

[littlefoxx]

tell him you will take it for free just to give it a bigger home but will need to be rehomed at some point too.
prob. a public aquarium.

does it fit your stocking plans for the 300? would be a bummer if you have to stock the tank around this fish unless its your dream fish.
IDK I would pass they get huge IMHO I would reather have 3-7 smaller fish that this beast of a tang, but hey that just me

Stocking plan for tangs for this tank is
Sailfin
Vlamingi (love these)
Lieutenant
Lavender
Atlantic blue

I know the vlamingi and sailfin and atlantic blue are on the bigger side. So probably would have to get rid of them for this monster.

 

[BryanM]

@littlefoxx any way you can take the big boy temporarily and get it donated to an aquarium? Or even just get the owner and an aquarium hooked up together?

 

[littlefoxx]

@littlefoxx any way you can take the big boy temporarily and get it donated to an aquarium? Or even just get the owner and an aquarium hooked up together?

You know I do have a LFS that has a bunch of accounts they maintain as well as a 500 gallon display in their shop. Might be able to reach out to them and see if they could do anything with him. I could reach out the the denver aquarium too I guess, but he wants 100 for the dude. Also part of the dilemma

 

[BryanM]

You know I do have a LFS that has a bunch of accounts they maintain as well as a 500 gallon display in their shop. Might be able to reach out to them and see if they could do anything with him. I could reach out the the denver aquarium too I guess, but he wants 100 for the dude. Also part of the dilemma

If you can find it a home, I'll pay 1/2 to lesson the blow and give the guy a good home.

 

[littlefoxx]

If you can find it a home, I'll pay 1/2 to lesson the blow and give the guy a good home.

Oh wow thats really generous of you! I dont know anyone here personally who has a tank big enough for him but I will call that LFS and see if they could find him a tank or possibly put him in their big display. Ill go in tomorrow and talk with them.

 

[littlefoxx]

Does anyone know how fast they grow?? Trying to see the time frame I would have to keep him in my tank to get him a bigger swim space and not be super rushed and stressed to get him a home immediately.

 

[BryanM]

Does anyone know how fast they grow?? Trying to see the time frame I would have to keep him in my tank to get him a bigger swim space and not be super rushed and stressed to get him a home immediately.

I don;t know this answer, but I can't imagine you couldnt take him and house him for a month or two and I'd guess not even notice the growth... Giving him time to unstress before a 2nd move.

 

[littlefoxx]

I don;t know this answer, but I can't imagine you couldnt take him and house him for a month or two and I'd guess not even notice the growth... Giving him time to unstress before a 2nd move.

Yeah thats what Im thinking too

 

[OrionN]

I would not keep too many tangs in a 125. Maybe 3 smaller species at the most.
I would not keep Atlantic Blue, Valamingi or Sailfin in a 125. These species just get too big for this tank IMO.

 

[Cheese Griller]

Yeah thats what Im thinking too

I actually found a paper that discusses the maximum age to size relationship in reef fishes from the Smithsonian, which on page 68 states that “The genera Acanthurus, Ctenochaetus, and Zebrasoma displayed rapid initial growth, … resulting in the characteristic square growth curve” (Choat & Robertson, 2002). There is an accompanying figure on page 69 that actually shows A. xanthopterus on that square growth curve. The figure has the fish growing rapidly to a standard length of about 16 inches (so probably 20 inches total length) over the first 10 years of life in a fairly linear fashion, so I would expect about an inch and a half a year in an aquarium setting. Since it’s about a foot now, I would say you have a decent amount of time with it, maybe 2 years, before it gets to around 15” which is when I would say it’s pushing your 300.

Link to the paper: https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/6900/Salebook_chapter.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

 

[littlefoxx]

I would not keep too many tangs in a 125. Maybe 3 smaller species at the most.
I would not keep Atlantic Blue, Valamingi or Sailfin in a 125. These species just get too big for this tank IMO.

My tank is a 300 gallon. The 125 is the guy’s tank this big tang is in currently!

 

[littlefoxx]

The guy with the 125 has this yellow fin tang, 3 vlamingi tangs, 2 hippos, 3-4 other smaller tangs, two of the red and white snappers, a huge rabbit fish, and a batfish (that I can see in the picture).

 

[littlefoxx]

I actually found a paper that discusses the maximum age to size relationship in reef fishes from the Smithsonian, which on page 68 states that “The genera Acanthurus, Ctenochaetus, and Zebrasoma displayed rapid initial growth, … resulting in the characteristic square growth curve” (Choat & Robertson, 2002). There is an accompanying figure on page 69 that actually shows A. xanthopterus on that square growth curve. The figure has the fish growing rapidly to a standard length of about 16 inches (so probably 20 inches total length) over the first 10 years of life in a fairly linear fashion, so I would expect about an inch and a half a year in an aquarium setting. Since it’s about a foot now, I would say you have a decent amount of time with it, maybe 2 years, before it gets to around 15” which is when I would say it’s pushing your 300.

Link to the paper: https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/6900/Salebook_chapter.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Cool! That makes me feel better so I can get it out of that crowded 125 gallon and then take some time to find a good home for it and not be super stressed about it finding a home in like a week or so.