Tang in 70 gallon tank?

[Ryan1221]

I have a fluval Osaka 260l that has 70lbs of live rock and 80lbs of live sand. Have a fluval 496 canister that I run with just chemi pure carbon. In the process of adding a sump. I will be using a tunze 9006 protein.

The tank is 41" wide. I keep hearing that they need at least a 4ft wide tank.

Are there any tangs that would do fine in my tank. I am looking at the kole tang and any of the bristletooth tangs.


I would be adding this fish last.

If I can't get a tang, what other fish would work well for my set up?

My plan is too have a few small fish and 1 fish that got a little bigger than all the others.

My current livestock:
2 true perculas
1 green chromis
1 lawnmower blenny
2 wheeler gobies
1 hectors goby

2 cleaner shrimp
4 turbo snails
4 electric blue hermit crabs
8 assorted small hermit crabs

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Have you thought about a dwarf angel? They provide lots of movement in the tank similar to a tang, but they don't need as big of a tank. I think some of them having more striking colors than the Kole tang or bristletooth tang. Personally, I would not keep a tang in anything smaller than 100 gallons. I had a kole tang in my 55 for about 3 months and it was constantly pacing back and forth and swimming erratically. My tank was just not a good fit for it. I had my friend who has a 120 take it and the fish has been doing much better.

 

[MGoers]

That should be enough room if you start with a smaller one (yellow or blue hippo), and have ample caves in the rock for them to enjoy. People keep tangs in much smaller tanks than that. While not optimal, I don't think you would have a problem if it was just one...

 

[Kano]

You will likely have an issue with a yellow or blue hippo tang as it grows. I had a powder brown in a 90g (4ft) and at around 5 inches including tail he was stressed out and started running into rocks and acting strange. You might be able to keep a Kole tang but it depends on the individual fish. Odds are he will become stressed sooner or later. If you can upgrade or give/trade him to someone if you notice his behavior change you could try out a bristletooth, but be willing to not keep him long term potentially. Not sure if you're running a reef or not but if you can find a reef safe dwarf angel they will add some nice color. You can also consider some of the smaller wrasses.

 

[returnofsid]

IMO, you could add a Kole Tang or similarly sized Bristletooth tang. That's about it. I definitely would not add a Hippo Tang, they get huge fast.

 

[Pappy]

Kole tang will be fine but would def not recommend yellow or hippo as they both get huge(people always say you can move later but gl with that!). I have a scopas in a 75 and he is uber happy. As far as dwarf angel be very careful if you're keeping coral as its always a gamble.

 

[shecter]

A friend of mine had a gorgeous purple tang in a 75 and it was thriving and got pretty big. He also had 2 in the same tank for a while before he upgraded and they both did great. I think a lot of it is the husbandry of the keeper. If its a maticulously maintained system they do great even in a somewhat smaller tank like a 75 but if you don't take care of it as well they don't do as well and usually end up suffering.

 

[MGoers]

I suppose everyone's experience with hippos is different, but mine isn't too active and isn't terribly aggressive like they're known to be. I have a big blue hippo and a medium yellow tang in a 106g shallow with no issues (60x24x17). I would also agree that a Kole tang would be a great choice. Inexpensive and one of my favorites!

 

[chort55]

IMO, you could add a Kole Tang or similarly sized Bristletooth tang. That's about it. I definitely would not add a Hippo Tang, they get huge fast.

Major +1 IMO no hippo should ever go in a tank that size. I decided not to even get one for my 180 when I saw my friends 13" hippo that he had for only a couple years slowly pacing in his 150.... he rehomed it, but last I knew it was around 17". A kole will probably be ok longer, but its still a bit small really. Tangs are all powerful, strong and graceful swimmers that in a tank that size you really cannot even fully appreciate anyways.

 

[chort55]

I suppose everyone's experience with hippos is different, but mine isn't too active and isn't terribly aggressive like they're known to be. I have a big blue hippo and a medium yellow tang in a 106g shallow with no issues (60x24x17). I would also agree that a Kole tang would be a great choice. Inexpensive and one of my favorites!

If you were locked in a closet would you be as active as you would be if you had the whole bedroom to run around in? lol

 

[MGoers]

Major +1 IMO no hippo should ever go in a tank that size. I decided not to even get one for my 180 when I saw my friends 13" hippo that he had for only a couple years slowly pacing in his 150.... he rehomed it, but last I knew it was around 17". A kole will probably be ok longer, but its still a bit small really. Tangs are all powerful, strong and graceful swimmers that in a tank that size you really cannot even fully appreciate anyways.

Yeah you're absolutely right about that. Mine came out of my 210 when I downsized. I would have rehomed, but really he isn't very active and seems to be happy where he's at. Plus I've had several fish get killed after rehoming... When I say mine is big, he is probably 8 inches or so, but appears to be fairly old.

 

[MGoers]

If you were locked in a closet would you be as active as you would be if you had the whole bedroom to run around in? lol

Touche like I just said in my last reply, even with the 210 he barely did any lateral swimming. He does like to go to the top and back to the bottom and release bubbles though, which is kind of weird.

 

[mastaslash]

Really disagree about the "Never put a Hippo Tang in a 75". I have seen hippo tangs the size of a dime (less than 1/2 inch) and I think they would be more than happy in a 75 gallon tank. I am sure a smaller hippo would be fine for at minimum 2-3 years and then have a plan like donating it to the local aquarium or trade it back at the LFS. I bought one 1.5" in size 2 years ago and it is now 4" big in a 125. I also have 200 lbs of rock, so make sure it has hiding spots and it will be fine.

 

[Ryan1221]

I thought angels nip at coral?

 

[Pappy]

I thought angels nip at coral?

They do.

 

[KoleTang]

I thought angels nip at coral?

Depends on the specimen that you get.

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I would not put anything else in that tank until you get your sump and skimmer set up. Last thing you want is to add another fish and have it go over your bioload. It can get messy. Just wait it out until you get your filtration upgraded.

 

[Phyber]

I have a 4" yellow tang in my 65g. He's fattened up to roughly a 1" waistline, swims like crazy through the rock work, grazes 24/7, and set the pecking order as the centerpiece fish of my tank.

I love my tang and would not trade him for the world. I also will not add any other fish after him, as he and my 2 clowns, and 6 line wrasse, have finally gotten to understand each other. Is he happy? Who knows....is anyone really permanently happy? He gets exercise, eats like mad, and looks great physically.

Get the fish you want, within reason, as long as your husbandry is up to it.

 

[Trex]

Good husbandry doesn't mean a thing when a fish is just too big (( or swims too much )) for a certain length tank. Doesn't matter if you have the filtration of a 1,000 gallon tank, a 3 foot long tank is too small for a yellow tang.

 

[Phyber]

Good husbandry also can't hurt. The newbie tank owner with a tang in a 3' tank won't maintain the waste cleanups like a veteran would.

Tang police are naturalists gone wild. If they truly believe in their tank size rules, no one would have a reef tank. Nothing accurately emulates the real ocean.

Get the fish you want, within reason.

 

[caudill187]

I'd vote bristletooth, like others have mentioned. As an alternative, if you have a decent LFS nearby or are a member of the local reef club, you could keep another species for a while and then find him a bigger home.