Tang in a 55 gallon? Vote!

Can a Yellow Tang live in a 55 gallon aquarium permanently?


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Dave1993

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I feed tangs strawberries lol

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i was asking about this and every 1 pretty much told me i was a idiot i wanted to give my fish strawberrys as a treat
 

Eagle_Steve

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i was asking about this and every 1 pretty much told me i was a idiot i wanted to give my fish strawberrys as a treat
Well, they told me that too.

My tangs get a little banana, some strawberries, and a bit of kiwi from time to time as a treat.

That Des is now 14 years old, so must be doing something right lol. 99% of their diet is nori, caulerpa, graciliria, algae from my turf scrubber, halemeda and codium.Yup, they eat halemeda lol. Guess they need the calcium. They do eat a bit of LRS reef frenzy when I feed the other fish, but could really care less about it. They much prefer the massive hunk of macro thrown into the tank or the macro garden behind the main rock structure.
 

Eagle_Steve

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I do think one thing about tangs needs to be said, and I will probably get bashed for this, but do not care.

Tangs generally roam around to find food. Due to the amount of tangs, they have to roam a lot to get that food. The algae they eat gets devoured quickly when a ton of them are grazing all at once. For this reason, I believe the whole size of tank thing get over exaggerated, to an extent.

One thing I have noticed while getting tangs fattened up and grown up a little more before I was putting them in my 500 is that when provided with a ton of food to graze on, they do not utilize the whole tank at all. While most do not have 6' of macro hidden behind the main rock structure like I do in my 180, if they are provided with a ton of food available for them to graze on, I see no issue with some tangs being kept in smaller tanks. At one point, I had 10 in a 180. From Scopes, a few yellows, 10" Des, 8" achilles, and a few others. I had 0 aggression issues, 0 nutrition issues, pretty much 0 any issues.

I know that this was due to a constant supply of food they could graze one, but this is one thing people need to think about. If doing a smaller tang species in a 55, as long as it is provided with a steady supply of food to graze on or is fed numerous times a day, I see no issue with it. Again, not all will do this and that is where I think it may become an issue. If only fed one time of day, rocks are sterile of micro or macro algae, and tank is this new level of "clean", then I see where issues could/will arise.
 

Jay Hemdal

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I do think one thing about tangs needs to be said, and I will probably get bashed for this, but do not care.

Tangs generally roam around to find food. Due to the amount of tangs, they have to roam a lot to get that food. The algae they eat gets devoured quickly when a ton of them are grazing all at once. For this reason, I believe the whole size of tank thing get over exaggerated, to an extent.

One thing I have noticed while getting tangs fattened up and grown up a little more before I was putting them in my 500 is that when provided with a ton of food to graze on, they do not utilize the whole tank at all. While most do not have 6' of macro hidden behind the main rock structure like I do in my 180, if they are provided with a ton of food available for them to graze on, I see no issue with some tangs being kept in smaller tanks. At one point, I had 10 in a 180. From Scopes, a few yellows, 10" Des, 8" achilles, and a few others. I had 0 aggression issues, 0 nutrition issues, pretty much 0 any issues.

I know that this was due to a constant supply of food they could graze one, but this is one thing people need to think about. If doing a smaller tang species in a 55, as long as it is provided with a steady supply of food to graze on or is fed numerous times a day, I see no issue with it. Again, not all will do this and that is where I think it may become an issue. If only fed one time of day, rocks are sterile of micro or macro algae, and tank is this new level of "clean", then I see where issues could/will arise.

This > Tangs generally roam around to find food.

The Zoo story is similar. A person looks at an elephant in a zoo habitat and says, "The elephant cannot be happy in such a small enclosure, I know for a fact that in Africa the average elephant herd travels 25 miles a day." What the person doesn't realize is that elephants don't do that for "fun", they are forced to do that to find enough food and water. Given the chance to just hang out and have food and water right there, they prefer that. With elephants, boredom is another issue, but not related to space size (working elephants don't get bored).

Jay
 

Eagle_Steve

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This > Tangs generally roam around to find food.

The Zoo story is similar. A person looks at an elephant in a zoo habitat and says, "The elephant cannot be happy in such a small enclosure, I know for a fact that in Africa the average elephant herd travels 25 miles a day." What the person doesn't realize is that elephants don't do that for "fun", they are forced to do that to find enough food and water. Given the chance to just hang out and have food and water right there, they prefer that. With elephants, boredom is another issue, but not related to space size (working elephants don't get bored).

Jay
That zoo story is a good way to look at it.

I will reiterate this, one must provide a constant food source for the tang. I believe this is what curbs aggression, provides the diet they need, and leads to an overall better life of the tang. Feeding 1 time a day and crap food will never work. If the fish is so important to have, treat it like it is. Do that and I think a smaller tang in a 55 will never be an issue.
 

X-37B

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I rehomed my convict tang from my 120 to a 500. Its much happier now.
I also have a Tomini tang from the same 120 and its in my 36x24x12 frag system. I will relocate it to my 80g one day but its happy in the 45 frag system.

Tangs, imo, need 6' plus or larger systems. For tangs the larger the better.
20230123_094709.jpg
 

X-37B

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This is what I merely stated and it is essential but out comes the haters with their Petty comments not realizing what tangs do and require. Sure they can eat flakes and pellets but a varied diet with fats and aminos are essential to their well being , growth, color and resistance to disease.
Mention 10 foods and the hissy fits over nonsense besides the disrespect, animosity and bitterness.
Ive heard of strawberries and the bananas with potassium is one I used to feed my batfish and in my freshwater days- cichlids.
Yea I never will understand the argumentive crowd. Most would never say what they say to your face.
I degress tangs need alot of room and the correct food.

Its the same way with people who project they know everthing but wont show a pic of thier system, lol.
Peace brother
 

Eagle_Steve

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This is what I merely stated and it is essential but out comes the haters with their Petty comments not realizing what tangs do and require. Sure they can eat flakes and pellets but a varied diet with fats and aminos are essential to their well being , growth, color and resistance to disease.
Mention 10 foods and the hissy fits over nonsense besides the disrespect, animosity and bitterness.
Ive heard of strawberries and the bananas with potassium is one I used to feed my batfish and in my freshwater days- cichlids.
They do it to get a rise out of you and some do it just to be funny or joke with you. Being as it appears to work, they more than likely will keep doing it. If others try to get a rise out me (in a not good way lol), I just ignore whomever is trying now. I used to mention my size 15 boot and would have no issue inserting it where it needs to be inserted with anyone, but that would mean me cleaning my boots or a lot of buying new ones lol.

End of day, it is the internet. Things will be said, trolls will troll, keyboard warriors will still sit in their mom's basement and attic with words, and other will disagree with each other. Best to just ignore and move on. The more you let it get to you, the more they will do it.
 
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Eagle_Steve

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Yea I never will understand the argumentive crowd. Most would never say what they say to your face.
I degress tangs need alot of room and the correct food.

Its the same way with people who project they know everthing but wont show a pic of thier system, lol.
Peace brother
Just to show my system and mess with you, as I feel I can and we will get laugh.

Tang police have tried to apprehend me, but they failed. I load my tank in my built Volvo and run away from them.

IMG_7780.jpg
 

vetteguy53081

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They do it to get a rise out of you and some do it just to be funny or joke with you. Being as it appears to work, they more than likely will keep doing it. If others try to get a rise out me (in a not good way lol), I just ignore whomever is trying now. I used to mention my size 15 boot and would have no issue inserting it where it needs to be inserted with anyone, but that would mean me cleaning my boots a lot of buying new ones lol.

End of day, it is the internet. Things will be said, trolls will troll, keyboard warriors will still sit in their mom's basement and attic with words, and other will disagree with each other. Best to just ignore and move on. The more you let it get to you, the more they will do it.
And youre right. I know what truly their issue is and at the end of the day- I know the reality.
 

vetteguy53081

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Just to show my system and mess with you, as I feel I can and we will get laugh.

Tang police have tried to apprehend me, but they failed. I load my tank in my built Volvo and run away from them.

IMG_7780.jpg
I WANT THAT ACHILLES !!!! Thats a beast !
And until I set the 400 gallon up in December, I had to place these guys in a 135g. This was my point about husbandry and diet with a tang in a 55g. They were in there several months. This was the 135g hence the question about a tang in a 55g


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Eagle_Steve

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I WANT THAT ACHILLES !!!! Thats a beast !
And until I set the 400 gallon up in December, I had to place these guys in a 135g. This was my point about husbandry and diet. They were in there several months. This was the 135g hence the question about a tang in a 55g


1674831508591.png

1674831864134.png
That guy was in the 180 for about 9 months to fatten him up and get him a bit bigger. Was worried when he moved to the 500 that the female in there would harass him if he was to small. Him and her have now made the trip to FL and are living in my Dad's 538g sump for the time being until I move down there and put them in whatever I setup once I move.

One thing, behind those rocks is a gracilliria and caulerpa garden. That provides foraging throughout the day, plus I added sheets of nori everyday. Those can be seen being held by my magfloat lol. Only reason for the magfloat holding, was the achilles was scared to death of it when it was used. So, figured use it to hold food and he would not be scared. Worked great. After about a week, he would follow it as I cleaned the glass and would eat the film algae when it was scraped off lol.
 

vetteguy53081

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That guy was in the 180 for about 9 months to fatten him up and get him a bit bigger. Was worried when he moved to the 500 that the female in there would harass him if he was to small. Him and her have now made the trip to FL and are living in my Dad's 538g sump for the time being until I move down there and put them in whatever I setup once I move.

One thing, behind those rocks is a gracilliria and caulerpa garden. That provides foraging throughout the day, plus I added sheets of nori everyday. Those can be seen being held by my magfloat lol. Only reason for the magfloat holding, was the achilles was scared to death of it when it was used. So, figured use it to hold food and he would not be scared. Worked great. After about a week, he would follow it as I cleaned the glass and would eat the film algae when it was scraped off lol.
Good thinking. Fish looks fantastic. What Part of Florida?
My house should get started with repair in the next 2-3 weeks and im Headed to Doral.
 

Eagle_Steve

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Good thinking. Fish looks fantastic. What Part of Florida?
My house should get started with repair in the next 2-3 weeks and im Headed to Doral.
I have a house in Stuart and actually use it when we go down there every few months. Will be moving into it full time, hopefully later this year. Youngest son is still in HS, so waiting for him to graduate and do whatever he is going to do lol.
My house in TN will still be kept for now, as oldest son will use it while he is in college. This allows for him to keep in state tuition and allows us for a place to come up and visit family for the time being. Once we get settled in FL, I plan to sell that house and land (87 acres) so we do not have too much upkeep. Then buy a smaller house up here.

Lots to plan out and lots to fall into place, but at least I have a house in both locations. Makes things so much easier lol.
 

vetteguy53081

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I have a house in Stuart and actually use it when we go down there every few months. Will be moving into it full time, hopefully later this year. Youngest son is still in HS, so waiting for him to graduate and do whatever he is going to do lol.
My house in TN will still be kept for now, as oldest son will use it while he is in college. This allows for him to keep in state tuition and allows us for a place to come up and visit family for the time being. Once we get settled in FL, I plan to sell that house and land (87 acres) so we do not have too much upkeep. Then buy a smaller house up here.

Lots to plan out and lots to fall into place, but at least I have a house in both locations. Makes things so much easier lol.
Love it !!!
 

Lavey29

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I've been noticing a lot of different opinions on this topic, so I wanted to see what everyone thought!
40 gallon tank is way to small for a tang. 55g with rockscape equals 40g and the fish will stress, suffer and then die.
 

Jay Hemdal

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I wrote this editorial back in 2009:

Beware the Tang Police!

For many years, a loose affiliation of aquarists have been active on a particular Internet message board advocating for larger aquariums for surgeonfish. Dubbed the "Tang Police" due to their strong arm tactics, they gang up on the uninitiated and anyone else who dares challenge their assertions. The problem is that they have set unrealistic minimum sizes for aquariums they feel should house tangs based primarily on their personal opinions, and not on any real world data. Additionally, it is confusing to many why these people advocate so vociferously for tangs, but ignore other species of fish that require substantial swimming space, notably parrotfish and wrasses.

People rarely admit they are a member of the "Tang Police", but comments such as, "I just care about tangs, so if that makes me member, then so be it." are commonly heard. Additionally, people can become "temporary charter members" when they join a pile-on where everyone is being highly critical of some poor person who became "arrested" by a member.

Not everyone approves of their tactics or their message. In one classic case, a person actually took the time to identify some members of the tang police, and then went to their online photo areas and discovered pictures of some of their tanks showing tangs in what the police would tell others are undersized aquariums!

Other forums have similar entrenched groups. There is actually a "striped octopus police" that vehemently opposes the ownership of the mimic octopus or the "wunderpus" by private aquarists, yet many of them have kept these species themselves – a case of do as we say, not as we do. I myself am a member of the "Quarantine Police", telling (nagging?) people who post a message that they have Cryptocaryon in their display tank that they need to have a comprehensive quarantine protocol in place. Knowing how this sort of "police action" can affect people, I do try not to be too preachy. There are even a couple of people who operate as linguistics police – every time somebody posts a message about "schools of fish in an aquarium" they swoop in and correct them, saying that captive fish don’t form schools, they form SHOALS.

Jay
 

Dave1993

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Thing is with a 55 is the width is crappy just get a i am by no means the tang police i have a purple and powder blue in a 90 gallon i would add 2 more tangs in with them a achilles and black tang if i knew my powder blue would behave and a black tang would actually come up for sale in the uk
 

Lavey29

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Well I guess my Tomini in my 45, been thier for a year, is suffering and going to die!
I guess sushi is on the menu soon.
Shamu fits in a swimming pool to. Is it morally right? Is it providing an appropriate environment to ensure a long life? Tangs roam 150 feet of reef as their territory in the ocean. Are you providing that?
 

Dave1993

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Shamu fits in a swimming pool to. Is it morally right? Is it providing an appropriate environment to ensure a long life? Tangs roam 150 feet of reef as their territory in the ocean. Are you providing that?
Think you are in the wrong hobby also as mentioned in previous posts they only roam that too find food which they get provided for them they do not do it for fun
 

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