Tang Price Craziness

[StartingATank]

So, I just went to my local fish store, and they recommended me getting a Tang to my aquarium because I need an algae eating fish that isn't a goby. I need a very small Tang as I only have a 29 gallon aquarium, 33 gallon including sump. I came down to 3 tangs, but some of the prices I don't know if are wrong or right, or are just crazily expensive. These are the 3 tangs and prices I found for the same sized tang:
Blue Eyed = $80 - $200
Whitetail Bristletooth = $100 - $400
Chevron = $250 - $4,500

The Chevron Tang Really Confused Me

 

[Prowler66gt]

You don't need a tang in a 29gal. Look for a Lawnmower Blenny instead.

 

[Gabbone]

How can you recommend a tang for 29 gal ?

 

[Tamberav]

So, I just went to my local fish store, and they recommended me getting a Tang to my aquarium because I need an algae eating fish that isn't a goby. I need a very small Tang as I only have a 29 gallon aquarium, 33 gallon including sump. I came down to 3 tangs, but some of the prices I don't know if are wrong or right, or are just crazily expensive. These are the 3 tangs and prices I found for the same sized tang:
Blue Eyed = $80 - $200
Whitetail Bristletooth = $100 - $400
Chevron = $250 - $4,500

The Chevron Tang Really Confused Me

Ya don’t put a tang in a 29g. Get snails or a tuxedo urchin or blenny or all of those.

It’s going to be stressed which makes it more susceptible to disease and most likely aggressive to your other fish in such a small tank so now they might die too… and . So it’s just throwing away money…

 

[exnisstech]

You may want to look for a different LFS if they're recommending a tang for a 29g . If there are no other lfs at least stop by here and ask before following any of their recommendation. Soke lfs staff are knowledgeable and some not so much.


EDIT: Don't buy into the oh it's tiny and will grow slow sales pitch. Happens a lot with the baby blues and yellows.
EDIT 2 did either of your clownfish survive? (Looks through some post but didn't read much)

 

[DrkNMighty]

No tang should go in a tank that small. I would be concerned about any LFS that would recommend that.

 

[Mattiejay6]

thats a horrible LFS to recommend a tang for your tank..

 

[edsbeaker]

So sorry you got such bad advice from someone that I guarantee knew putting a tang in a 29 gallon was not a good idea. This happens very often and is a sad side of this hobby. Also very sorry you posted on the subject of high pricing and all of us are just raging about the bad advice. This isn’t your fault, so I’m hoping our outrage doesn’t sound like it’s aimed at you.

Something that I try and adhere to in this hobby is to use caution when taking the advice of someone in the business of taking your money. Many times they are out for themselves and not looking out for the welfare of the livestock they are pushing to sell. Greed over ethics.

This forum is a much better place to get unbiased advice. It is full of experienced and knowledgeable people that only have your interests and the animals in mind.

As a side note…yes these prices are getting outrageous!!!

 

[Reefer Matt]

I also don’t suggest a tang for a 29 gallon. Pincushion urchins and astrea snails work wonders on algae. Though some snails may go for a ride on the urchin. :)

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Did they recommend the $4,500 chevron?! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[JumboShrimp]

Expensive Tang in a 29-gallon.

 

[14 foot reef]

3 things........ going to guess, 1 we don't here back from the OP for Days.

Second thing is, I bet OP learned of the Idea of a tang to eat algae came from 15 different forums and 500 different posts.

3rd, he went into the LFS and asked for a tang.

Any LFS having a $4500 chevron latin name Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis ( Impossible, Hawaii is shut down ) would not ever sell the prized chevron to a new hobbiest with a 29 gallon tank.

We will let this unfold and see where we land.

 

[BryanM]

I'll 2nd the recommendation for a lawnmower blenny (and also no tangs in a 29g)

 

[StartingATank]

So I read through all this stuff, and here are a lot of things I'm thinking:
1. The person that recommended wasn't;t my normal person I talk to, so I had to post this before I trusted it
2. They would make me sign a contract before selling me an expensive fish
3. They said they would take it back and give me some money when it gets too big
4. I will look into other fish and CUC you recommended
5. They didn't recommend an expensive Tang, but they did recommend a hippo Tang which I thought was even more outrageous, I got the other small tangs off the internet.
6. The person I talked to was the store owner, so this might be why they were more for the money. But he also said that everyone would say no, so I don;t know if this is some kind of scam.
7. The normal person that I talk to actually gives great advice and helped me save a lot of money
8. The other this person told me to do is to dose phosphates and nitrates to increase those. (I also thought this was ridiculous, but maybe this is also true.) He said raise phosphates to .1 ppm, and Nitrates to 15 ppm or 35 ppm. I can't Remember.
9. My clownfish are doing great and they are getting along great
10. Also I don't think you are scamming me
11. If you want to look at the store, it is called Coral Vault or aqua vault
12. Wow, I got to a dozen thoughts, this must be some kind of record.

 

[StartingATank]

Please do not hold this against the store. Also, I just realized, they have the $4,500 Tang in one of their aquariums which they do not sell stuff from.

 

[CHSUB]

Imo, considering cost of an animal shouldn’t effect one’s decision and if it does you’re not a “good” hobbyist. The idea that the life of a $4500 tang is more valuable than a $5 Green Chromis is reprehensible, both deserve our best care regardless of their effect on our wallet.

I’m not going to criticize fish stocking, may try to inform based on my experience. I started in the hobby in 1980 and worked at a LFS for a few years. I have a Tomini Tang in your same aquarium that, imo, is very comfortable going on 1 year. Would I recommend doing the same? Probably not to a beginner… I’ve kept multiple tangs in aquariums as large as 300+ gallons and find no difference in my current tangs behavior. A Tomini or a true Whitetail Bristletooth would be the only tangs I would consider in a small aquarium.
Here is my 300, as an example…

 

[exnisstech]

My clownfish are doing great and they are getting along great

Tangs aside a pair of clowns in a 29g is going to limit your stocking options. When a pair start spawning they can take over a 29g. They can become very aggressive when they are protecting eggs. So many people start off with two clowns in a small tank not realizing their future stocking options become severely limited once they do that. I suppose it's because of their popularity and most stores seem to recommend them as first fish.

 

[StartingATank]

I think I have a nook in the live rock for the Clownfish eggs if they lay any

 

[BryanM]

sign a contract to buy an expensive fish? That's a new one.

 

[StartingATank]

I'll 2nd the recommendation for a lawnmower blenny (and also no tangs in a 29g)

Ya don’t put a tang in a 29g. Get snails or a tuxedo urchin or blenny or all of those.

It’s going to be stressed which makes it more susceptible to disease and most likely aggressive to your other fish in such a small tank so now they might die too… and . So it’s just throwing away money…

You don't need a tang in a 29gal. Look for a Lawnmower Blenny instead.

So, I looked at the lawnmower blenny, and it looks like a goby (I just got into this hobby so I could be mixing them up or they are the same thing). Anyway, I am planning on getting a Randall's Prawn Goby, So I was wondering if this would work instead of a lawnmower blenny