Tank sizes for tangs: Help us create a list!

[KZ1986]

Hello my question is why 80 gallons instead of 75 for a Yellow Tang? I have a Yellow Tang in my standard 75 gallon (48" x 18" x 21"), she is about three inches right now and is very healthy (bright yellow and no white line and eating a lot, no fin damage or sign of stress or disease). Should I be making a plan to find her a better home?

 

[Aquaph8]

Hello my question is why 80 gallons instead of 75 for a Yellow Tang? I have a Yellow Tang in my standard 75 gallon (48" x 18" x 21"), she is about three inches right now and is very healthy (bright yellow and no white line and eating a lot, no fin damage or sign of stress or disease). Should I be making a plan to find her a better home?

I would honestly consider those the same tank, 80 gallon is just more common ( to me at least)

 

[carolinareefguy]

I saw a blue hippo the size of a dime. Does it need 180 gallon tank? :wink:

something else... difference between a 6 foot 125 and 180 is 6 inches front to back. Same height and length. My opinion, if 125 has 150-200 lbs of rock and the 180 has 200-250 lbs of rock, they offer nearly the same swimming space.

 

[Aquaph8]

Geeze people these are suggestive guidelines, nobody is gonna come to your house and spank you. Most of these are right inline with the suggestions a reputable online store would give you. Just think they're trying to get your money too.

Yes a dime size hippo tang will fit in a smaller tank and be fine for a while but I strongly feel you should buy fish that will thrive for their lives in your tank. Before someone says "but Im gonna upgrade soon", why not show some restraint and get that fish later when you upgrade.

 

[KZ1986]

O ok, I just wanted to make sure because I checked a couple of sources and was told 75 gallon could be a nice home for a Yellow Tang if water quality was maintained and properly feed. I try to always ensure my fish are in the best environment as possible. Thank you

 

[evolved]

Geeze people these are suggestive guidelines, nobody is gonna come to your house and spank you. Most of these are right inline with the suggestions a reputable online store would give you. Just think they're trying to get your money too.

Yes a dime size hippo tang will fit in a smaller tank and be fine for a while but I strongly feel you should buy fish that will thrive for their lives in your tank. Before someone says "but Im gonna upgrade soon", why not show some restraint and get that fish later when you upgrade.

+1 million

 

[carolinareefguy]

This is why these guidelines should be, for a fish that is near adult size. And remember, if proper care is taken, they all get big and fast.

To my other point, is there a major difference between a 125 and 180 both 6 feet long?

 

[carolinareefguy]

This is why these guidelines should be, for a fish that is near adult size. And remember, if proper care is taken, they all get big and fast.

To my other point, is there a major difference between a 125 and 180 both 6 feet long?

 

[Chops30]

Geeze people these are suggestive guidelines, nobody is gonna come to your house and spank you.

It makes me sad to here that.

Sorry couldn't resist.

 

[Aquaph8]

This is why these guidelines should be, for a fish that is near adult size. And remember, if proper care is taken, they all get big and fast.

To my other point, is there a major difference between a 125 and 180 both 6 feet long?

I think so, a 180 has a lot more space than a 125, the front to back space makes a big difference IMO. This thread doesn't exist to argue over small details between tank sizes though. It's simply a guide or a suggestion if you will.

It makes me sad to here that.

Sorry couldn't resist.

Alright I'll make an exception. LOL

 

[AquaticallyDistracted22]

Overall I think this whole conversation is a bit ridiculous, not as much because of the topic, but because of the way people are handling it. You can clearly see reading through these 4 pages that there is a solid mix of 1.) people who treat there fish like part of the family and treat their fish like they would a pet dog, 2.) people who treat their tank like an art piece/decoration and care more about the colors and movement than the health of an individual fish, and 3.) people who are so unsure of what they are doing that they treat what people say in forums as fish bible and should probably have done a bit more research before asking questions. All that being said, and to repeat what a few have pointed out already, there is never going to be a true and final decision so as much as this list is a fun way to get a topic started....it reeeaalllly doesn't mean jack.

In my OPINION, and nothing more, an aquarium, any aquarium, needs to be a solid mixture of both pet and art from beginning to end. Your rock should be set up where you have sight lines through it, the overall form is appealing and it is secure, BUT one then needs to consider is it shelter enough, have I left enough swimming room. JUST as choosing marine life should start with am I going to enjoy this fish/invert/coral is it appealing to me, is it going to keep my interest and make me want to look after its health, BUT after coming to these conclusions one must take that step back and say hey, will this fish thrive? What do I have established already? What would I like to introduce later?

When I first began my adventures in saltwater I treated it as I did a freshwater aquarium as a kid (once it was cycled and all of course) and started with the gimme that, and that, and THAT! Now I take a minimum of a week to buy anything in which I will research, put together a "cart" on a website, look at cost, go back and do more research on fish and compatibility, look at how many fish I am adding vs inverts and corals, make sure my "cleaning crew" is up to par, make adjustments to my "cart", double check everything again, and so on.

Now that I've rambled, I just added a 1.5" Sailfin Tang to my newly established 55gal. This comes after almost two years of reefing; starting at 29gal, then 46gal, and now finally a 4ft tank. Two years of desperately wanting a Sailfin, because though less rare I guess I find them to be one of the more beautiful saltwater fish I've encountered, but knowing I had not the space. Finally after setting up my new 55gal, rearranging live rock to allow for maximum hiding space while also maximizing open swimming room (NEED to find time to start a new thread BTW cause I'm pretty pumped about it), looking at what I had for marine life already, knowing I have and wouldn't have anything comparable in size, that I would be introducing both old and new marine life together, before territories were established and also that my desire to have a Sailfin and its beauty as part of the art that is my aquarium hadn't changed, I made the decision that it was right and that I could support him. Though its only been a couple weeks he looks to be happy, healthy, eating well, pulling up to the "cleaning station" established by my Skunk Cleaner shrimp quite regularly for a cleaning and even schooling with my two Clownfish, two Yellowtail Damsels and Royal Gramma (pretty cool to watch when they're all together in the current BTW).

To wrap up, again ranting (stuck at work will do that to ya), there are ideas and research and opinion, but it all comes down to what you think you can support, afford, enjoy and feel you can keep and keep healthy. Would I put a tang in less than a 4' tank? No, I waited even though I REALLY wanted one. Do I think my new little guy is doing just fine and will for quite a while? Yes I do. Do I think he will stay happy and healthy? Sure, at least for quite awhile. Do I think there may be problems down the road? Possibly, but you'd run into problems with ANYTHING, fish, dog, cat, car, life...I'm happy, my fish is happy...I'll cross other bridges when the time comes.

 

[eliramos]

Overall I think this whole conversation is a bit ridiculous, not as much because of the topic, but because of the way people are handling it. You can clearly see reading through these 4 pages that there is a solid mix of 1.) people who treat there fish like part of the family and treat their fish like they would a pet dog, 2.) people who treat their tank like an art piece/decoration and care more about the colors and movement than the health of an individual fish, and 3.) people who are so unsure of what they are doing that they treat what people say in forums as fish bible and should probably have done a bit more research before asking questions. All that being said, and to repeat what a few have pointed out already, there is never going to be a true and final decision so as much as this list is a fun way to get a topic started....it reeeaalllly doesn't mean jack.

In my OPINION, and nothing more, an aquarium, any aquarium, needs to be a solid mixture of both pet and art from beginning to end. Your rock should be set up where you have sight lines through it, the overall form is appealing and it is secure, BUT one then needs to consider is it shelter enough, have I left enough swimming room. JUST as choosing marine life should start with am I going to enjoy this fish/invert/coral is it appealing to me, is it going to keep my interest and make me want to look after its health, BUT after coming to these conclusions one must take that step back and say hey, will this fish thrive? What do I have established already? What would I like to introduce later?

When I first began my adventures in saltwater I treated it as I did a freshwater aquarium as a kid (once it was cycled and all of course) and started with the gimme that, and that, and THAT! Now I take a minimum of a week to buy anything in which I will research, put together a "cart" on a website, look at cost, go back and do more research on fish and compatibility, look at how many fish I am adding vs inverts and corals, make sure my "cleaning crew" is up to par, make adjustments to my "cart", double check everything again, and so on.

Now that I've rambled, I just added a 1.5" Sailfin Tang to my newly established 55gal. This comes after almost two years of reefing; starting at 29gal, then 46gal, and now finally a 4ft tank. Two years of desperately wanting a Sailfin, because though less rare I guess I find them to be one of the more beautiful saltwater fish I've encountered, but knowing I had not the space. Finally after setting up my new 55gal, rearranging live rock to allow for maximum hiding space while also maximizing open swimming room (NEED to find time to start a new thread BTW cause I'm pretty pumped about it), looking at what I had for marine life already, knowing I have and wouldn't have anything comparable in size, that I would be introducing both old and new marine life together, before territories were established and also that my desire to have a Sailfin and its beauty as part of the art that is my aquarium hadn't changed, I made the decision that it was right and that I could support him. Though its only been a couple weeks he looks to be happy, healthy, eating well, pulling up to the "cleaning station" established by my Skunk Cleaner shrimp quite regularly for a cleaning and even schooling with my two Clownfish, two Yellowtail Damsels and Royal Gramma (pretty cool to watch when they're all together in the current BTW).

To wrap up, again ranting (stuck at work will do that to ya), there are ideas and research and opinion, but it all comes down to what you think you can support, afford, enjoy and feel you can keep and keep healthy. Would I put a tang in less than a 4' tank? No, I waited even though I REALLY wanted one. Do I think my new little guy is doing just fine and will for quite a while? Yes I do. Do I think he will stay happy and healthy? Sure, at least for quite awhile. Do I think there may be problems down the road? Possibly, but you'd run into problems with ANYTHING, fish, dog, cat, car, life...I'm happy, my fish is happy...I'll cross other bridges when the time comes.

Preach my friend!
Good luck to you and your new member of the family as well!



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[BBoley24]

imo no tang should go into anything less than a 75 gal 4 ft long tank and this is for the smallest possible tangs. Even the tomini and the kole tang attain max size at 7". I have an 11" vlamigi tang in my 6 ft 220 and he looks kind of cramped in there

bob

bob no room to speak!!!!

 

[Badspstank]

If you want another tang and you can keep it healthy and happy go for it. Keep in mind most tangs will fight

 

[indyjaco]

I have a 5" hippo in a 125. He was in a biocube before I got him. I will say that he could easily use a tank 2 or 3x the size of mine. I already know he will out grown the tank in a couple years. Good for me, the future wife wants/allows me to get a bigger tank once we are hitched next year. He will gain some swimming space.

I had a yellow tang and he was fine in a 75G. He wasn't as crazy as the hippo when it comes to swimming and pacing.

 

[robbrouse]

Yes or no for a yellow tank in a 75 gallon tank?

 

[dwilliams87]

I have a bull shark in my 40 gallon.

 

[robbrouse]

I have a bull shark in my 40 gallon.

I'm asking a serious question, According to this list it seems like it would be doable. Don't want to do it if it's not advisable.

 

[Aquaph8]

Yes or no for a yellow tank in a 75 gallon tank?

I would say yes but expect it to be pretty aggressive towards any fish similar shaped added after it.

 

[Reefing Madness]

I would say yes but expect it to be pretty aggressive towards any fish similar shaped added after it.

Agreed. If your going to do it, put him in last, or move the tank around before you add another fish, if he's already in there.