What’s the biggest tang you’ve seen?

[vpierce3]

I’m curious: how big was the largest purple, sailfin, gem or yellow tang that you personally have seen in a home aquarium….250 gallons or less?
I’ve kept salt water fish for 25 yrs and I’ve only seen them achieve 60-70 percent of their wild sizes.
What is your experience?

Attention Tang Police: Nobody is advocating keeping them in small tanks. I’m just curious as to what everyone has actually seen.

 

[SilvermistInc]

Unicorn at the aquarium. It was like 3 feet long.

 

[i cant think]

A 1 meter (3 foot) long Unicorn - Naso annulatus.
Closely followed by a 15 inch Sohal grown from a 2 inch juvenile.

 

[ApoIsland]

I’ve seen so many yellow tangs but none larger than 5 inches in a home aquarium.

Haven’t seen any of the others on your list in more than a handful of tanks in person. But none were bigger than 7-8 inches.

 

[chipchipbro]

that was one of the biggest ive seen.. in a china restaurant…

 

[i cant think]

that was one of the biggest ive seen.. in a china restaurant…

We don’t come across mata often but I do recall seeing a sweet sized specimen in the tank with the Sohal (The specimen was about 10 inches).

 

[vpierce3]

that was one of the biggest ive seen.. in a china restaurant…

Wow. That’s a big one.

 

[vpierce3]

Thanks for the replies. But I’m asking about Yellow, Sailfin or Purple.
Heck, lets add Hippo Tang as well.

In a home aquarium.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Thanks for the replies. But I’m asking about Yellow, Sailfin or Purple.
Heck, lets add Hippo Tang as well.

In a home aquarium.

It is an open forum. People may extrapolate on your prompt.

I've seen a few foot long sailfins. Yellow, probably 5"5" body. They've got a few as well a huge scopas in one of their systems at LAX aquariums

 

[vetteguy53081]

21” unicorn tang

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Not a zebrasoma, or a home aquarium... but the SC Aquarium in Charleston SC has a tank with queen angels and Atlantic blue tangs. The largest fish in there are easily 18-24" and dummy thicc.

 

[Zionas]

How big do Blue Hippos usually get in captivity?


If I had to cast a vote, it would be any Tang you can’t fit in a cup. That’s a large Tang.

 

[vpierce3]

How big do Blue Hippos usually get in captivity?


If I had to cast a vote, it would be any Tang you can’t fit in a cup. That’s a large Tang.

I agree. But please define large cup.

 

[Zionas]

Anything larger than a Pepsi bottle.

 

[socalfishy]

The mirage in vegas has a really really big unicorn at the front desk tank.

 

[guna24]

I have one naso more than 10 inch including streamer. The pic compare with powder blue tang about 5 inches

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Yellow Tang in a Hotel Aquarium in Honolulu. Big as the Smaller Corelle Dinner Plate. The nose area was very pale and it’s colors weren’t as brilliant as the other Yellow Tangs in the Aquarium. The fish was very healthy. It was herding the other Tangs. The Hotel was Oceanside, near the Army Hotel, and had brightly painted balconies on it.

 

[vpierce3]

I have one naso more than 10 inch including streamer. The pic compare with powder blue tang about 5 inches

Beautiful fish. I’d love a Naso but I only have a 150 gallon. So I’d have to re-home him when he got too big.
And I already have a blue tang. So I’m worried if I add a naso they will fight.
Did you add one after the other, or both at the same time?

 

[NowGlazeIT]

2 foot sailfin at a lfs. not sure if it was wild caught at that size

 

[guna24]

Beautiful fish. I’d love a Naso but I only have a 150 gallon. So I’d have to re-home him when he got too big.
And I already have a blue tang. So I’m worried if I add a naso they will fight.
Did you add one after the other, or both at the same time?

I have added 3 of my tangs(powder blue, scopas and naso) together couple of years ago. At that time, my scopas tang was bullying a bit. Honestly I have added them less than 3 inches on my 90 gallon tank. As far as my experience, blue tang may accept other tangs after an initial aggression. But for sure, size of the fish should be different if you add the one after the other, so that small fella may go submissive. Now my naso the muscular man became a feet size. In fact, his streamer itself grown over 3 inches. I’m really worried that I’m not in a position to upgrade my system. Aside, while picking up a naso, be selective on male since I have never seen such a vibrant bold colour on female naso’s when they grown up. Have future plan to upgrade the tank size over 200 gallons or more with minimum of 5 feet long. 6 feet would be good enough for grown naso. Some pics…