Why do the tang police exist?

jeremy.gosnell · Jul 27, 2016

jeremy.gosnell submitted a new Article:

Why do the tang police exist?

I don’t really consider myself the tang police. By that, I don’t head out on the internet or to local fish shops, with the sole goal of telling people not to keep tangs under certain conditions. However, I do advocate keeping a healthy, sustainable aquarium based on the principles I have personally found useful during 20 years of keeping marine fish. There are just some things that work and others that...

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Kungpaoshizi · Jul 27, 2016

tj w · Jul 27, 2016

Ha, not again!! It's all about providing the best care for the fish we intend to keep in our glass boxes.

jeremy.gosnell · Jul 27, 2016

One of the most important aspects of keeping fish in marine aquaria, is understanding the complexities of the animals you intend to keep.

jenjen · Jul 27, 2016

Excellent article! As a hobbyist who has learned the hard way some of the difficulties of keeping tangs and also witnessed the 'wrath' of the tang police, I really appreciate the objectiveness of this article.

Triggreef · Jul 27, 2016

jeremy.gosnell said:
jeremy.gosnell submitted a new Article:

Why do the tang police exist?

Read more about this article here...

To serve and protect the tangs of course. Duh?

lion king · Jul 27, 2016

You can only educate people how are receptive, and I do find most of the tang police to be rude and judgemental.

steveaus10 · Jul 28, 2016

I do not police any aquarist but I do at times wonder about some things that are done in this hobby!

SeaDweller · Jul 28, 2016

The funny thing is... Most of the tang law enforcement don't even have the tangs they're talking about! They read stuff on LA or see things on RC and regurgitate the info like they're the end all of tangs. I hate that the most!!!

However, one just needs to be smart when selecting fish. Some fish do better with larger tanks and sometimes it's just plain dumb to stick a fish with the potential to grow quickly and needs swimming room in a tiny 20-36 gallon tank.

It just comes down to common sense sometimes.

revhtree · Jul 28, 2016

Nice read!

Forrest Suggs · Jul 28, 2016

TitanCi said:
The funny thing is... Most of the tang law enforcement don't even have the tangs they're talking about! They read stuff on LA or see things on RC and regurgitate the info like they're the end all of tangs. I hate that the most!!!

However, one just needs to be smart when selecting fish. Some fish do better with larger tanks and sometimes it's just plain dumb to stick a fish with the potential to grow quickly and needs swimming room in a tiny 20-36 gallon tank.

It just comes down to common sense sometimes.

JUST TOTALLY IGNORE ANYONE TRYING TO BE RUDE TO YOU ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FISH YOU KEEP WHERE. lAST TIME I CHECKED, THEY DONT HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE YOUR FIRST BORN, ETC AND IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT THEY SAY ON THIS FORUM, THEN DONT READ IT.
I KEPT A YELLOW TANG IN MY 10 GAL TANK FOR OVER 4 YEARS AND I NEVER HEARD IT COMPLAIN EVEN ONCE.

tj w · Jul 28, 2016

Forrest Suggs said:
JUST TOTALLY IGNORE ANYONE TRYING TO BE RUDE TO YOU ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FISH YOU KEEP WHERE. lAST TIME I CHECKED, THEY DONT HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE YOUR FIRST BORN, ETC AND IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT THEY SAY ON THIS FORUM, THEN DONT READ IT.
I KEPT A YELLOW TANG IN MY 10 GAL TANK FOR OVER 4 YEARS AND I NEVER HEARD IT COMPLAIN EVEN ONCE.

Wow, just wow. Not going to be negative here but the common sense statement definitely should've applied in this case.

Sharvey103 · Jul 30, 2016

Great article. While we might have success keeping the fish in a smaller tank we should also think about ensuring the most natural environment we can provide in our little "glass houses."

lion king · Jul 31, 2016

The problem with people who shut down people interested in keeping certain fish that may start out in a tank too small is that it might be that fish only chance at survival. You can research that 98% of fish in the aquarium trade die within the 1st year. My 1st tank was totally inappropriate, undulated, niger, and picasso trigger in a 40g. That undulated went to a 1000g in a bar I frequented and the niger and picasso stayed with me through upsizing twice and lived for 10, and 10+ years with me. I try and give advise to people about keeping juvis of the fish they find fascinating and if their upsize plans don't work out, make sure they have resources to rehome. People that get talked into fish they don't have a fascination for tend to not make it much pass the 1st year of the challenges of this hobby. I get slammed for this advice, and I find these people to be self righteous hypocrites. Check out the buckets of dead fish at your lfs one day and decide if it might be better for a committed hobbyist to take home a purple tang for a 90g with plans of an upgrade.

1MJG1 · Jul 31, 2016

tj w said:
Wow, just wow. Not going to be negative here but the common sense statement definitely should've applied in this case.

Hhahah seriously! Wait the yellow tang never protested the 10 gal? Never posed a sit in? Or "yellow lives matter" protest? Wow! ^^^^ ladies and gentlemen this is the exact reason tang police exist

LadAShark · Jul 31, 2016

1MJG1 said:
Hhahah seriously! Wait the yellow tang never protested the 10 gal? Never posed a sit in? Or "yellow lives matter" protest? Wow! ^^^^ ladies and gentlemen this is the exact reason tang police exist

What I'm trying to understand is how he successfully kept it for 4 years in those conditions.

4FordFamily · Jul 31, 2016

Forrest Suggs said:
JUST TOTALLY IGNORE ANYONE TRYING TO BE RUDE TO YOU ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FISH YOU KEEP WHERE. lAST TIME I CHECKED, THEY DONT HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE YOUR FIRST BORN, ETC AND IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT THEY SAY ON THIS FORUM, THEN DONT READ IT.
I KEPT A YELLOW TANG IN MY 10 GAL TANK FOR OVER 4 YEARS AND I NEVER HEARD IT COMPLAIN EVEN ONCE.

I'm not a member of tang police, but I'll bet that you would survive in a jail cell (like a tang in a ten gallon) and I'll bet a fish wouldn't understand you complaining either, since we communicate very differently.

SMH

1MJG1 · Jul 31, 2016

LadAShark said:
What I'm trying to understand is how he successfully kept it for 4 years in those conditions.

He prob trained it how to swim upside down and turn white

1MJG1 · Jul 31, 2016

4FordFamily said:
I'm not a member of tang police, but I'll bet that you would survive in a jail cell (like a tang in a ten gallon) and I'll bet a fish wouldn't understand you complaining either, since we communicate very differently.

SMH

Main difference being most people don't volunteer to live in a jail cell

nc208082 · Jul 31, 2016

Forrest Suggs said:
JUST TOTALLY IGNORE ANYONE TRYING TO BE RUDE TO YOU ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FISH YOU KEEP WHERE. lAST TIME I CHECKED, THEY DONT HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE YOUR FIRST BORN, ETC AND IF YOU DONT LIKE WHAT THEY SAY ON THIS FORUM, THEN DONT READ IT.
I KEPT A YELLOW TANG IN MY 10 GAL TANK FOR OVER 4 YEARS AND I NEVER HEARD IT COMPLAIN EVEN ONCE.

Great first post, welcome