Tang in my tank
Posted 03/20/2011 at 05:58 PM by saltjohnswharf
I am getting sick and tired of the so-called Tang debate. It seems everyone with a 90 gallon tank has stuck a Tang in there because their tank met the minimum tank size requirements posted online. Tangs cover a large area of the reef everyday and do not enjoy being confined.
When you get a new dog do you just tie it in the yard and throw it some food and water as needed? Sure it looks fairly healthy. If the dogs health could be judged by water parameters, as a fishes health can be, then it would probably test fine. Although the dog is certainly not happy at all. It is whining all night long and barks at everything it sees. Dying for attention. But lets assume you don't have or maybe don't like dogs. Try to imagine yourself living in your home or apartment for the rest of your life. Never able to go past your fence or driveway. Someone would always feed you as you needed it. You could think of an apartment as a nano tank. It is quite confined and there is not much to do. A large ranch with hundreds or thousands of acres can be looked at as a 5,000 gallon system. It does offer more space to roam around. There are more things to see and more potential to play around. But after a few years it too would get old. Especially if you were being forced to eat the same staple diet everyday.
So what's the point? I know Tangs are cool. But if you were to be stuck into cramped quarters after having an almost endless amount of area to explore, would you be very happy?
So what is my recommendation for keeping a Tang? Find the biggest tank you can afford and then save your money and double it. If you have a 5 foot tank and want a Tang, wait until you have a 10 or 12 foot tank.
Better yet, enjoy the thought that these fishes are living and thriving on the reef and try to resist the temptation of confining them in your home. You may enjoy them but do they enjoy you? Are you really interested in their well-being or your entertainment? If your Tang were a dog would it be whining?
When you get a new dog do you just tie it in the yard and throw it some food and water as needed? Sure it looks fairly healthy. If the dogs health could be judged by water parameters, as a fishes health can be, then it would probably test fine. Although the dog is certainly not happy at all. It is whining all night long and barks at everything it sees. Dying for attention. But lets assume you don't have or maybe don't like dogs. Try to imagine yourself living in your home or apartment for the rest of your life. Never able to go past your fence or driveway. Someone would always feed you as you needed it. You could think of an apartment as a nano tank. It is quite confined and there is not much to do. A large ranch with hundreds or thousands of acres can be looked at as a 5,000 gallon system. It does offer more space to roam around. There are more things to see and more potential to play around. But after a few years it too would get old. Especially if you were being forced to eat the same staple diet everyday.
So what's the point? I know Tangs are cool. But if you were to be stuck into cramped quarters after having an almost endless amount of area to explore, would you be very happy?
So what is my recommendation for keeping a Tang? Find the biggest tank you can afford and then save your money and double it. If you have a 5 foot tank and want a Tang, wait until you have a 10 or 12 foot tank.
Better yet, enjoy the thought that these fishes are living and thriving on the reef and try to resist the temptation of confining them in your home. You may enjoy them but do they enjoy you? Are you really interested in their well-being or your entertainment? If your Tang were a dog would it be whining?
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