Tangs and Tank size

Thefishwrangler · 05/17/2016, 10:21 PM

With juvenile tangs/ smaller tangs it it okay to raise them in a smaller tank while they are a smaller size still? And then at what point should they be moved to a larger tank?

CStrickland · 05/17/2016, 10:47 PM

You're bio says you have a 50 gallon tank. I had a 55 and some folks said it would be OK to put in a kole tang since I was planning to upgrade. Koles are in the family of bristle tooths that can be kept in the smallest tanks. I decided to be patient and I am so glad I did. He is still only 3" long (boy they do grow fast), and he covers every inch of my 120. All day long he cruises and inspects and polices and eats algae. I built in a lot of caves and tunnels to give the fish stimulating swimming routes instead of just circling the tank, and he is all over it.

I think if I had put him in the 55 I might have thought it was good enough lacking anything to compare it to, but I would have felt very guilty once I saw him in the 120, cause it's not good enough.

Further, I would have had to dismantle my rock work to catch him, they are fast and can really snug into tight spaces like you wouldn't believe. So once You have the whole existential crisis of deciding to give up a pet you've gotten attached to (they are friendly fish) because it's become unkeepable, you have to attack it with a net like a mean jerk.

And that's just a kole tang. If you're thinking of something more ambitious, you're dealing with ich risk and aggression and all sorts of things.
How would you even know when it's time to move?
How would you move?
Where would you move it to? - do you have a friend with a big tank who has already committed to taking your leftover old busted up fish? Cause selling it back to an lfs so they can sell it to someone with a 40b isn't good enough.

JohnnyHildo · 05/17/2016, 10:47 PM

tank size to a certain extent depends on the tang. there is no absolute when it comes to moving the fish over, i guess when it looks too big.

CStrickland · 05/17/2016, 10:51 PM

Or when it kills all the other fish.

Bent · 05/17/2016, 10:57 PM

My kole is nearing the end of the QT stent and I'm wondering how he will do. He's pretty big and going in a 75.

So yes they are all very active.

kmbyrnes · 05/18/2016, 05:06 AM

Responsible fish husbandry is part of this hobby.
IMO you should never buy a fish for 'the tank you are going to get', only for the one you have now. Life happens and tank upgrades get put on hold.
I had a beautiful sailfin tang in a 110 when I first started out. In less than 2 months, I had to rehome him.
But that fish was the main reason continued to learn about reefing and fish keeping and waited patiently ( sort of ) until I had a tank big enough to have a sailfin once again.
My .02

Tin Man · 05/18/2016, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmbyrnes

Responsible fish husbandry is part of this hobby.
IMO you should never buy a fish for 'the tank you are going to get', only for the one you have now. Life happens and tank upgrades get put on hold.
I had a beautiful sailfin tang in a 110 when I first started out. In less than 2 months, I had to rehome him.
But that fish was the main reason continued to learn about reefing and fish keeping and waited patiently ( sort of ) until I had a tank big enough to have a sailfin once again.
My .02

Agreed

Pigpen17 · 05/18/2016, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmbyrnes

Responsible fish husbandry is part of this hobby.
IMO you should never buy a fish for 'the tank you are going to get', only for the one you have now. Life happens and tank upgrades get put on hold.
I had a beautiful sailfin tang in a 110 when I first started out. In less than 2 months, I had to rehome him.
But that fish was the main reason continued to learn about reefing and fish keeping and waited patiently ( sort of ) until I had a tank big enough to have a sailfin once again.
My .02

You really don't know what this means until you see it. My Midas Blenny is the happiest fish I have ever owned. I have never met a fishes needs so completely before. After seeing this, it's my goal every time now.

johnike · 05/18/2016, 08:17 AM

I have an eight foot long tank with a Desjardini, Chevron, and a Tomini.
Me and the fish both wish the tank was bigger.
I'm Tanged out.

kmbyrnes · 05/18/2016, 06:30 PM

Both my fish and I think the current 10' tank is too small.
Maybe need one dmorty's size.

05/17/2016, 10:21 PM	#1
Thefishwrangler Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NE Iowa Posts: 51	Tangs and Tank size With juvenile tangs/ smaller tangs it it okay to raise them in a smaller tank while they are a smaller size still? And then at what point should they be moved to a larger tank?

05/17/2016, 10:47 PM	#2
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	You're bio says you have a 50 gallon tank. I had a 55 and some folks said it would be OK to put in a kole tang since I was planning to upgrade. Koles are in the family of bristle tooths that can be kept in the smallest tanks. I decided to be patient and I am so glad I did. He is still only 3" long (boy they do grow fast), and he covers every inch of my 120. All day long he cruises and inspects and polices and eats algae. I built in a lot of caves and tunnels to give the fish stimulating swimming routes instead of just circling the tank, and he is all over it. I think if I had put him in the 55 I might have thought it was good enough lacking anything to compare it to, but I would have felt very guilty once I saw him in the 120, cause it's not good enough. Further, I would have had to dismantle my rock work to catch him, they are fast and can really snug into tight spaces like you wouldn't believe. So once You have the whole existential crisis of deciding to give up a pet you've gotten attached to (they are friendly fish) because it's become unkeepable, you have to attack it with a net like a mean jerk. And that's just a kole tang. If you're thinking of something more ambitious, you're dealing with ich risk and aggression and all sorts of things. How would you even know when it's time to move? How would you move? Where would you move it to? - do you have a friend with a big tank who has already committed to taking your leftover old busted up fish? Cause selling it back to an lfs so they can sell it to someone with a 40b isn't good enough. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

05/17/2016, 10:47 PM	#3
JohnnyHildo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 669	tank size to a certain extent depends on the tang. there is no absolute when it comes to moving the fish over, i guess when it looks too big. __________________ 120G Standard - 40G Sump. Apex - DOS - ATI Current Tank Info: Acros - Zoas - Palys

05/17/2016, 10:51 PM	#4
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Or when it kills all the other fish. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

05/17/2016, 10:57 PM	#5
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	My kole is nearing the end of the QT stent and I'm wondering how he will do. He's pretty big and going in a 75. So yes they are all very active. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

05/18/2016, 05:06 AM	#6
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	Responsible fish husbandry is part of this hobby. IMO you should never buy a fish for 'the tank you are going to get', only for the one you have now. Life happens and tank upgrades get put on hold. I had a beautiful sailfin tang in a 110 when I first started out. In less than 2 months, I had to rehome him. But that fish was the main reason continued to learn about reefing and fish keeping and waited patiently ( sort of ) until I had a tank big enough to have a sailfin once again. My .02 __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

05/18/2016, 08:17 AM	#9
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	I have an eight foot long tank with a Desjardini, Chevron, and a Tomini. Me and the fish both wish the tank was bigger. I'm Tanged out.

05/18/2016, 06:30 PM	#10
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	Both my fish and I think the current 10' tank is too small. Maybe need one dmorty's size. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small