I'm donning my helmet and protective goggles for this question

muppet · 10/11/2010, 08:50 AM

Is there any tang that would be happy in a well-scaped 55g with a 20g sump?

Please don't hurt me. It's a fair question I think.

I've seen a few livestock suppliers (yes, I'm wary of my sources, which is why I'm asking) that say that a small hippo tang will be fine in 50g. Seems cramped to me.

Thoughts? I guess I may have to just keep drooling over Hippo and Sailfin tangs until I can talk the wife into a 180 gallon DT. :-)

jeff@zina.com · 10/11/2010, 09:01 AM

Small tangs fit fine. The problem is they eventually get bigger. If you can guarantee the 180 will be ready when the tang is, it's a perfect fit.

Jeff

Palting · 10/11/2010, 09:08 AM

Hippo will grow up to 10", sailfin up to 16", yellow up to 8", and they do best with a lot of swim room. Juveniles I suppose are OK, but they will grow. Question is, how long before they get too big? I have no idea.

I have a naso tang in my 150. He is now about 5", but he will grow up to 18". Even my 150 will be too small!!

Anyhow, if you do decide to keep a tang, make sure to quarantine in hyposalinity for 4 weeks before you introduce to your tank.

thegrun · 10/11/2010, 09:09 AM

Buy a small fish and let your wife become attached to it. Then it is an easy sell to upsize to a 180 because it is cruel to keep the fish in such a small tank.

mike_cmu04 · 10/11/2010, 09:19 AM

It will probably be ok in the 55 for at least a year but then it will get too big.

Ethan Music · 10/11/2010, 10:00 AM

Yes you could put a small tang in a 55gal but it will out grow it pretty fast. Than you got to find a new home or upgrade. If your fine with doing all that than yes you could put a small tang about 2inches in there for a while. But I would not get a hippo tang because they grow fast and are one of the big tangs. If your going to do it I'd try a kole tang.

Ethan_W · 10/11/2010, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_cmu04

It will probably be ok in the 55 for at least a year but then it will get too big.

try more like 6 months. you wont have the room to house a juvenile tang for a year. and if u cant guarantee that you will have something 100g+ in the next 6-8 months i would hold off on any tang. i also would stay away from the hippo and try either a yellow or a kole tang. they tend to not need quite as much room as hippos

Toddrtrex · 10/11/2010, 11:32 AM

Purchase fish for the tank that you currently have, not the one that you plan/hope to have one day -- things change, and might not be able to get the big tank. Heck, I was suppose to have a "big" tank about 4 years ago.

theatrus · 10/11/2010, 11:32 AM

The only ones I'd consider in a 4ft smaller tank is a yellow tang and yellow eyed kole tang. Not recommend, but consider.

Sk8r · 10/11/2010, 11:33 AM

The problem is that a tang is going to feel like you would if somebody shut you in a 6x6 closet, however nicely furnished. You'd feel ok, sorta, at first. Then you'd start feeling like you were eating too much for your activity level, and after a year you'd be fat and bonkers. Watch the tangs that come and go at this site and understand what I mean: http://www.breathebonaire.com/ . They also frighten the other fishes at this close quarters. I'd advise waiting until you get that larger tank, so the fish has a nice run to swim.

m-rass · 10/11/2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

Buy a small fish and let your wife become attached to it. Then it is an easy sell to upsize to a 180 because it is cruel to keep the fish in such a small tank.

LOL! love it! It works.

lordofthereef · 10/11/2010, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

Buy a small fish and let your wife become attached to it. Then it is an easy sell to upsize to a 180 because it is cruel to keep the fish in such a small tank.

FWIW I am not sure where the magical 6ft rule came to be. I personally think that 6ft, while obviously larger than 4ft, is still vastly smaller than these animal's natural habitat. To be honest, fully grown, I think 6ft is far too small as well for most tangs but people in the hobby tend to justify it since a 6ft tank is FAR more common than anything wider...

Palting · 10/11/2010, 12:00 PM

To emphasize the above statement, my naso, when full grown, will span the width of my 150 gal. His nose will be on touching the front glass, and his tail will be touching the back wall at the same time.

manus · 10/11/2010, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toddrtrex

Purchase fish for the tank that you currently have, not the one that you plan/hope to have one day -- things change, and might not be able to get the big tank. Heck, I was suppose to have a "big" tank about 4 years ago.

I absolutely agree with Todd.

10/11/2010, 08:50 AM	#1
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	I'm donning my helmet and protective goggles for this question Is there any tang that would be happy in a well-scaped 55g with a 20g sump? Please don't hurt me. It's a fair question I think. I've seen a few livestock suppliers (yes, I'm wary of my sources, which is why I'm asking) that say that a small hippo tang will be fine in 50g. Seems cramped to me. Thoughts? I guess I may have to just keep drooling over Hippo and Sailfin tangs until I can talk the wife into a 180 gallon DT. :-) __________________ Vertex IN-100 Skimmer 5g fuge area in the works JBJ Ocean Pulse 1600GPH wavemaker CoralVue 4x54 fixture running?: 2xATI Blue Plus, 1xRed Sea Pink, 1xRed Sea 12K, 10x1w LED blue moonlights Current Tank Info: Deep Blue 75G RR with 20H sump

10/11/2010, 09:08 AM	#3
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Hippo will grow up to 10", sailfin up to 16", yellow up to 8", and they do best with a lot of swim room. Juveniles I suppose are OK, but they will grow. Question is, how long before they get too big? I have no idea. I have a naso tang in my 150. He is now about 5", but he will grow up to 18". Even my 150 will be too small!! Anyhow, if you do decide to keep a tang, make sure to quarantine in hyposalinity for 4 weeks before you introduce to your tank. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

10/11/2010, 09:19 AM	#5
mike_cmu04 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Shepherd, Mi Posts: 2,348	It will probably be ok in the 55 for at least a year but then it will get too big. __________________ 92 Gallon corner tank, 2-radion gen 2 led lights, 2 mp40's Current Tank Info: 92 Gallon Corner Tank

10/11/2010, 11:32 AM	#8
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Purchase fish for the tank that you currently have, not the one that you plan/hope to have one day -- things change, and might not be able to get the big tank. Heck, I was suppose to have a "big" tank about 4 years ago. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

10/11/2010, 11:32 AM	#9
theatrus 100-mile-commuter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: almost nevada Posts: 4,721	The only ones I'd consider in a 4ft smaller tank is a yellow tang and yellow eyed kole tang. Not recommend, but consider. __________________ Custom electronics purveyor. blueAcro.com Current Tank Info: 90g SPS+mixed reef (10 yrs): LEDBrick LEDs, 40g custom sump, Ca reactor, chiller, Vortech, lots of custom electronics

10/11/2010, 09:01 AM	#2
jeff@zina.com Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 3,345	Small tangs fit fine. The problem is they eventually get bigger. If you can guarantee the 180 will be ready when the tang is, it's a perfect fit. Jeff

10/11/2010, 09:09 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Buy a small fish and let your wife become attached to it. Then it is an easy sell to upsize to a 180 because it is cruel to keep the fish in such a small tank.

10/11/2010, 10:00 AM	#6
Ethan Music Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Shelby, Michigan Posts: 394	Yes you could put a small tang in a 55gal but it will out grow it pretty fast. Than you got to find a new home or upgrade. If your fine with doing all that than yes you could put a small tang about 2inches in there for a while. But I would not get a hippo tang because they grow fast and are one of the big tangs. If your going to do it I'd try a kole tang.

10/11/2010, 11:33 AM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The problem is that a tang is going to feel like you would if somebody shut you in a 6x6 closet, however nicely furnished. You'd feel ok, sorta, at first. Then you'd start feeling like you were eating too much for your activity level, and after a year you'd be fat and bonkers. Watch the tangs that come and go at this site and understand what I mean: http://www.breathebonaire.com/ . They also frighten the other fishes at this close quarters. I'd advise waiting until you get that larger tank, so the fish has a nice run to swim. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/11/2010, 12:00 PM	#13
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	To emphasize the above statement, my naso, when full grown, will span the width of my 150 gal. His nose will be on touching the front glass, and his tail will be touching the back wall at the same time. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

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