Tangs in a 55 gallon tank?

[BennJabb]

I have a 55 gallon tank with and CPR 20 gallon AquaFuge™ PRO refugium and I was wondering if my tank could support a tang/tangs of any kind. I have seen many articles and videos arguing on this subject and i cannot find a straight answer. Videos on youtube show happy tangs in 55 gallon tanks and the owners of the tank always seem to say their tangs are healthy.

Tank Specs

-55 gallon main tank

-70 lbs live rock

-55 lbs live sand

-20 gallon AquaFuge™ PRO refugium

-4 fish

[Mitch619]

I have a 55 gallon tank with and CPR 20 gallon AquaFuge™ PRO refugium and I was wondering if my tank could support a tang/tangs of any kind. I have seen many articles and videos arguing on this subject and i cannot find a straight answer. Videos on youtube show happy tangs in 55 gallon tanks and the owners of the tank always seem to say their tangs are healthy.

Tank Specs

-55 gallon main tank

-70 lbs live rock

-55 lbs live sand

-AquaFuge™ PRO refugium

-4 fish

 

 

I would do it.

[troy989]

I would not get 2. One small tang a yellow tang or a cole tang. No other tangs.

[revaltion131]

No. Not enough room for a mature tang of any species, imo. It's a great QT tank size for smaller species, but that's about it.

[BennJabb]

No. Not enough room for a mature tang of any species, imo. It's a great QT tank size for smaller species, but that's about it.

 

What would you say is the recommended tank size for the smallest species of tangs?

[saltyreef24]

Well it all depends on the live rock. Many fish stores sell compromised live rock that can give your tangs ich. It has nothing to do with the type of fish or the size of the tank, as long as the tank. The tank should be about 20 gallons for one tank, around 25 for two.

 

What kind of live rock are you using?

(It also depends on the kind of tank) You can have 2 yellow tangs in about 20 gallons. But Sohai tangs need around 40 gallons.

 

Happy to help.

[troy989]

90 gallons. Buy my 90 gallon tank its listed in the hardward classifieds

[awpong]

Well it all depends on the live rock. Many fish stores sell compromised live rock that can give your tangs ich. It has nothing to do with the type of fish or the size of the tank, as long as the tank. The tank should be about 20 gallons for one tank, around 25 for two.

 

What kind of live rock are you using?

(It also depends on the kind of tank) You can have 2 yellow tangs in about 20 gallons. But Sohai tangs need around 40 gallons.

 

Happy to help.

 

This is false. This is soooo false.

 

Yes, tangs are susceptible to ich, but the reason they're not recommended for nano-sized tanks is because of their swimming requirements.

 

A general rule of thumb is to have at least 5-6' of lateral swimming space for the tang/tangs. You could keep a yellow tang in a 55 gallon tank but you'd need to structure your rock work so as to allow the tang plenty of room to swim around in. I'd suggest keeping all of your rocks in the center of the tank, not letting any of it touch the back or side walls.

[BennJabb]

Well it all depends on the live rock. Many fish stores sell compromised live rock that can give your tangs ich. It has nothing to do with the type of fish or the size of the tank, as long as the tank. The tank should be about 20 gallons for one tank, around 25 for two.

 

What kind of live rock are you using?

(It also depends on the kind of tank) You can have 2 yellow tangs in about 20 gallons. But Sohai tangs need around 40 gallons.

 

Happy to help.

 

You can't be serious... two tangs in a 20 gallon tank? Someone should smack you(just kidding). Most tangs can grow up to 8" hence larger than the tank itself.

[saltyreef24]

This is false. This is soooo false.

 

Yes, tangs are susceptible to ich, but the reason they're not recommended for nano-sized tanks is because of their swimming requirements.

Not trying to sound rude but do you know anything about tangs. I have been BREEDING two yellow tangs in 20 gallons for 2 years now. Please inform yourself before you question me.

[herranton]

What would you say is the recommended tank size for the smallest species of tangs?

The problem with recommending a minimum tank size is that what one tang may be OK with, another might feel cramped. It is certainly possible to keep a yellow tang in a 55, if you get the right fish. But there is no way to tell.

 

One of the hospitals close to me has a 6x2.5x2.5ft tank in their waiting room. One of the yellow tangs constantly paces the front glass and doesn't look like it wants to be there one bit. That tank is way above the minimum recommendations for a yellow tang but that particular fish isn't happy.

 

Do what you feel is right. Don't let what you 'really really want' get in the way of that.

[saltyreef24]

Are you kidding? Because those two tangs have to be bigger than the tank by now.

I thought they would grow out of the 20 gallon into a 35 gallon too. But strangely my 2 yellow tangs, nips and pips, stayed around 3-4 inches. Ill probably have to transfer them in about another year.

 

The problem with recommending a minimum tank size is that what one tang may be OK with, another might feel cramped. It is certainly possible to keep a yellow tang in a 55, if you get the right fish. But there is no way to tell.

 

One of the hospitals close to me has a 6x2.5x2.5ft tank in their waiting room. One of the yellow tangs constantly paces the front glass and doesn't look like it wants to be there one bit. That tank is way above the minimum recommendations for a yellow tang but that particular fish isn't happy.

 

Do what you feel is right. Don't let what you 'really really want' get in the way of that.

lol. There are so many incompetent people on this website. You probably buy your fish from walmart too.

[troy989]

I thought they would grow out of the 20 gallon into a 35 gallon too. But strangely my 2 yellow tangs, nips and pips, stayed around 3-4 inches. Ill probably have to transfer them in about another year.

 

 

lol. There are so many incompetent people on this website. You probably buy your fish from walmart too.

 

 

 

Not all of us can afford Saltyreef24's HQ yellow tangs.

[saltyreef24]

Not all of us can afford Saltyreef24's HQ yellow tangs.

I caught my first pair straight from Hawaii, i guess they get their resilience from the wild.

[Fishpenislover12]

I suggest you get a 200 Gallon tank. This way you can make love to your tangs in the tank. I use to keep them in a 15 gallon and just make love to them in the bath tub. It is sooo much easier just to make love to them in the tank itself. You wont regret it.

[TeflonTomDosh]

I suggest you get a 200 Gallon tank. This way you can make love to your tangs in the tank. I use to keep them in a 15 gallon and just make love to them in the bath tub. It is sooo much easier just to make love to them in the tank itself. You wont regret it.

^ :lol: :lol:

[saltyreef24]

I suggest you get a 200 Gallon tank. This way you can make love to your tangs in the tank. I use to keep them in a 15 gallon and just make love to them in the bath tub. It is sooo much easier just to make love to them in the tank itself. You wont regret it.

Yeah, if you like wasting alot of money on a tank. You could easily have them in a 30 gallon to be safe.

[awpong]

Not trying to sound rude but do you know anything about tangs. I have been BREEDING two yellow tangs in 20 gallons for 2 years now. Please inform yourself before you question me.

 

haha, please expand upon your breeding efforts with your tangs. I'd love to see pictures.

 

This is very interesting to me because I highly doubt your 20 gallon tank is tall enough to entice the yellow tangs to spawn. If you'd known anything about tang spawning, you'd be familiar with their "spawning rises."

[BennJabb]

The problem with recommending a minimum tank size is that what one tang may be OK with, another might feel cramped. It is certainly possible to keep a yellow tang in a 55, if you get the right fish. But there is no way to tell.

 

One of the hospitals close to me has a 6x2.5x2.5ft tank in their waiting room. One of the yellow tangs constantly paces the front glass and doesn't look like it wants to be there one bit. That tank is way above the minimum recommendations for a yellow tang but that particular fish isn't happy.

 

Do what you feel is right. Don't let what you 'really really want' get in the way of that.

 

Thanks for the reply this makes a lot of sense to me and I'll definitely take it into consideration.

[saltyreef24]

haha, please expand upon your breeding efforts with your tangs. I'd love to see pictures.

 

This is very interesting to me because I highly doubt your 20 gallon tank is tall enough to entice the yellow tangs to spawn. If you'd known anything about tang spawning, you'd be familiar with their "spawning rises."

Yeah of course i know all about it, ive been breeding them for 2 years now... the 20 gallon has been working perfectly fine. ill take pictures and post them in an hour.

[devilsadvocate]

lol @ saltyreef. pictures or your lying. seriously i would love to see your 20 gallon breeding setup.

[saltyreef24]

Thanks for the reply this makes a lot of sense to me and I'll definitely take it into consideration.

You can do that too, if you want to spend tons more money then you need to.

 

lol @ saltyreef. pictures or your lying. seriously i would love to see your 20 gallon breeding setup.

I already said in 1 hour. They will be posted in 1 hour.

[Mitch619]

Can you guys not see that he's trolling? It's obvious.

[awpong]

Ps: If you miraculously did get them to spawn, breeding does not equal spawning. To date, the yellow tang has never been successfully bred. The most successful attempts have only had fry live to around the 40-50 day mark. I know the Oceanic Institute in Hawaii was only been able to reach the 14 day mark.

[devilsadvocate]

Can you guys not see that he's trolling? It's obvious.

but feeding trolls is fun.