Blue Tang question?

[neeker4]

Why can't a blue tang survive in anything smaller than a 75g tank? I am setting up a 29g tank and am looking into stocking options (which is a long way off, but I can't help but dream of what I'll put in there.) I would never put a Tang in a 29g tank, but was just curious why it couldn't be done? If anyone wants to sate my intellectual appetite, I would appreciate it!!!

 

[Mitchell0605]

There's two reasons I know of:
1) They produce heaps of waste that requires heavy skimming/filtration to remove it and a large tank to dilute it while it is being removed.
2) They are very active swimmers and they need the length of a 6ft tank to exercise and have enough room to grow.

Other people probably have more.

 

[harmy4993]

The 2 biggest reasons are they are a semi big fish not large but not small so they need some room to move around. The other reason is they are very active swimmers. In the wild they swims miles a day going from rock to rock eatting and looking for food. Hard to swim miles 2 feet at a time. Thou in the grand sceme of things is there a big diffrence between 2 feet and 6 feet when you travel 6-10 or kore miles a day.

 

[thincat]

Another reason is that in a small tank you will stunt the growth of the Tang, but that would be only the outward appearence of lthe fish, it's internal organs would grow to full size and would be under real stress to operate in a smaller body. Thus shortening the fishes life.

 

[neeker4]

Interesting information. Thank you everybody. Maybe in the distant future I will be able to get one of these beautiful fish.

 

[thincat]

There are lots of nice fish that will fit nicely in a 29g tank.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Sixline Wrasse.

 

[ComMizz]

I have a 29 gallon too and i wanted one so bad. I found one online that says it can live in a 29 gallon. It is called a Tiny though so its probably pretty small and stays that way but at least you can have a tang.

 

[Jimbo7]

ehh. I would be weary of that site, they are probably just trying to pass off livestock on unsuspecting buyers. No tang I have ever heard of would fit in a 29 gallon.

 

[ComMizz]

ehh. I would be weary of that site, they are probably just trying to pass off livestock on unsuspecting buyers. No tang I have ever heard of would fit in a 29 gallon.

This is the site. I apologize it wasnt a 30 G It says it can fit in a 40 G But i imagine it would still grow so you would need bigger then that.
Blue Hippo Tang - Tiny

 

[Jimbo7]

yea, i have had some experience with that site. I have nothing good to say about them, but I think they have changed owners or something since I last used them. It seems they revamped their website and their policies. Little things like that though still make me not like them.

 

[ComMizz]

yea, i have had some experience with that site. I have nothing good to say about them, but I think they have changed owners or something since I last used them. It seems they revamped their website and their policies. Little things like that though still make me not like them.

Well i appreciate your help buddy. Sucks that i don't have room for a bigger tank. I want a tang so bad, is there anything else like a tang that can fit in a 30

 

[melosu58]

Anyone that says a tang can go in a 29 gallon tank is not being honest. They are just making a sale. Tangs in too small a tank will have disease and parasites at a higher rate than those in a bigger tank. This was a post from someone I value as very knowledgable in the SW realm. His post about a tang in na smaller tank was spot on. IMO I would not have a tang in a 29 gallon tank.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f45/yellow-tang-in-a-55g-52207.html

 

[thincat]

This is the site. I apologize it wasnt a 30 G It says it can fit in a 40 G But i imagine it would still grow so you would need bigger then that.
Blue Hippo Tang - Tiny

Tiny is just the size of the fish as caught. a very young Hippo tang. It will still out grow a 30-40g tank.

 

[harmy4993]

Fyi.. when they say "tiny" they mean baby, which means it will grow. Just pointing that out since it seems your under the impression its a small tang that will stay small