Tangs

[Yeahitstrue]

I know lots of people are always saying that you should keep all tangs in no tank under ninety gallons. But even though many people say that it
it's not a matter of disagreement, it's cruel, I do disagree. Personally I keep a tang in my seventy-five gallon, that is now full grown. However, I havn't been keeping the tang long enough for that to be quantifiable. However, I know six seperate people, with six seperate tangs in seventy five gallon tanks, which have all lived (so far) 10-20 years! The seventh recently died... but at twenty two. I don't understand why tangs cannot be succesfully kept in a seventy-five, with supplemental feedings often. Why do people say that you can't keep tangs in less than ninety gallons?

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

I have not really heard the 90 gallon rule. I've always read no tank under 6 feet in length in order for them to be at full health. Just because they are surviving does not mean the are in tip top shape, no matter how long they live.

 

[David S]

Its cool that you know so many people with old tangs in small tanks but how many people dont you know that have lost tangs due to small tanks?I think its just they are more likely to have a healthier/less illness life in a larger tank as they do stress easily.

 

[Tom-tom]

I thought the tang rule was keeping them in 75g plus?? That's what 3 of my books say, hope it isn't 90 coz I brought the wrong size tank?! Lol

 

[melosu58]

I personally dont think any of us have a full size tang. Tangs in the aquarium do not reach full size. Most tangs when they reach full size in the wild will grow to 12-18 inches. None of us have a tang in our tanks 12-18 inches. They just dont make it that big in the Home aquarium. Even in the public aquarium I dont see them full grown. There used to be a guy on this site yrs ago that I thought was the most knowlegeable person when it came to fish. I posted about this and you can read his answer. I dont have a gallon per tang rule but I do think that it should be at least a 6 ft tank. Tangs need plenty of horizontal swimming room. And even though I`m not doubting your experience, my experience with tangs leads me to believe different. Many times I have seen a tang in a smaller tank will end up with a lower immune system and develope parasites like ich or disease like HLLE. I`m talking about more than I can count. Oh yes and that thread that I promised.

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

 

[rncarter]

I was planning to get a kole or a bristletooth tang in my 90gallon tank

 

[Smitty]

A Kole should work. I don't know anything about the bristletooth so can't comment one way or the other.