Tang owners please!

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binaryterror

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Nov 13, 2005
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Location
Akron, Ohio
Hey, I am wondering how big these Tangs get when they are full grown. Not what is says on the website but from accual Tang owners. Also I would like to know there personalties if possible.

Blue/Hippo Tang
Yellow Tang (Hawii)
Powder Blue Tang
Convict Tang

If anyone has one of these Tangs, please post how long you have had it, its personality/aggressivness, and size or tank and fish. Thanks!!!
 
Yellow Tang -easily 6-7" or larger. I had one for about 18 months. Started about 4" and was at least 6 when I had to get rid of it. Mostly peaceful if only tang in tank. Good starter tang.

Powder Blue- Mine is currently about 5" I would say it has grown about 1" in the 3+ months I have owned it. Peaceful fish grazes on LR. Recomended for experienced aquarist only. Very Ich prone as I found out.

Cannot recall your tank size (55g I think). Only recommend one tank ata a time in anything less than a 120 or larger. They all like horizontal swimming room.

HTH,
 
Blue Hippo's can easily attain 1 foot in length but generally anywhere between 8-9 inches (largest i have seen was 1 foot)

Yellows 7-9 inches (my lfs has a resident which monsters at 9)

PBT 7-8'' also

Convict have had no experience myself but would say 6-8"
 
I had a yellow tang and a hippo tang together. I had to get rid of the yellow because he was terrorizing the other fish. I now have the hippo together with a sailfin tang and they get along very well together. They even swim around together.
 
Well if the Powder Blue Tang is smaller than the Hippo and Yellow, would'nt it be better for my tank? But it says on liveaquaria that it needs more swimming room than other Tangs. Why is that? Which would be best for my tank. I am kind of going against the Yellow because it is kind of aggressive.
 
What size tank??? And what else do you have. how muh LR. And the info on most site about how big the fish get and what size tank they need is correct. A PB gets to 9+ and a YT to 7+. If its a 55 then a YT or kole or scopus are your only choices. They all need swimming room so I would not get them unless you have LR and room for swimming. Most say that a 55 is too small so if you do get one get a very small one.
 
Well on marindepot.com it says the brown Scopas gets to be 12 inches. So why cant I get a PD or Hippo? I am going to have close to 80-90 lbs. of LR before I get one.
 
binaryterror said:
Not what is says on the website but from accual Tang owners.

We are telling you what you asked, not information of a website. You can do anything you like, but I think you will be sadly disappointed with a PBT or a Blue hippo in a 55g. Not to mention the poor fish.

These are two of the more difficult tangs to keep and are very disease prone especially when under stress.

If you want a tang strongly urge you to consider YT or kole(yellow eye).

They are a bit more hardy and tolerant fish. Bottom line any tang is going to feel a bit crowded as they like lots of swimming room.

Live aquaria rates all tangs at least 70g with the exception of the YT. I think this is beacause they are probably the most hardy and will tolerate more.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=43

There are always exceptions to the rule, these are just suggestions to promote good fishkeeping husbandry. Heck I successfully kept three tangs in a 75g, but would not recommend it. That is why I found a new home for two of them when I upgraded to a 90g.
 

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i have a kole in my 75. and i honestly cant think of putting a bigger fish or more than one in a 75. they are very active swimmers and it seems like they would want more space. i will not be adding another tang untill i get at least a 125

steve r
 
Is the YT kind of aggressive? I heard they are mean to other tank mates. Also, the PDT and the Hippo both get to be about the same size? I am just not really into YT's because of the behavior I saw at the LFS. That is why I wanted to get a Hippo or PBT. But if you really dont want me to, I guess I wont. I am not sure on the Kole though. I will look at it. Also, which is a more hardy fish... the Hippo Tang or the Powder Blue Tang?
 
I cannot say a hippo or PBT is more hardy than the other. They are both fairly difficult and prone to ich.

Your profile does not describe your tank. What do you have for fish currently and what are your long range plans. It sounds like a tang may not be for you right now. There are many other marine fish to choose from that might be more appropriate for your tank.

Just a thought,
 
Wow, that link helped alot! Here is a good question: How long does it take a Blue Tang (Hippo), and the PBT to reach full size? I will be upgrading my tank eventually and if it grows not too fast, I may be able to get a 100 gallon tank before it gets too big for my 55 gallon. Just a thought...
 
Ok, I decided that I am going to upgrade my tank in a year from when I get the fish. Sometime around Christmas next year. So now it comes down to the Powerder Blue Tang or the Hippo Tang. Which is more hardy, which is cooler, which is smaller and grows the slowest.
 
I guess you missed all the posts that say that neither fish is a good idea for a 55 gallon tank. You obviously are going to do what you want.
I don't understand why you can't wait till you upgrade?? That is what a responsible hobbyist would do.
 
I wasnt planning on buying one. It is just that it isnt going to be full grown when I upgrade, so I just dont see why I cant keep a small PBT in my tank. I am very sorry if I sound like you say. Since it will be like 6 inches when I upgrade, it shouldnt be in dire condition. Thats all I am saying.
 
Its your tank and your going to do what you want in the end. We are giving you advice some based on experience and some based on research and knowledge gained through others. These fish need swimming room and if felt stressed they can become sick and possibly get ich. Is that the chance you want to take becasue you can't wait a year? Read some of the posts on ich and what a PIA it is to get out of a tank and if that does not convince you to wait I don't know what will.
PBT and Yellow tangs are 2 different fish just looking at them you can see the differences. Not sure why the web site says that a scopus tang gets to be 12" the books I have say 7.9" is the max.. Most will say that any tang will not do well in a 55 so by pushing the limits with a Hippo and PBT IMO is just not worth the risk. Adding more LR is not going to help matters because it takes away the swimming room needed for these fish.
 
JMHO, if you go with either a hippo or PBT right now I do not think they will be around in a year.

Again, I would suggest skipping a tang all together right now and waiting.

You never answered what you currently have in your tank. They could be not compatible or you may be at your limit without one.

Just trying to help,
 
I did not read the thread entirely, but has anyone said anything about not adding fish all at the same time to keep bio impact minimal. How about adding them from least to most aggressive leaving the tang for last to reduce harassment. In my experience, it takes a few months for a tank to begin showing maturity. By the time you could add a tang, maybe you would have upgraded to a larger, more appropriately sized tank. Moving a tang from the store to a tank is hard enough, do you really want to do it all over again. You may even change your mind on getting a tang based on further research. It is very easy to buy impulsively but these types of purchases will cost one time or another. If you are a beginning aquarist you really should take your time with things. It is in the best interest for yourself and for your tank inhabitants. You will eventually fully understand other peoples concern.
 
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