Trying to decide on a tang

[kdogg85]

My next fish is going to be a pair of ocellaris clowns. After that I'm going to get some sort of tang. I wanted either a powder brown or blue tang but everyone has said you need at least a 6 foot long tank to house them. But, when I mentioned a yellow tang, no one has given any objections, I think the yellow is neat and all but I have found a tang called a whitecheek and it gets the same size as the yellow(8"). Could this tang be suitable? The tank is 75g(48x18x21) in size. I do have a 150 laying in the basement for future use(year or two), but in the meantime could I keep a whitecheek in my 75. There will only be 5 fish in there, a firefish goby, a carpenter wrasse, 2 clowns,and a tang.

[melosu58]

Whitecheek Tang

It says 70 gallon minimum but I dont know. The only tangs I can personally recommend for a 75 is the yellow tang and the yellow eyed Kole tang. Only because they are very hardy. The white cheek is rated as moderate on the care level so I really would be cautious.

[dannyb]

Yellow eyed kole tangs are cool looking, I'd prob go one of them. Or even a yellow tang.

[cmor1701d]

Go with the yellow for now. When you set up the big tank you'll have more choices. I have a Sailfin and Blue Hippo in my 126 (6') and wish I had a 10' or 16' long tank. The Sailfin does 0-40 in 1.2 seconds before it runs out of room and needs to make a quick turn through the rock.

(OK, I haven't really put a radar gun or timed it)

[kdogg85]

Don't take me wrong and don't be offended if I ask, but why the yellow when it gets around the same size as the whitecheek or powder brown. Look very similar but the powder brown is alledgedly more relaxed. Now I don't know how fish dynamics work, but same sized different breed of same fish just puzzles me. Whichever tang I get will be an inch or two in size to start with and within this year sometime hopefully the 150 will be up and running. They will have a bigger home, just have to wait a while. Why does one fish 8 inches long need six feet of swimming room while another fish of of 8 inches may only need 4 feet of room. Now I know some fish are more active but these all seem to be about the same in activity level.

[melosu58]

To me it has to do with how hardy a fish is. If it`s a very hardy fish it will do better in a stressful enviornment then one that is not as hardy. IMO really all tangs need to be in at least a 6 ft tank but some will take it better than others. It`s not about the fish`s size. A tang is a tang and needs plenty of swimming room. I hope I helped. I dont really do a great job conveying my thoughts sometimes.

[kdogg85]

I get what your saying and you put it right. So for a year or so till I get my 150 up and running do you think the whitecheek or powder brown(torn between them) would be ok? I will be getting a 1-2'' fish, not just because it's cheaper but I think it lets everyone be around the same size and grow up together. To me it would seem if they grow up together it would help reduce aggression and help with overall socialization. All of you all have given great advice and made this adventure a whole lot less treacherous than what it could've been. Plus, everyone just telling it like it is get's the message across better than beating around the bush.

[melosu58]

Honesty is the best policy. I personally would wait till you got the big tank going. It might give you some incentive to get it going. LOL

[kdogg85]

Oh believe me, I already ahve incentive. The whole setup is there. Tank, stand, heaters, the biggest protein skimmer I have ever seen, and lights. When I get it going, I'm going to use the 75g I have now as the sump.

[mfdrookie516]

The biggest thing i see wrong with getting a fish you know will outgrow your tank, with the intentions of upgrading later, are that sometimes that just doesnt happen. Not saying it wont, but if something comes up and you cant afford the tank, or something like that, what happens to the fish? I've seen several people with fish that did not belong in a tank as small as they have it in, and they keep saying one of these days theyre going to upgrade. See why its always best to get the tank, then the fish? Just my experience talking

[kdogg85]

I see what your saying. I guess if I couldn't afford to buy salt, that would impeed me. Other than that, I have everything else to get it going already besides fish and more rock. Not being sarcastic or anything, just saying.

[redneckgearhead]

then why wait? get the big one fired up and be done with it you get the tank you want with the fish you want. thats what i would do. I mean even if you didnt have quite enough live rock i think i would do the biggest tank i had. jmo

[kdogg85]

I would like to be able to know I can keep one going before starting that thing up. Plus I have to redo the room downstairs before it goes in. I am not putting over 2000 lbs of dead weight on my floor joists. I have to run hoses from my ro setup to the area where the tank is. There is some serious planning going into the big tank. I like to analyze 10 steps before taking 1.

[redneckgearhead]

oh ok sounds like a good enough reason. Then i would highly recommend the yellow tang.