Yellow Tang Requirements??

[TheTodd]

I agree with the prior statement that there is not a lot of black and white in saltwater aquariums, only guidelines. You certainly can't say that all equally sized fish would require equal living spaces. There are factors that come in to play that recommendations are based on. I doubt that stepping outside those guidelines means instant death to the fish, but I'm not sure I would pay zero attention to the suggested parameters and just throw any fish into any sized tank. Again, they might live, but it would not be ideal.

 

[MrPillow]

I fail to see any logical difference in possible effects between a 4" fish in a 36" tank and a 8" fish in a 72" tank. and 8" fish in a 36" tank yes, but that is an entirely different scenario. Would one recommend a 16" tang the same size tank as a 8" tang?

 

[kdpuffer]

Here are a couple pics to add to the fire. These are pics of a 55g tank and a 75g tank, the 75 is the one loaded with rocks. Could someone kindly enlighten me as to how this is a more suitable home for a small tang than the 55 that doesn't have a huge mound of rock. There is way more swimming space in the 55 pictured than there is in the 75 so basing an argument solely on the "size" label of a tank is weak. The same can be said about a 6' tank, yes it has more linear space to swim but you start jamming rock in there that space disappears fast.

 

[crister13]

Yes. Well done with the math. Your only problem is that fish, no matter the size, age, etc shouldn't be kept in a tank under the minimum requirements. I've seen many experienced saltwater enthusiasts state that its the minimum size FOR THE FISH. Not for the adult. If you want to do the math, measure your house, and raise your baby in something with the same ratio (size of yourself to the room/house) that you live in.

 

[crister13]

To kdpuffer: yes it's jam packed with rocks, and in that picture, I agree with you you much. BUT usually there are caves and swimming lanes through the rock that aren't visible, so the room the rock takes up in completely free swimming space is made up by adding caves and small lanes.

 

[kdpuffer]

Ok so in a 1000 sqft house it should be 166 square feet per 12" of person, I'm pretty sure a crib is smaller than that. Back onto fish, so a 1/2 tang fry has to have a 6' tank? I'm pretty sure grow out tanks are smaller in most cases. I'm not advocating stuffing a 16" tang in a 55 but I do fail to see how a 7" tang is to big for a 55 but in a 75 its ok. Last time I checked 4' is 4' on my tape measure. As long as the swimming lanes are provided just like any other tank I don't see an issue if the fish can swim up down and all around.

 

[crister13]

You don't keep your baby in a crib 24/7 do you??? That would be pretty sick of you ask me. Yes 4' is 4' on my tape measure too, but 18" isn't 12" on mine, not sure about yours though.

 

[spoonman]

I think the issue is the swimming habits of the fish and not the size of the fish. Most tangs like to zoom from end to end of the tank, while cardinals and firefish and such sit in one place most of the time.

 

[Gboy66]

Honestly, the tang has some of the most arguable requirements in the hobby..

On the one hand, yes, pillow your math makes sense. But as aquarists, are we out to provide the bare minimum for our creatures? Are we always thinking about how we could cram more colorful fish into our tanks by bending the needs of these fish? I certainly try not to do that. And thats not somthing i would recommend to another aquarist either. If we know a fish is a big swimmer, regardless of its current size, i feel we should add it to a tank based upon its's ADULT size.

Also, just somthing to think about, is that the 75 gallon does offer a longer horizontal swimming path. In the 55, the tang would have to swim from corner to corner to swim the same distance and usually they wont.

Thats just my opinion! I dont want any fighting over such a controversial topic...

 

[crister13]

Exactly. Thats one of the reasons using the math in that situation was worthless. The recommended tank size for snowflake eels is a 55g tank. They get 2 feet long. If you apply that to all fish, that would mean you could keep a fish double the size of the width of your tank and half the length. That doesn't make sense. AT ALL.

 

[kdpuffer]

You don't keep your baby in a crib 24/7 do you??? That would be pretty sick of you ask me. Yes 4' is 4' on my tape measure too, but 18" isn't 12" on mine, not sure about yours though.

Nope they go from one stationary location to another. And yes 18" is different than 12" but I don't think a tang can get up any more speed around the corners regardless of tank. Everyone always says tangs need room to get a burst in and swim in a straight line, in that case 18" doesn't mean squat it's the tank length. I feel that if the fish is happy and healthy and has ample swimming room the 6" front to back doesn't mean jack. Besides most people take up that extra 6 inches with more rock and coral.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Guys these are the rules, and you have to respect them. If you dont then why do we have these rules in the first place? Sure you can put a tang in a 55 gallon or even a 10 gallon tank but it is wrong to do this to a creature that has been pulled out of the ocean and out of its 100+ school of tangs to be put in your aquarium. I wanted a tang for my 66 gallon tank but i didnt for these reasons ^. Gotta respect the rules.

 

[crister13]

+1 nunu. And to you, kd, based on your width not meaning "squat", than you could keep a yellow tang in a tank 48" long and 8" wide, judging that the tang can turn around, it's fine! Right? No. Not right. And, you keep using 48" as a magic number, while the majority of people with experience in this hobby say 72" for all tangs except the ones that were listed earlier, including the kole and tomini tangs, which is still debated sometimes.

 

[kdpuffer]

Honestly, the tang has some of the most arguable requirements in the hobby..

On the one hand, yes, pillow your math makes sense. But as aquarists, are we out to provide the bare minimum for our creatures? Are we always thinking about how we could cram more colorful fish into our tanks by bending the needs of these fish? I certainly try not to do that. And thats not somthing i would recommend to another aquarist either. If we know a fish is a big swimmer, regardless of its current size, i feel we should add it to a tank based upon its's ADULT size.

Also, just somthing to think about, is that the 75 gallon does offer a longer horizontal swimming path. In the 55, the tang would have to swim from corner to corner to swim the same distance and usually they wont.

Thats just my opinion! I dont want any fighting over such a controversial topic...

So what is the horizontal swimming path of a 75? Are you talking perimeter? If so than yes a 75 has a longer swimming path by a total of 12" if the rock isn't in the way. 12" sounds big but a total of 132" over 120" isn't actually a whole lot. Plus if fish just swam laps round and round then a 2' diameter circular tank would keep them going non stop. The fact of the matter is that tangs tend to swim in a straight line end to which is the reason they require a larger tank than a less active fish of the same size. Yes they also swim through out the rock to and they swim up and down but the main thing is straight line speed bursts. In that regard a 55g is more than capable of handling a tang suitable for a 75g.

 

[absolutangel04]

It would be nice if we could actually talk about this with a bit of respect and some actual facts presented. Eels are not tangs, that argument is invalid. Nobody said all fish are the same, we don't need to argue that fish that are different. Also, fish are not people. Even if they were, kids get larger rooms as they grow up. Young kids play in the yard, older kids get more space and go to the park.
Young fish can swim in smaller tanks. That is a fact. Grow out tanks are not cruel fish torture machines, they are just grow out tanks. I myself am curious about why it is that you have claimed a 2 inch fish has exactly the same space needs as an 8 inch adult tang. That is the question the math was eluding to. If that amount of space is what is needed to make a 2 inch happy, doesn't it seem that a larger space is needed for an adult tang to be happy? Why exactly do you say young fish never ever be housed in tanks smaller than the size that you think they need as adults?
I am just trying to focus the debate a bit and keep it on track.

 

[crister13]

Ok, I'm just asking here because I really don't know, but how much saltwater experience do you have angel? I have a yellow tang. And actually, he never swims bursts across the length of the tank. He ONLY swims in the rock, but does take up the whole tank while doing so, and this is a 6' tank, not 4'. And the reason people are arguing about the math, is that that is an invalid argument, not what I said about the snowflake eel. He actually, if you read his post, generalized it specifically to the LENGTH of the fish. Not the thickness, not the bioload, and not the behavior. So, me giving the example about the eel in fact is valid. He generalized it, I went along with the generalization and proved that behavior matters.

 

[kdpuffer]

Well I'm done with this, I got drawn into the ongoing debate and am ducking out before I offend anyone. In parting I would like to clarify that I was trying to say a 55g is suitable for a small yellow on a temporary basis but it will need to be rehomed once it grows to large for the tank, kinda got caught up the action and left the original topic behind.

 

[crister13]

Ok, good. I thought you were arguing for life. A small yellow tang wouldn't have a problem, I just wouldn't do it incase I couldn't give it away or upgrade and I was stuck with it. That's why I said not to put a fish in a tank too small.

 

[absolutangel04]

I asked questions about the argument. I never asserted any opinions about adult tang tanks size nor sw knowledge. You can very easily give some facts about your fish and experience along with opinions without being disrespectful to other posters.
The argument about the eel has nothing to do with a tang. He was talking about a tang. That's why the argument about the eel is invalid in talk about tangs.
Yes, the math did only refer to length, but that is still valid because it is only a generalization of 1 species. If tang get dramatically different shaped as they grow, feel free to point that out. From what I have seen, they seem to stay proportionate. Is that so?
The whole point is, why do you say that a young fish cannot be housed in a tank smaller than it's adult size requires?
On that note, what about quarantine tanks? People put these fish in quarantine tanks to treat diseases, but that would be hard if the quarantine tank must be the same size as the other dt that the fish lives in.
Also, people have brought up a question about the growth rates of the fish. Do any posters have any input there? That was never answered.

 

[absolutangel04]

Ok, good. I thought you were arguing for life. A small yellow tang wouldn't have a problem, I just wouldn't do it incase I couldn't give it away or upgrade and I was stuck with it. That's why I said not to put a fish in a tank too small.

Now that is whole different deal. Are you just saying that you wouldn't put a fish in a tank smaller than it's adult size required because the upgrade might not happen? Before you said it shouldn't be done ever. So, I am just clarifying.