New Build Dilemma! 75gal or 125gal

[Digger]

I do have room for a 125gal DT but just barely. I have an opportunity to trade my 75gal w/stand plus $200 for a new 125gal w/stand.

Would it be worth it to increase the size? I currently have no other equipment so having to trade out equipment is not a problem.

My wife says to keep the 75gal but her favorite specimen is a yellow tang. I'm afraid the 75 will be too small for it.

What say you?

 

[SeanMonster]

My nickel's worth of free advice is go with the 125g. Your yellow tang needs the swimming room. I think you'll be glad you did in the long run. By the way, I upgraded from a 120g to a 180g and I'm glad I did.

 

[militaryminded1]

I have a yellow tang In my 75g and he seems to love it.

 

[SeanMonster]

Check out live aquaria. Minimum tank size for a yellow tang is 100g. They need a long tank for lots of swimming room.

 

[phoenixkiller]

125 gallons is the advertised and recommended tank size for yellow tangs...

 

[militaryminded1]

Uh oh I guess I need to upgrade my tank

 

[militaryminded1]

About.com says minimum tank size for a yellow tang is 55g that's where I got my information from before I joined the forum.

 

[SeanMonster]

About.com says minimum tank size for a yellow tang is 55g that's where I got my information from before I joined the forum.

I would check with a website like liveaquaria.com that specializes in aquarist info only. They not only give minimum tank size, but max size of fish, temperament, difficulty to care for. The information that I have read on most tangs is they need a tank 6 feet long to facilitate their swimming needs.

 

[Digger]

My nickel's worth of free advice is go with the 125g. Your yellow tang needs the swimming room. I think you'll be glad you did in the long run. By the way, I upgraded from a 120g to a 180g and I'm glad I did.

I don't think I would put a yellow tang in the 75, but my question is more about the value. I can't put a value on getting the wife the fish she loves, but I don't want to go overboard. I know the equipment for the 125 will cost more than for the 75. Shouldn't be significantly more. Besides that, is the $200 difference a good buy considering it is a new 125 and the 75 has been used only enough to do a fishless cycle of the tank.

I'm seriously leaning toward the 125. Any fodder to help convince the wife will be appreciated.

 

[SeanMonster]

I can only go by my own experience. I was happy I went bigger based on the livestock I wanted. I know it's important to keep the Mrs happy, but even more important, if you (or your wife) are set on certain livestock, you need to provide the fish the environment that will make them happy and healthy. This is an expensive hobby, but like you said, I don't think jumping from a 75g to a 125g is a prohibitive financial leap.

 

[Digger]

Ok, I showed the wife a thread about sins that people keeping an aquarium do and the first 5 or 6 replies talked about having too many fish in too small a place.

She said get the 125!!!!! God, I love this woman!

Thanks for the help AA. So now I'll have to change my sig.

 

[SeanMonster]

Congrats Digger. Looks like you have one of the goo ones, like I do. I don't think you'll regret your choice. Keep us posted.

 

[Digger]

Well I did it. I traded the 75 for the 125. Now to start a new thread about the build and figure out what equipment I need.