Regal Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)

[BettWalker]

What is the maximum adult size of the Regal Tang? In "The Marine Aquarium Problem Solver" by Nick Dakin, he states 4". In the LiveAquaria.com catalog they state 12", which is quite a difference.

Also would like to know if the Regal Tang can be kept in a mini reef successfully?

I purchased one Friday and it is beautiful, very active and eating well.
Was so sad about losing my Maroon Clown, just had to cheer myself up.

 

[fishfreek]

In my option a tang of any type should not be kept in a tank smaller than a 55 as they like to swim around and having them in a small tank could lead to stress.

BTW, that photo looks like the tang already has something wrong with it. What is that white line on its side and white marks above and around its eye.


I sure hope its not the infamous Hole in the Head or Lateral Line Errosion.

 

[BettWalker]

I don't know what the white lines are. This is what comes from inexperience...I just thought this was the way they all looked. What should I do?

When I asked if a tang was OK kept in a mini reef, maybe mini was not the right choice of words. I am thinking about trying to convert my 55gal FOLR tank to a reef in the future and was wondering about the tang. Back to the question of maximum adult size -- do you know? If I lose this one, I will probably try another. I do like this fish.
Thanks.

 

[fishfreek]

Well the burgess atlas says maximum adult size could reach 26CM or 10".

A 55 would be the smallest tank i would put a small tang in. Many fish will not grow to full size in aquariums simply because of their surroundings.

For example two small regal tangs from the same tank in the LFS placed at the same time in a 150 and a 55 feed the exact same and kept under the exact same conditions the one in the 150 will grow larger and faster than the one in the 55.

 

[BlueAbyss]

I don't know what the white line is, but at our LFS they have a blue regal in their personal display tank with similar marks around the eyes, someone brought him in, and he couldn't be sold because of the marks (they felt they didn't want to sell a perminantly scared fish) so they put him in there to liv eout his life. He is well, the marks are scares from sever rubbing they think, he possibly had ick or something very bad once before they got him. (I had asked them about his "battle scares" before that's how I know, lol) but like I said as far as the white lines I don't know

 

[reefrunner69]

The marks on the fish are HLLE, the fish is in about the mid point of the erosion, it begins around the eyes and then works it's way along the lateral line. There are a few things that are thought to cause this...

• poor water conditions
• stray electrical charge (use a grounding probe)
• viral
• poor diet

Not too much is known about this disease/condition, and most of the info about it is speculation. If it were me, I would try to take the fisah back, if they won't take it back, make sure you have a grounding probe, you keep up with your water changes, feed plenty of food soaked in a vitamin heavy in fatty acids and lippids and HUFAs like Selcon. I have seen tangs recover from this when the Selcon type food soak was used, but I have also seen it fail.

 

[BettWalker]

Thanks to everyone for your replys. I took the fish back to the LFS in Gainesville. They told me the fish wasn't meant to be sold. They had taken him in on a trade-in and knew his condition which they said was from an electrical surge. The guy who sold him to me wasn't there today, but they were very nice about it and gave me a Regal Tang from the regular stock. I guess part of it was my fault because I had told the clerk I wanted the one I was looking at in this separate tank. Dumb on my part, but I didn't realize the markings were not part of the fish. I'll chalk it up to one more thing learned. I hate to think about it, but there's probably a long list of such mistakes yet to be made. Anyway, the new Tang is happy in the tank and ate well at feeding time. BTW, they had a large one in a display tank - definitely not 4". What would I do without you guys?

BTW, I placed a ground probe in my tank today. Don't want that to happen to any of my babies.