Purple Tang

[USMC81]

What would be the smallest size tank you would put a purple tang into. I was browsing Anchifish.com and they list it as part of clean up crew for tanks as small as a 30 gal. This has to be way to small for any tang. What are your comments?

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
I used to keep mine in a plastic bag before I put it in my tank. So it is about 1/3 gallon?

Seriously, I feel that a 60 gal is about right for a single tang. They need at least 4 feet of swimming space to be humane.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 75G that is finally tang-free. Over the last two years I have kept Yellow, Purple, and Saifin. They were all returned as they each became more and more beligerent over time.

IMHO 125G for a purple. Maybe 75G for a yellow, prolly more like 100G. Over 125G for the sailfin.

Louey

 

[dgin]

For the long term, tangs require a large amount of smimming space (6'+). Tangs can and will get very large. As they get larger, the space they need goes up because of increased territory needs. The minimums that Louey stated are good guideline. Small tangs (<2") can be kept in smaller tanks but you are asking for problems as they get bigger... and they will get bigger.

 

[naesco]

They are full of it. A thirty gallon is way too small for any tang.
Never buy a tang online as they are ich magnets and you cannot see what you are buying.
It is always better to buy a heathy tang from a LFS even if it costs a bit more.

 

[USMC81]

After everything that I have read I knew this was to small of a tank. I usually by all of my livestock from my LFS. I get all of my drygoods online. Prices are better online. Have not ordered any livestock online as of yet. LFS are dedicated to the knowledge of reef tanks. I deal with the same person when I go there.

 

[Enzo]

I don't think all online pet stores are bad. I have read that liveaquaria.com has a seven day gaurentee on most of their fish. The parameters are that if your not satisfied or they die in 7 days it's a full money back guarentee including shipping.
John :roll:

 

[rikacarl]

For the long term, tangs require a large amount of smimming space (6'+). Tangs can and will get very large. As they get larger, the space they need goes up because of increased territory needs. The minimums that Louey stated are good guideline. Small tangs (<2") can be kept in smaller tanks but you are asking for problems as they get bigger... and they will get bigger.

So are you saying that a 120 (48x24x24) would be too small for a purple tang? I just got that tank because I thought it would be OK for a tang & plus the size fits well in our house. If most of the rock stucture is open, is this really too small? The only other fish in the tank are two small clowns and one dottyback Reading MARINE FISHES by Scott Michael says 100 gallons is large enough.

 

[Minh Nguyen]

PT should not go into a 30 g tank. Never even it they are small because they will outgrow it so quick. My PT go from 2 inches to 5 inches in 9 months.

 

[dgin]

To clarify, I'm not endorsing putting tangs in small tanks unless it is only temporary. They will outgrow the tank quickly.

Purple Tangs can get up to around 10" in length, about 2 inches more than a Yellow Tang can achieve. Having a tang that large would be cramped in anything but the largest of tanks (several hundred gallons). Granted, many tangs may not get that large but the potential is there. They seem to prefer a tank that has more length than purely volume in order to stretch their fins. Thus my suggestion about a 6' over a 4' tank, even though that is the size for 125 gallon tanks vs 120 gallon ones.

I also buy all my fish locally. When fish are shipped, they are definitely stressed a lot more and lowers their resistance - thus the ich magnet comment that naesco made. I bought a yellow tang for $15 and powder blue for $40 locally, which are pretty good prices even when compared with online vendors. Plus you can pick the fish with the most pleasing markings/color/fins/etc. to your eyes rather than leave it to random luck.