Don't you hate when others put stuff in your tank!?!?!?!

[cdeakle]

My girlfriend brought home this monster tang that Im guessing is 4 -5 inches in length. The store told her it was a "Chocolate Tang". I have a few questions that I need your help on.

She got this guy without my permission and I'm furious! I feel like I have been taken advantage of and I almost made her take him right back but he was really cool looking and has obvious personality. Plus I now have a bartering chip to hold against her for a little while. 8)

1) What is the real name for this guy. Couldn't find much on the web and any pics I did find didn't match up. He looked more like a Naso tang to me but obviously he is not.

2) Is he too big for my 55 gallon with 12 gallon sump? I think he is and I'm afraid he will easily outgrow my tank if he is already not too big for it.

3) This guy totally reef safe? Anything I need to be worried about or watch out for?

I will get a pic on here tonight when I get home from work. I, like the rest of the reefers on here are pic hungry =) Any help would be appreciated!

-puff

 

[teevee]

All other things aside, I would be extremely angry if someone put someone put something into my tank without my permission. It's like an invasion of privacy. You put all that work and money into the tank, and then someone goes out and does something that could compromise the entire system. I'm a little anal about these things, but I would personally have made her take it back. It's the principle of the matter.

 

[Mogo]

My 2 year old threw a glass of milk into my first 10 gal fw. Does that count?

 

[ereefic1]

You need to talk her into getting her own tank. Then she can put whatever she wants in there.

 

[npaden]

I've never heard of a chocolate tang, but it sounds like it is already to big for your 55 gallon tank. Do a search through www.themarinecenter.com for some pictures of tangs on their site and see if you can figure out what it is.

I would recommend having her return it to the LFS and shopping together for an appropriate fish.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[cdeakle]

I should have made her take it back in principal...

I found out what it is: Acanthurus pyroferus

They told me it was a tang but it looks like its actually a surgeonfish.

If I got her a tank it would probably crash in a month max. She wouldn't do the maintenance. As punishment for the fish fiasco she now has to do all the water testing and clean the skimmer cup for as long as the fish is in the tank. That sound fair? LOL

Anyone else have any experience with this fish?

-puff

 

[Anonymous]

"Tang" and "surgeonfish" are sort of interchangeable....what's important is the scientific name.

Your tang is probably more commonly called a "Mimic tang" as it mimics Centropyge angels as a juvenile. The exact species it mimics depends on the region the tang comes from.

From a quick google search, I found that the max size for this tang is 25 cm, or about 10 inches, which would give it barely enough room to even turn around in your 55 gallon. At 4-5 inches, IMO, it's still to big for your tank. Tangs really need lots of swimming space to thrive.

 

[DOGMAI]

You guys got to be kidding me. At least she bought you a fish. Putting it into your tank was a bad thing I will admit, but that is all that you are dwelling on. You apparently can’t see the forest for the trees. You should be happy she bought you something for your tank not bashing her because she bought you something you didn’t want. Safe to say we can see where your priorities are. I bet she would not be too happy to read what you wrote in here about her. Maybe if you took as much time to educate her as you take to talk about her lack of education this would not happen. Don’t discourage her from your hobby or she will be discouraged from her hobby, you.

Just my thoughts.

 

[tazdevil]

Dogmai, she simply should've asked first. How would she feel if he went and bought a trailer hitch and installed it on her car to tow his whatever? She'd be pissed as can be. Buying something as a surprise for someone else is alwaqys a nice gesture, but sometimes you have to ask first, and this was one of those times. Or she simply could've thrown him into the car, driven to the LFS, and said "pick one out for yourself, I'm buying".


I'd definetly take that fish back, he's just going to be to big for the 55. Maybe they can give your a even swap on something else.

 

[skylsdale]

They told me it was a tang but it looks like its actually a surgeonfish.

:lol:

 

[awigpot]

ok...ok...ok..... I am the infamous girlfriend. I was out at our fish store the other day picking up some actenic lights and I called hoem to ask if there was anything that he wanted or needed. He said I could get something, but didn't specify! Now in HIS defense I am sure he was talking about a cleaner shrimp or something less than $5.99....but me being the opertunist person that I am I decided to get a real fish. I asked the fish guys all of the right questions like is it reef safe....and told them what there was in HIS tank and if everthing is compatible.....I try not to be an idiot and I think I know what I am talking about, plus the guys at the fish store know us personally and said it would be a great addition to the tank. But sadly no I did not call the tanks owner which in hinesight now I know is the ONLY person i should have consulted. The scientific name is Acanthurus pyroferus. As for the size he is the biggest creature in the tank to date but I really don't think he is that large. I was watching him in the tank yesterday and he has plenty of hiding spaces in the rock and glides all over the place, never looks like he has trouble turning or moving. I do understand that he will get bigger and in that situation I would agree to find him a bigger home but by that time I hope to have my own larger tank (need to move to a more spacious residence first). But i was in the wrong for not consulting with the tank owner on such a dramatic purchase and would advise gift givers for the saltwater enthusiest to get them a gisft certificate to the store before walking out with a plastic bag and a new best friend. :wink:

 

[skylsdale]

Keep in mind: when all is said and done, the #1 thing the fish store guy wants is profit. I have seen many places where compromising the future health and safety of the fish is ignored to finalize a purchase.

Tip: know more than them before you go in there. Don't EVER EVER EVER EVER impulse buy!

 

[jamesw]

I have an adult of the tang in question (If it's A. pyroferus). I"ve had him for about 4 years and he's grown up from a yellow juvi. to a chocolate adult.

It is probably 7 inches long!

That is too big for a 55g tang in my opinion. But you put him in, so it's unlikely you will be able to get him out w/o tearing down your reef.

Now that he's in there, I'd say leave him if he's happy and healthy. It will probably do more damage to the fish to yank him out and take him back to the LFS - where who knows - it could die there too.

In the future though, investigate the adult size of the fish before you buy it - and don't just ask the LFS - check a book too.

Cheers
James

 

[awigpot]

The tang has the coloration of an adult and is still only 4.5 inches long. I also did look this fish up in a book at the fish store and saw that this guy startes yellow and matures into these rich brown/orang/yellow colors. anyway this is done and over the fish is happy and he is beautiful. :lol: