Tang for a 50gal?

[ufotofu]

Hi all,

I would like to get a tang. I love all tangs. I envy the heck outta those of you with monster tanks capable of schooling a species (or two). However, I only have a 50 gallon (see thread below for dims, etc.). I'm not one to cram fish into a tank. Currently, I the following (and all seem to be thriving!):
Royal Gramma
Coral Beauty angelfish
Yellow Watchman goby

I know tangs are typically kept in larger tanks due to their potential for growth as well as need for open swimming space. My question is about whether there is a species that will be fine in a smaller volume tank (50) like mine? I do have soft corals, clams, shrimp in the tank in addition to the fish.

 

[turnburn]

I've kept a yellow tang in a 55 for about a year now. However, I bought him very small and will be moving him into a 165 just as soon as I can motivate myself to set it up.

 

[ufotofu]

I plan on moving into a larger tank in the next couple of years, but that's not a certainty so I don't want to go out and buy something that will eventually become a burden to sustain.

I'm planning on a 180. Operative word is planning.

 

[Anonymous]

I can't recommend any Tang for a 55 gallon on a permanent basis. Having said that, a Yellow Tang if purchased small will live happily in a 55 for quite some time.

Really, you should be looking at fish that are small enough to where a 55 is a large, expansive environment for them to thrive in, not fish that are just small enough to tolerate being crowded into a 55.
For some reason, many fish keepers don't seem to know the difference.

This goes for a 55 gallon or a 600 gallon.



Jim

 

[Anonymous]

Possibly a bristletooth tang short term but I had a Ctenochaetus strigatus sp. that went from 2" to 8" in a little over a year so plan accordingly.

 

[ChrisRD]

I agree - if I had to pick a tang for a smaller tank, personally I'd stick to one of the smaller, more peaceful species from the Ctenochaetus genus like a juvi Kole or Tomini.

That said, I agree with Jim.

 

[turnburn]

When I bought my Tang he was the size of a silver dollar. He's easily tripled in size over the last year.

So, I wouldn't recommend buying even a small tang if you don't plan on up-sizing your tank in a year or so.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

Basically buy yourself a couple of tangs, that way when they get bigger, you "simply MUST get a bigger tank" Its always nice to have an excuse to drop a few grand.

That being said I have an 85 gal with two yellow tangs. They seem happy. In the left you can see my....ahem brick castle....(says under the breath while looking down.)

 

[ufotofu]

I bought two adult Zebrasoma rostratum...just kidding.

I got a small Zebrasoma scopas tang two days ago. He's about 2 inches right now. Really nice looking little fish. My Coral Beauty really got after him when I first put him in, but the Scopas settled in nicely after a few hours. They seem to be pals now. Before the tang, the angel wouldn't touch algae hanging on the clip. Now they both chow down on it like crazy.

I now have all the fish I want in this tank. No more until we increase the real estate...next year.
Thanks!