Tangs and length

[thriceanangel]

OK OK. We have all heard that you cannot keep your tang in a 30gal tank and have it be happy, and not die from ich etc. But I have heard elsewhere that length is the most imporant factor not the actual volume. For instance, if you had a 75 or 100 long, that was say five or six feet long, would you then create a happy enivronment for larger tangs-sohal, hippo, naso etc, or multiple smaller tang keeping? I understand that if you had a tank that was too small to turn around in you're obviously going to run into problems, but within reason could (should) this be done? Also I have seen tanks that are filled to the front with rock, does this play a part as well? I mean it seems to me that if you have a 180 filled with rock and coral, that swimming space is going to be limited as well.

[ReeferMac]

You're asking about a can of worms... not trying to be coy, but truly, it's a 'debatable' topic at best (we're talking psychology of fish... :rolleyes: ). I love 'em, don't get me wrong, but... fish. Psychology? C'mon?
If you want to be a responsible owner, you'll know when they're 'cramped'. The actions are obvious.. pacing, brushed up noses, general poor health, disease ridden. Kinda like our prison system? There is no rule of thumb. Captive bred fish have never known 'the open ocean', yet Darwin will tell you the instinct is there.
I have one tang and one rabbit fish in my tank, w/ a gaggle of chromis, and clown... I know people w/ that in a 75. I don't think my tang is crowded, nor do the people I know who keep a 'denser' tank. It's a very subjective topic, so finding a true 'answer' probably isn't going to happen (you'll just hear lots of folk's opinions, some louder than others).
Use your own judgment, and put yourself in their shoe's.

- Mac

[gary greguire]

good points Mac

I have never had health problems with keeping tangs in smaller tanks at least not until I would find them on the floor....

[moriartiholmes]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7766364#post7766364 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thriceanangel
... I have heard elsewhere that length is the most imporant factor not the actual volume... I understand that if you had a tank that was too small to turn around in you're obviously going to run into problems...

You sort of answer your own question here. If this "long" tank is wide enough (18" or more) for a larger tang to turn around in, then it is automatically a larger volume tank.

I would think that the fish would appreciate a taller tank, but that height is less of a factor than tank length and width.

I'm pretty certain a tank FULL of corals and live rock, is less desirable to a more active species than one with more swimming room. Conversely, the natural environment and hiding places provided by these things would likely benefit the fish. So, IMO a reef tank is a good environment for these fish, but a cramped one is not.

[ReeferMac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7768589#post7768589 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gary greguire
.... not until I would find them on the floor....

LOL! Don't take this the wrong way Greg, but the parents didn't think anything was wrong w/ their kid until they jumped off the bridge! Not that a fish going carpet surfing is a sure sign that it was unhappy in it's environment (but you get the idea where I'm coming from?). It's difficult for us humans to try to an anthropomorphize our fish, but for lots of folks, it happens naturally w/ all their pets.
And also, you have to be careful about trying to set down certain 'rules of thumb' (I said it was a can of worms... ;) ). Moriarity, a Wrasse or Mandarin would love nothing more than a tank stocked to the brim w/ LR... Tangs OTOH, no. ;)

- Mac

[thriceanangel]

As far as the width goes, I am sure that most tangs can turn around in 18 inches, which doesn't necessarily mean large volume. In my example a 100 long is 6 feet length but doesn't have the width or height of a 120 tall. The 120 tall is only 4 feet long, but has more volume due to it's height and width. SO my question is ( And I know that this is anthropomorphizing ) but would something like say a Powder Blue or brown be less stressed in the 6' 100g long, or the 4' 120g? I would think (admittedly this is based on research and not experience) that the 100 Long would be fine for all but the biggest Tangs, provided that its not stuffed to the edges with LR. Or even a 75g long which is 6 feet long x 18" deep but only 13 inches high would certainly be acceptable for something such as a hippo. But again this is only conjecture and not something I have experience with.

[thriceanangel]

Sorry about the can of worms, but I was curious what people thought. And if I upgrade in the future I would like to be able to hold a couple smaller tangs, or 1 or 2 larger tangs. So trying to figure out the sizes is important. Obviously the larger the better, but to what point? Also the topic has come up recently as I have seen people again putting yellows in 29gal tanks and such, and I was hoping that it could be a learning experience for all.

[Arik]

Regardless of the length of the tank, the rock stack has to be conducive to active swimmers if you want healthy tangs. If you have two 4 foot tanks, and one has a mass of rocks along the back wall, and the second has the rocks stacked in the center of the tank (making a circular raceway) the tangs are going to do much better in the second tank regardless of it's volume.

I have a hippo in my 75g, and I made sure to leave a LOT of open water so that he can zoom around when he wants to.

[ReeferMac]

LOL! No need to apologize for the worms... That's what's nice about the URS section of ReefCentral. You get to have civilized conversations about stuff like this w/o people turning to insults w/ one another! :D
Personally, I wouldn't keep a Powder Blue or Brown tang in a tank twice that size. The tang up at the Zoo tank is crowded in it's home, IMHO. But that's just my take on the subject. I'm hardly an 'expert'. ;)

- Mac

[scaz]

In my mind.... it's your fish when you take it home from the store so who is to tell you what you do with your fish. I had a hippo tang in a 55 gallon that would hardly ever come out from the rocks, but was very healthy for the 2 years that I had him. however I don't think I would have another big tang again in anything less than 6 feet wide. Have you seen tangs in the ocean they swim faster than I can sprint and they go longer than I can sprint. But it is your fish, your tank, and your money.

[Arik]

So when I buy a dog I can theoretically keep it in a kennel 24/7 because I bought it with my money? I doubt it.