Calling all Tang Police!

[El Dude]

Hey there Acanthurid Po-Po!

There are many ways to overstock Acanthurids, aka Surgeonfish, aka Tangs. But is there a RIGHT way to stock Tangs...?

I want to hear everyone's opinions on what are appropriate stocking levels for Tangs. Granted stocking levels for Acanthurus spp. are different from Ctenochaetus spp. and so on...but let's hear what the jury has to say about stocking our favorite herbivores.

 

[mark.a.smith405]

I think it's about the fishes health. So if they can live in harmony and are strong enough to fight off disease and infection then it's all good. But if they constantly have ich / infections than there is an over crowding issue

 

[robert_ellis]

I agree with mark.

 

[frodaddy]

No Tangs in any tank under 100 gallons ... Tangs are grazers and are programed to take a bite of food and swim to a new spot and eat again when they are in the wild !!! When it can flick its tail once and be to the other side of your, tank it shouldnt be in there .. I have three in my 150 ( Blue hippo, Yellow and Kole) and wish I only had one !! They eat alot and grow really fast .. Even in my tank it doesnt feel like they have enough room to swim .. I would catch them and put them in a bigger tank but dont feel like breaking the tank down to catch them ... So I just feed them and try and keep them as happy as can be !!!

 

[coachfraley]

+1 for Mark.

 

[MelloFish]

I keep 6 tangs in my 150 (5x2x2). Powder blue, Yellow, Hippo, Purple, Sailfin and a Kole. Along with chromis,wrasses and a pair of clowns. I just keep them well fed with a good amount of rock to hide if they need to. They get into minor scuffles once in a while, but they all get along very well for the most part. I beleave in stocking some what heavy so its harder to single out fish. It works for me anyway.

 

[twomuch42004]

I have 4 in my 80 gallon bowfront it works for me


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[tdm850]

I used to have one yellow tang and one powder blue tang in my old 50g when I didn't know any better. They got along great for more than a year.....

Then I traded the yellow tang for a purple tang when I switched to my current 50g cube, and boy what a mistake....The purple tang drove the powder blue nuts and she jumpped out the tank in the middle of night. It was such bad and dumb decision on my end.

 

[cymaster007]

If its a full grown adult tang I would say 100g and up.
Other than that +1 to what mark said.

 

[solitude127]

I personally don't believe volume is as important as swimming space. Take a 6'x1'x2' tank, that's about 90g. Now take a 3'x3'x2', that about 130g. Which do you think a tang would be happier in? IMO, the 6' tank would be better.

 

[lowbudget]

i had up to 9 tangs in a 300 gallon all got a long well majority of them were 6-7"

 

[SchnitzelReef]

I had 8 tangs in my 180. All were very healthy and got along great. I just sold 4 because I'm trying to cut back on some bio load. SPS and 8 tangs and a sargassum trigger don't match. Lol

 

[Spinner]

Somebody call.................spread....M

 

[lowbudget]

i did had a sohal in a 30 gallon before he was awesome then i put him in with the pack and it died. so i think he was better off in the nano.

 

[Mr. Plant]

I have 4 tangs in my 170 gal. Yellow, blue, blonde naso, sailfin. Absolutly no problems. Feed lots to keep them fat and happy and healthy. Long tanks works best......

 

[reefes pieces]

+1 to mark. Also IMO if the tang does nothing but do a nervous pace back n forth along the glass then that might be a sign the tank is too small

 

[wickedfish]

I got 6 in a 225g no one even nips at anyone. Also have 2 angels that are just as aggressive. I took out 190lbs of rock scape in the past year to give em swimming space.

 

[TheJedi]

Somebody call.................spread....M

That pic is hilarious hahaha