Tangs and the 6 foot rule Fact or Fiction?

[reefes pieces]

I remember when I started out and the little research I did would lead me to Bob Fenner's site (wet web media) and they are big proponents of having a tank minimum of 6 feet long (usually 120+ gallons) to harbor tangs in captivity. I think this may be more suitable rule of thumb when tanks were generally show size (narrow tall and long). However many new reef tanks are venturing into depth sacrificing in length. Although shorter in length, I think this gives tangs a 3rd dimension in having open space to swim around. Baring in mind that some tang species are going to require big tanks in all dimensions (mata,etc). So I'd like to know your thoughts on the 6 foot rule? Still stands or outdated?

 

[Leo G]

I have a blue tang and a yellow tang in my tank and their happy and super healthy and its a 55gallon

 

[lowbudget]

i think its more space than length. i can have 12 ft tank that is only 90 gallons of water.

 

[Zoarder]

I keep a 6' 135 gallons and keep tangs. Sometimes I wish it wouldn't be so narrow like 24" wide IMO. I like long tanks but I've seen some more cube like that give that 3rd dimension as you mentioned and looks like tangs have more room to swim rather than left to right as if they were pacing. I really like Wickedfish tank dimensions if I ever upgrade.

 

[Usingthejohn]

From what ive read, tangs like swim space. So I posed the same question to someone at age of aquariums. Their response?
Sa2t you took a cube and id a scape that had different rock formations, the tang could swim in a left circle, right circle, or even diagnoally from each corner. Basically his opinion is there is more swim space, than a 4x2x2 and up tank, due to length and depth of a cube (I posed question with karls cube in mind)

Hahaha didnt I text you a sinilar question not too long ago?

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[reefes pieces]

Yes you did! haha Actually was one of the reasons why I decided to start this thread. One reason why I like SCR is their aren't any tang police but at worse case tang senior citizens on patrol. However if you mention on certain forums that your tank isn't 6 feet in length, they will be all over you labeling you as a monster. truth be told, i think its an old outdated reference as tank dimensions have really become more creative in depth. Also, in Socal with so many reefers its not as hard to find an tang that outgrew your tank a larger home and make another reefer happy. Now I still think you can overcrowd a tank with tangs but they will definitely show you its overcrowded.

From what ive read, tangs like swim space. So I posed the same question to someone at age of aquariums. Their response?
Sa2t you took a cube and id a scape that had different rock formations, the tang could swim in a left circle, right circle, or even diagnoally from each corner. Basically his opinion is there is more swim space, than a 4x2x2 and up tank, due to length and depth of a cube (I posed question with karls cube in mind)

Hahaha didnt I text you a sinilar question not too long ago?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Usingthejohn]

Yes you did! haha Actually was one of the reasons why I decided to start this thread. One reason why I like SCR is their aren't any tang police but at worse case tang senior citizens on patrol. However if you mention on certain forums that your tank isn't 6 feet in length, they will be all over you labeling you as a monster. truth be told, i think its an old outdated reference as tank dimensions have really become more creative in depth. Also, in Socal with so many reefers its not as hard to find an tang that outgrew your tank a larger home and make another reefer happy. Now I still think you can overcrowd a tank with tangs but they will definitely show you its overcrowded.

I agree. Im sure its easy to overcrowd a tank with tangs, much as its easy to overcrowd a tank in general.

Best barometer to guage tank stocking is based on aggression, or if ich is present (blue hippo tang, for example) or as you told me, if a fish is pacing back and forth.

Also just thought of this but in a 4x2 tank (im omitting height due to poor freehand math skills) square footage would be 8 sq ft swim space. A 4x4 cube is 16sq ft swim space.

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[MRCYCS805]

Hmmm i wonder how many tangs i coukd keep in my 60x18x25 3/4

SeNt*By*A*sTrAiGhT*g*UsInG*tApAtAlK*3.99*hOmEz

 

[cymaster007]

I think it doesnt matter as long as the tang isnt getting bullied, or stressed out. If it is fat, healthy and gets some exercise with good balanced water it can be in any tank!
The rule would also be obsolete IE when my 225 has all the SPS grow out, there will be very little swimming room....

 

[reefes pieces]

hmmm free swimming space or SPS taking up all the space in a 225? Yeah I'd kick tangs out all day and tell them to suck it

I think it doesnt matter as long as the tang isnt getting bullied, or stressed out. If it is fat, healthy and gets some exercise with good balanced water it can be in any tank!
The rule would also be obsolete IE when my 225 has all the SPS grow out, there will be very little swimming room....

 

[Riblet]

I've noticed the 2 tangs in my cube rarely go across the tank in a straight line, they go around and thru the islands like drunk drivers. I think the more twist and turns you give them, the more secure they'll feel.

 

[gonumber24]

I have a Chevron Tang in a 29 Gallon Biocube. Had him for a couple years now. Happy and healthy.

 

[sklywag]

Actually your 2x4 tank would have 12 linear feet of swim length figuring all your rock were in the middle of it like in a cube tank.

Not like we're growing Veal or anything. But in our tanks there are no preditors our fish need to worry about and having to dash away with hundreds and even thousands of others in its school. Our fish are at leasure in our tanks. In the ocean they dart away from us and in our tanks they swim up to us.

Looking at my tank now (90g) I see my two Tangs swimming about eating where ever they choose. They're not rubbing their fins on the glass and scraping their noses on the rock as they turn around to move about. Will they reach that eight inch length they say they do in nature? I don't know. I've been snorkling several times and it seems I always see 4-5 inchers all day long.. I've seen monsters at Seaworld and other city type aquariums though. But not in the ocean.

 

[wickedfish]

I think it depends on the species of tang. The Acanthurus is a very temperamental tang and needs long stretches for sure. The normal Zebrasoma tangs seem to adapt better and not dart around as much.

If you see this fish in the wild you realize that most don't venture far from their rocks. They do the quick darting off to chase other fish from their turf or to hunt for food.

People should realize when a fish gets a bit big they should try to get a buddy to take him in and house him in a bigger tank.

I'm definitely trading my bigger fish in when they out grow my tank for smaller ones. Or with luck I actually have a fish only.

 

[mkfmedic]

I designed the rock work of my 4 x 2 x 2 so that fish can swim in the front, in the back and actually have a diagonal channel on one side. I only have two tangs, a Powder Brown and Kole, but they seem perfectly content.... knock on wood. The Kole is still on the small side and he seems to enjoy going through caves and holes in the rock work, while the powder brown just cruises all over the tank.

 

[Tangwich]

I designed the rock work of my 4 x 2 x 2 so that fish can swim in the front, in the back and actually have a diagonal channel on one side. I only have two tangs, a Powder Brown and Kole, but they seem perfectly content.... knock on wood. The Kole is still on the small side and he seems to enjoy going through caves and holes in the rock work, while the powder brown just cruises all over the tank.

I agree with you Mike. I try to make diagonal islands so that my fish (especially tangs) can not only swim side to side and back to front but also diagonally around islands, through caves and under overhangs.

 

[Rockstacker]

I think the "6 foot rule" came about back when standard tanks were around 18 inches deep. So the only way to give tangs room to swim was to get a longer tank.
With new tank dimensions now, I think the tangs will actually be happier if they have more options for swimming paths other than left to right.
With proper rocksaping in a 4 x 2, the tang could swim for several minutes without having to do a 180.