Is it a crime to keep a 1 inch convict tang in a 70 gallon, long tank?

[Moeshi]

I ask because I came across this tiny tang, and I would like to know if it can do well on it's own in my 70 gallon frag tank. The tank is an invert only SPS tank with plenty of LR.

I'm aware that I have to rehouse the fish eventually.

How long would I be able to house it comfortably? Or should I skip the fish entirely?


Thanks,
Moeshi

[zchauvin]

I'd say no, no worse than putting a 8" in a 180

[toothybugs]

This is a gray area... Lots of people are going to come out on either side.

Realistically, short term you'll be fine, but the problem with rehoming in to a bigger tank is always that it rarely happens before it needs to. The question is always "why not just put it in a bigger tank now" because big tanks have multiple benefits over small ones. The main detractor is just costs of setup and maintenance.

Personally, I would pass. Who knows if something is going to preclude you getting that 250 in a year or whenever.

[ca1ore]

I have had a 3" convict in a 90 for the last year and all outward signs point to it doing just fine. I am about to move it to a larger tank though. I'd guess you'd have 1-2 years before having to rehome a tiny one.

[Moeshi]

Are convict tangs one of the faster growing species? How long will it take to double in size?
I imagine I have to rehouse it when it's close to 3 inches. Or am I wrong?

That was a lot of questions. Thanks a lot for your help. :)

[Dmorty217]

Are convict tangs one of the faster growing species? How long will it take to double in size?
I imagine I have to rehouse it when it's close to 3 inches. Or am I wrong?

That was a lot of questions. Thanks a lot for your help. :)

I would say it could easily be 5" within 2 yrs, less than that probably. If it is the only fish it could be fine until 4-5"

[ca1ore]

Convicts often come in malnourished, so getting some weight on takes some time. Mine hasn't grow all that much in the year I've had it; doesn't mean it cannot grow fast under different conditions of course.

[Dmorty217]

Convicts often come in malnourished, so getting some weight on takes some time. Mine hasn't grow all that much in the year I've had it; doesn't mean it cannot grow fast under different conditions of course.

+1 It will take several months or longer to nurse one back to optimum health.

[alton]

Change the name of your frag tank to QT tank for a year.

[CStrickland]

Sometimes I wonder if it's difficult to rehome them. Like, there's a lot of 90 gal tanks in my local reef club, but only one or two tanks big enough to house a mature convict. If I was the one guy with a 300 gal tank I'd get pretty tired of people trying to pass off their fish onto me. I would feel like I was being put in a bad position of either cleaning up other people's messes or leaving a fish in an unsuitable home. If I had a 300gal tank I'd want to stock it with healthy fish that I got to watch grow, not scruffy leftover random fish that had outgrown all the 90's in town.

I guess people sell them back to an lfs too. But then you don't get any say in where it goes, the odds of them selling it into another too-small tank seem way better than the odds of the one guy in town with a 300g strolling in and wanting just that fish.

I'm kinda biased tho. I help out my local animal shelter so I've seen way too many big dogs that were really cute puppies and got "rehomed" when their owners figured out that Great Danes don't stay little. A lot of those big dogs get put to sleep because there just isn't anybody that wants them when they aren't puppies anymore. A lot of people that returned them think they went to live in a sanctuary somewhere, and turn around and buy another puppy to "rehome" in a few years.

I wouldn't do it unless you have an actual plan in place.

[MondoBongo]

Sometimes I wonder if it's difficult to rehome them. Like, there's a lot of 90 gal tanks in my local reef club, but only one or two tanks big enough to house a mature convict. If I was the one guy with a 300 gal tank I'd get pretty tired of people trying to pass off their fish onto me. I would feel like I was being put in a bad position of either cleaning up other people's messes or leaving a fish in an unsuitable home. If I had a 300gal tank I'd want to stock it with healthy fish that I got to watch grow, not scruffy leftover random fish that had outgrown all the 90's in town.

I guess people sell them back to an lfs too. But then you don't get any say in where it goes, the odds of them selling it into another too-small tank seem way better than the odds of the one guy in town with a 300g strolling in and wanting just that fish.

I'm kinda biased tho. I help out my local animal shelter so I've seen way too many big dogs that were really cute puppies and got "rehomed" when their owners figured out that Great Danes don't stay little. A lot of those big dogs get put to sleep because there just isn't anybody that wants them when they aren't puppies anymore. A lot of people that returned them think they went to live in a sanctuary somewhere, and turn around and buy another puppy to "rehome" in a few years.

I wouldn't do it unless you have an actual plan in place.

these are my feelings as well. rehoming is almost entirely a myth for these larger fish.

finding someone with a tank large enough to accommodate an adult specimen is difficult enough, let alone finding someone with that size tank that is willing to take your fish.

i can tell you this: my tank is large enough to serve as a rehome destination for a fairly large range of species, but i have my stocking plan already decided on, and the chances that your impulse purchase that you're now trying to rehome is included in that plan are slim to none.

so please, if you can't take care of the animal for the duration of its natural life, then just don't buy it.

[Sk8r]

A lot of good observations above. Let me add one other, from another species that requires a lot of room. Damsels are perfectly amiable, well, within the spectrum of peaceful fish behavior, if kept in a 100 gallon tank. Kept in something significantly smaller, they gain a rep of being hyper-aggressive. It's panic behavior. No matter how young the fish, they seem to have a sense of what's cramped and what's not.

[Texas Paul]

I have had my share of overstocked aquariums and it's not fun. When the fish are introduced small everything is fine. But after a few years and the bioload gets very heavy, the problems begin. Overstocked can easily lead to over feeding, which can lead to water quality problems, which can lead to poor overall fish health and eventual bacteria infections etc for the less hardy fish. That doesn't even count all the aggression that can develop when there is not enough room for everyone. Takes the fun out of the hobby. I know, I've done it. Your call on the fish. It took a lot of grief for me to realize how much easier a lightly stocked tank is. I only keep the most peaceful small fish with a very low bioload. No fighting, no over feeding. Makes life a lot easier. Hope this helps.

[alton]

Did I miss something? Reading up on Convicts they get the same size as Yellows and two inches smaller than Purples. So if you can't keep a 1" Convict in a 70 gallon frag tank for a year as the only fish, why does anyone with less than 300 gallons have tangs? Before I introduce any small fish (Juv. Regal Angel or 1 1/2" PT) to my 300 it goes into a QT then a 40 to 65g tank for six moths before it goes into my 300 where it can build up its stamina to handle being with a bunch of fish.

[CStrickland]

Convicts need like 6' and 120g I think. Plus they are kinda skittish.
Fattening one up in a qt is diff from buying one that you don't have a tank for.

[MondoBongo]

Did I miss something? Reading up on Convicts they get the same size as Yellows and two inches smaller than Purples. So if you can't keep a 1" Convict in a 70 gallon frag tank for a year as the only fish, why does anyone with less than 300 gallons have tangs? Before I introduce any small fish (Juv. Regal Angel or 1 1/2" PT) to my 300 it goes into a QT then a 40 to 65g tank for six moths before it goes into my 300 where it can build up its stamina to handle being with a bunch of fish.

from what i see of their past posts it appears the OP has two tanks. a 66 gallon reef, and the 70 gallon frag tank, at least these are the only two the OP has cited in previous posts.

difference for you being that you have a 300g tank already going where the adult fish can reside, as opposed to someone with a smaller tank having to find you, and then ask you very nicely if you will take this random fish off their hands.

if the OP has another system that is much larger than the two they have been posting about, then absolutely go for it, but i think it's a bad idea to rely on finding someone with a large tank in a charitable mood to take your unwanted fish.

[headnic789]

Removed.

[snorvich]

The issue is not fish size, it is the availability of natural food (algae growing in the tank)

[cloak]

I apologize for not reading through the entire thread, but I've always thought that Convict tangs were just a very tricky fish to keep in general. Not like a YT, PT, KT etc. I'm not exactly sure if a 70 gallon tank, a 140, a 280 and so on and so fourth would be sufficient in this case, they're just tricky to begin with. Much like a lot of corals such as a Goniopora, an Elegance etc. Lot's of horror stories out there for some reason. JMO, GL.

[slgcmg]

No, do it

[dragonsong]

Loads of people buy fish like that and cram them into 20-40 gallon tanks just because they can, at least if you get it it will have a semi-decent living space compared to what its odds are.

[BrianD]

No, do it

If the fish in your signature are truly in a 180, I would submit you are not a follower of recommended husbandry for tangs. As such, I would put an asterisk next to your "No, do it".

[Moeshi]

Thank you all for the replies. After a lot of thought inspired by this thread, I decided to pass on the tang. I've seen too many cramped aquariums in my time to justify short-term solutions like this.

Sadly the tang was then sold to a lady who wanted to put it in her 55g cube, with the quote: "Ahh, it's going to be the perfect pet for my two clowns!". I tried to advice against the purchase, but to no avail.

It's hard not to regret my decision... I wonder how many gallons there are in tang-heaven.