New resident in my reef

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 12:35 PM

A good buddy of mine had this 3.5 inch horseshoe tang aka Ancantherus Fowleri. He had this guy for 2 years in his 45 gallon sps dominated tank. It was just this fish and a percula clown. As much as he liked the hobby and his reef tank, he had to give it all up because him and his wife werent getting along. With that said, I ended up aquiring this beautiful fish. Now in my 60gallon cube reef..
After I acclimated him, and releasing him in my system he started to graze on my liverock. This will be the only fish in my reef tank. My plan before was to not put any fish at all. Here is a pic and a video..

video

michael_cb_125 · 07/20/2009, 12:42 PM

Nice fish, but not one that should be kept in any tank under 200 gallons IMO.

Actually keeping this fish in a cube tank, is almost cruel. And I am not one who typically comments on fish/tank size.

~Michael

sedor · 07/20/2009, 12:47 PM

Tangs are generally better off in a much larger tank, but everyone seems to break the rules. I think its ok, but in the end its unfair for the animal. That being said i'll mind my own business and comment on what a beautiful fish it is. Free too...can't complain about that! I always tell people that buy tangs for tanks that are much to small, that now you have some bargaining power to get that bigger tank you've had your eye on

PS. Michael, i'm in Charlotte too!! PMing you with a ?

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by michael_cb_125
Nice fish, but not one that should be kept in any tank under 200 gallons IMO.

Actually keeping this fish in a cube tank, is almost cruel. And I am not one who typically comments on fish/tank size.

~Michael

I think Mike31154 summed it up pretty well, and this is what he said..

"I have a yellow in my 75 and he's fine. Probably around a 4 inch specimen, I got him from a fellow selling his 3 foot 65 gallon system. So he gained a foot with respect to tank size. In my view, the difference between even a 4 foot and 6 foot tank is irrelevant to a fish that comes from the ocean, where it's range is virtually unlimited. So if he's an active dude, he gets to put the brakes on a whole foot or two before the fish in the shorter tank. This hobby is a more or less selfish endeavour, we're really not doing any of our livestock any great favours. I suppose if you had an Olympic size swimming pool on your property and could run that as a tank, that would be pretty awesome.

Clownfish are tied to the immediate territory of their host anemone. They are probably the least affected by being kept captive since their normal range is so short. No sense arguing about a couple of feet when it comes to more active fish like tangs IMO. Folks that feel that strongly about it would do well to keep things in perspective when it comes to the big picture, namely the sea. A tang in a well kept 65 or 75 is probably a lot better off than one in a 210 that's been neglected and has poor water quality."

Also keep in mind that he was in my buddy's 45gallon reef tank for 2 years. Thriving and grazing off his liverock, and eating spectrum pellets etc. Just the tang and a clownfish. The key is to not overstock, as this will be the ONLY fish in my system..

Hongt713 · 07/20/2009, 01:11 PM

nice fish but that tang grow large and fast i have one thats 9inches and its in a 500 gal tank. The fowleri grow really fast and a 60 gal will not sustain it to long.. heres a photo of my fowleri

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hongt713
nice fish but that tang grow large and fast i have one thats 9inches and its in a 500 gal tank. The fowleri grow really fast and a 60 gal will not sustain it to long.. heres a photo of my fowleri

He didnt grow a whole lot the 2 years my buddy had him. So down the road after I get my living room + kitchen remodeled. I plan on setting up a bigger, in the wall reef system anyways.Thanks..

Ninong · 07/20/2009, 01:13 PM

It's a very nice fish but I think you should consider other factors other than your aquarium's bioload when deciding if your aquarium is large enough for any particular species. For example, you might want to take its adult size into consideration.

Acanthurus fowleri has a maximum size of 45cm, 18" (SL) -- that's to the base of the caudal fin. It really does need a much larger tank than what you presently have.

Peter Eichler · 07/20/2009, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coral_lagoon
I think Mike31154 summed it up pretty well, and this is what he said..

"I have a yellow in my 75 and he's fine. Probably around a 4 inch specimen, I got him from a fellow selling his 3 foot 65 gallon system. So he gained a foot with respect to tank size. In my view, the difference between even a 4 foot and 6 foot tank is irrelevant to a fish that comes from the ocean, where it's range is virtually unlimited. So if he's an active dude, he gets to put the brakes on a whole foot or two before the fish in the shorter tank. This hobby is a more or less selfish endeavour, we're really not doing any of our livestock any great favours. I suppose if you had an Olympic size swimming pool on your property and could run that as a tank, that would be pretty awesome.

Clownfish are tied to the immediate territory of their host anemone. They are probably the least affected by being kept captive since their normal range is so short. No sense arguing about a couple of feet when it comes to more active fish like tangs IMO. Folks that feel that strongly about it would do well to keep things in perspective when it comes to the big picture, namely the sea. A tang in a well kept 65 or 75 is probably a lot better off than one in a 210 that's been neglected and has poor water quality."

Also keep in mind that he was in my buddy's 45gallon reef tank for 2 years. Thriving and grazing off his liverock, and eating spectrum pellets etc. Just the tang and a clownfish. The key is to not overstock, as this will be the ONLY fish in my system..

That's all fine and dandy, but the fish in question can get to nearly 20" long...

anbosu · 07/20/2009, 01:16 PM

A yellow tang in a 75 makes sense since their max size is around 7-8" and generally people will recommend housing them in 4'+ tanks. However, nobody would recommend housing a tang that gets to 1'8" in a 60 gallon tank for more than a QT period. While your tank is certainly better than the previous tank, it still isn't going to be big enough for this fish long term, no matter how good your water quality is. Even a respectable fish retailer lists the minimum tank size at 150 gallons, and they are trying to sell you the fish.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...79&pcatid=2879

DamnPepShrimp · 07/20/2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coral_lagoon
In my view, the difference between even a 4 foot and 6 foot tank is irrelevant to a fish that comes from the ocean, where it's range is virtually unlimited.

This is very wrong. There is a huge difference in a 4ft tank to a 6ft tank. You should find the tang a better bigger home, do whats right for the fish and consider its life. Just because it was cramped up in a smaller tank, doesn't mean its ok in a slightly bigger tank.

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 01:50 PM

The Dussemeri Tang is in the same family, so is the blochii I had both about 4 inches in my 200 gallon system. 3 years having the fish in my system. It didnt grow very much at all. The only tang that grew very fast with my experiences. Is the Vlamingi tang.

michael_cb_125 · 07/20/2009, 01:58 PM

3 years having the fish in my system. It didnt grow very much at all.

Could diet have been an issue?

~Michael

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by michael_cb_125
3 years having the fish in my system. It didnt grow very much at all.

Could diet have been an issue?

~Michael

Fed them pellets, flakes, nori. They were always plump and fat.

Hongt713 · 07/20/2009, 03:01 PM

i had the blotchi tang when i twas only 2inches 6months later its close to 6inches, i have the mata tang when it was 2 inches 6months later its 7inches i dont know maybe its the way i am feeding mines or my tank size that has to do with its growth

Recty · 07/20/2009, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coral_lagoon
The Dussemeri Tang is in the same family, so is the blochii I had both about 4 inches in my 200 gallon system. 3 years having the fish in my system. It didnt grow very much at all. The only tang that grew very fast with my experiences. Is the Vlamingi tang.

Hmmmm, my dussu tang has grown from 6.5" to about 8" in 4 months, in a 210g system... I'd say something was weird in your tank, either feeding or space or other inhabitants, or maybe internal parasites... A fish that gets to 3 feet in the wild should grow pretty fast up to 10-12" and then start slowing down.

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Recty
Hmmmm, my dussu tang has grown from 6.5" to about 8" in 4 months, in a 210g system... I'd say something was weird in your tank, either feeding or space or other inhabitants, or maybe internal parasites... A fish that gets to 3 feet in the wild should grow pretty fast up to 10-12" and then start slowing down.

Nothing was wrong with any of my fish. They ate like pigs and would immediatly swim towards me if they saw me walking by. I had them for several years and got rid of them because I thought they would grow into show size fish.. That never happened. The baby vlamingi tang grew into a monster though. I remember introducing that fish after the Duss, and blochii. That said, my friend has had this Fowleri for 2 years now and it did not get that much bigger..

Recty · 07/20/2009, 03:54 PM

Well, it's a fish that should normally grow to around a foot and a half in the wild and grew to only 4 inches in your tank... you do the math, something is off there.

Just because they eat a lot of food doesnt mean nothing is wrong with them, could have been internal parasites or not the kind of nutrition they needed.

I'm not condemning you, but just saying that you're probably the exception, not the rule, as far as these type of tangs and growth is concerned.

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Recty
Well, it's a fish that should normally grow to around a foot and a half in the wild and grew to only 4 inches in your tank... you do the math, something is off there.

Just because they eat a lot of food doesnt mean nothing is wrong with them, could have been internal parasites or not the kind of nutrition they needed.

I'm not condemning you, but just saying that you're probably the exception, not the rule, as far as these type of tangs and growth is concerned.

They were about 4 inches when I introduced them in my 200gal system. Those 2 probably tacked on about an inch and a half after several years. Nothing compared to the Vlamingi. As that fish was just a baby with the silver spots, and grew into a whale with a big battering knob on his head..

I doubt my fish had any internal parasaites. Just look at the Fowleri my buddy gave me. Hes had it for 2 years now in a 45gal. and it only grew about an inch. So put the two experiences together = the smoking gun..

dflad · 07/20/2009, 04:24 PM

This is depressing...poor fish.

coral_lagoon · 07/20/2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dflad
This is depressing...poor fish.

I bet you watch Whale Wars on Dicovery to..

dflad · 07/20/2009, 04:48 PM

nope...dunno what that is?

aquaph8 · 07/20/2009, 04:51 PM

Dang tang police, hes happy leave it alone. Besides everyone has heard this lecture. There is about a million threads full of the same crap. We Know!!!!!!!

Hongt713 · 07/20/2009, 04:52 PM

i am not sure about u but my fowleri in my 500 grew couple inches in less then 6months in my tank

aquaph8 · 07/20/2009, 05:07 PM

I honestly believe the bigger the tank the faster the fish grow. Thats why they get so much bigger in the ocean than in our tanks. 500 gallons is pretty freakin huge, they dont grow quite as fast in my 125

SHOW ANGELS · 07/20/2009, 06:20 PM

I once had a Maculiceps tang in one of my 240s. The surgeon was right about 8 inches. She was a nice specimen full bodied and thick. After having it for 4 years I would say she probably grew an additional 2 inches. One thing I noticed was that she got alot thicker over those years and her color was more intense. I think size of the aquarium does make a difference here. Just my 2 cents

07/20/2009, 12:35 PM	#1
coral_lagoon Pushrod Powered Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Laguna Seca , CA Posts: 1,044	New resident in my reef A good buddy of mine had this 3.5 inch horseshoe tang aka Ancantherus Fowleri. He had this guy for 2 years in his 45 gallon sps dominated tank. It was just this fish and a percula clown. As much as he liked the hobby and his reef tank, he had to give it all up because him and his wife werent getting along. With that said, I ended up aquiring this beautiful fish. Now in my 60gallon cube reef.. After I acclimated him, and releasing him in my system he started to graze on my liverock. This will be the only fish in my reef tank. My plan before was to not put any fish at all. Here is a pic and a video.. video

07/20/2009, 12:42 PM	#2
michael_cb_125 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 3,787	Nice fish, but not one that should be kept in any tank under 200 gallons IMO. Actually keeping this fish in a cube tank, is almost cruel. And I am not one who typically comments on fish/tank size. ~Michael __________________ "People are too durable, that's their main trouble. They can do too much to themselves, they last too long" The more I learn, the less I know. Current Tank Info: Elos Mini and 120

07/20/2009, 12:47 PM	#3
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,733	Tangs are generally better off in a much larger tank, but everyone seems to break the rules. I think its ok, but in the end its unfair for the animal. That being said i'll mind my own business and comment on what a beautiful fish it is. Free too...can't complain about that! I always tell people that buy tangs for tanks that are much to small, that now you have some bargaining power to get that bigger tank you've had your eye on PS. Michael, i'm in Charlotte too!! PMing you with a ? __________________ Ryan

07/20/2009, 01:13 PM	#7
Ninong Team RC Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: USA Posts: 3,403	It's a very nice fish but I think you should consider other factors other than your aquarium's bioload when deciding if your aquarium is large enough for any particular species. For example, you might want to take its adult size into consideration. Acanthurus fowleri has a maximum size of 45cm, 18" (SL) -- that's to the base of the caudal fin. It really does need a much larger tank than what you presently have. __________________ Ninong

07/20/2009, 01:58 PM	#12
michael_cb_125 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 3,787	3 years having the fish in my system. It didnt grow very much at all. Could diet have been an issue? ~Michael __________________ "People are too durable, that's their main trouble. They can do too much to themselves, they last too long" The more I learn, the less I know. Current Tank Info: Elos Mini and 120

07/20/2009, 01:11 PM	#5
Hongt713 Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: houston, tx Posts: 158	nice fish but that tang grow large and fast i have one thats 9inches and its in a 500 gal tank. The fowleri grow really fast and a 60 gal will not sustain it to long.. heres a photo of my fowleri

07/20/2009, 01:16 PM	#9
anbosu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wesley Chapel, Florida Posts: 2,531	A yellow tang in a 75 makes sense since their max size is around 7-8" and generally people will recommend housing them in 4'+ tanks. However, nobody would recommend housing a tang that gets to 1'8" in a 60 gallon tank for more than a QT period. While your tank is certainly better than the previous tank, it still isn't going to be big enough for this fish long term, no matter how good your water quality is. Even a respectable fish retailer lists the minimum tank size at 150 gallons, and they are trying to sell you the fish. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...79&pcatid=2879

07/20/2009, 01:50 PM	#11
coral_lagoon Pushrod Powered Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Laguna Seca , CA Posts: 1,044	The Dussemeri Tang is in the same family, so is the blochii I had both about 4 inches in my 200 gallon system. 3 years having the fish in my system. It didnt grow very much at all. The only tang that grew very fast with my experiences. Is the Vlamingi tang.

07/20/2009, 03:01 PM	#14
Hongt713 Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: houston, tx Posts: 158	i had the blotchi tang when i twas only 2inches 6months later its close to 6inches, i have the mata tang when it was 2 inches 6months later its 7inches i dont know maybe its the way i am feeding mines or my tank size that has to do with its growth

07/20/2009, 03:54 PM	#17
Recty Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 6,556	Well, it's a fish that should normally grow to around a foot and a half in the wild and grew to only 4 inches in your tank... you do the math, something is off there. Just because they eat a lot of food doesnt mean nothing is wrong with them, could have been internal parasites or not the kind of nutrition they needed. I'm not condemning you, but just saying that you're probably the exception, not the rule, as far as these type of tangs and growth is concerned.

07/20/2009, 04:24 PM	#19
dflad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca 91320 Posts: 765	This is depressing...poor fish.

07/20/2009, 04:48 PM	#21
dflad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca 91320 Posts: 765	nope...dunno what that is?

07/20/2009, 04:51 PM	#22
aquaph8 Love The Fish Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 4,325	Dang tang police, hes happy leave it alone. Besides everyone has heard this lecture. There is about a million threads full of the same crap. We Know!!!!!!! __________________ Brett Current Tank Info: Leemar 60x36x24, 12x54w Sfiligoi T5, Alpha 300 skimmer

07/20/2009, 04:52 PM	#23
Hongt713 Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: houston, tx Posts: 158	i am not sure about u but my fowleri in my 500 grew couple inches in less then 6months in my tank

07/20/2009, 05:07 PM	#24
aquaph8 Love The Fish Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 4,325	I honestly believe the bigger the tank the faster the fish grow. Thats why they get so much bigger in the ocean than in our tanks. 500 gallons is pretty freakin huge, they dont grow quite as fast in my 125 __________________ Brett Current Tank Info: Leemar 60x36x24, 12x54w Sfiligoi T5, Alpha 300 skimmer

07/20/2009, 06:20 PM	#25
SHOW ANGELS Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CA Posts: 363	I once had a Maculiceps tang in one of my 240s. The surgeon was right about 8 inches. She was a nice specimen full bodied and thick. After having it for 4 years I would say she probably grew an additional 2 inches. One thing I noticed was that she got alot thicker over those years and her color was more intense. I think size of the aquarium does make a difference here. Just my 2 cents