Clown Tang and tank size - Page 2

sergehb · 11/22/2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcmfish

That is Danorth and he has a 240 I believe and his other fish aren't pushovers. That is why I said 240 min. and you need to be careful what you put in with it.

i was just about to say that i had to learn that the hard way.

kaiserkid · 11/23/2009, 12:37 AM

[/QUOTE]

Now those are some beautiful fish. Nice diversity of colors and patterns.

Chris Witort · 12/07/2009, 02:08 AM

I see a blue lined trigger in there, that is one mean fish!

Sardaukar · 12/07/2009, 02:09 AM

Beautiful tank and fish and all that, but in case your curious, here is a video that Danorth posted of his tank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpsUTcLzouk See that blur that zooms by every 15 seconds? That's the clown dang doing non stop laps around the tank. The first thing that comes to my mind when I see that is a tiger restlessly pacing in a cage too small for it. Danorth has obviously provided a tank thats much larger than the average clown tang is going to find, and in that sense hes lucky, but I'm more and more coming to the belief that clown tangs should just be left in the ocean. Compare the non stop, fairly rapid swimming of the clown tang to slow puttering and hovering of the equally large angels and triggers and you will see what I mean.

I've seen 3 large (8"+) clown tangs in reef tanks, none shorter than 8 feet long, and they all looked restless, spending their time doing lap after lap around the tank. They were alive, healthy, eating, all that but something about it just seemed wrong. There is certainly a tank size that a full adult clown tang would be comfortable in, but I think its closer to 'backyard swimming pool' than it is to the average large tank. There are so many beautiful and engaging fish to pick from and almost EVERY one is going to be more comfortable in a huge tank than a clown tank IMO - even Sohal tangs seem to be less restlessly active and aggressive than clowns.

Glindac · 01/02/2013, 03:18 PM

I rescued mine from a LFS that had him in a cubed off 10 gal tank. Had him for a couple months like that, he wouldn't eat and was wafer thin. Took him about a month to come out and eat once I got him. I really did not expect him to live. I have him in a 225 tank and he gets along fine with every one. Have had him about a year now. I would love for him to have a bigger tank because he swims constantly (more so than the other fish). He seems happy and is about 7" now. They are beautiful fish and a personality all their own. Hope that helps some?

Wolverine · 01/02/2013, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glindac

I rescued mine from a LFS that had him in a cubed off 10 gal tank. Had him for a couple months like that, he wouldn't eat and was wafer thin. Took him about a month to come out and eat once I got him. I really did not expect him to live.

Glad yours is doing well. I wanted to comment on this really quickly. In general, I'm opposed to the idea of "rescuing" animals from the stores. From your side, you're being helpful to that individual fish. From the store's side, they're seeing that there's a "market" for that fish, so they'll usually turn around and bring in another within the next few months (how soon depends on how much they spent on the first one and how long they had it, but they'll do it eventually. When you look at the collection-to-store survival rates, it ends up being a bad thing overall for the species (this is true with any animal, not just fish).

nanoreefer1000 · 01/02/2013, 08:03 PM

I saw the one at CA acad. of sciences was pacing against the glass, this is like a 10-15ft panel of glass at least.

JohnniG · 01/03/2013, 06:21 AM

Its a shame but the truth. They need SPACE.

Glindac · 01/03/2013, 07:47 AM

I will be glad when they put regulations on the type and size of fish collected, ohhh I wish that day would come soon.

cdefla · 05/15/2013, 03:00 PM

I saw this thread and had to pipe in...if you have the ideal environment with strong flow and plenty of hiding places they can be kept sucessfully in any reasonable sized tank. I have a 9 year old 38 gallon reef tank (established) and have had my clown tang for 4 years. Happy fat and healthy, around 3.5 inches long. I say if you have the right system with algae to graze your tang will be happy and healthy.

DopeCantWin · 05/15/2013, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nanoreefer1000

I saw the one at CA acad. of sciences was pacing against the glass, this is like a 10-15ft panel of glass at least.

+1. I watched a 3-4" one attack anything that came near it in a 2000 gallon tank. I would highly suggest against putting one into any tank at all. The following video, although a Sohal, should explain why

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niokKvKin6I

OSTguy · 05/15/2013, 10:34 PM

CenterConsole · 05/16/2013, 04:35 AM

What about circle tanks? I'd think the shape of a tank plays more of a part than volume.

Fishareawesome · 06/16/2013, 10:58 PM

Howdy All, new to the forum but been "in the hobby" for 30 plus years. Just starting back up my 180 gal as a project with my 10 year old daughter (WHO WILL LIKELY READ THIS so play nice!) and as the highlight of the tank we have been considering...yep, the infamous Clown Tang...

It will be many, many months if not longer before we would add Mr. Acanthurus lineatus since time and money will dictate speed and this as would likely be the last fish in a sparsely stocked FOWLR tank. I've been on the fence about attempting the challenge but I will say one thing I have noticed about this fish:

You can put it in a 10,000 gallon aquarium and it will still zoom around "like a caged tiger.” It’s easy to anthropomorphize these magnificent animals, especially with the huge personalities they carry. I think of the clown tang more like the crazy spider money's

at the zoo than a caged tiger

, pacing off anxiety.

I offer this recent experience to share: If you get a chance, and are ever in the Chattanooga area, the TN Aquarium is a beautiful facility. In the top “Petting Pool” is one 8”-9” Clown Tang and a couple dozen or so other tangs (yellows, hippos, vlamingi’s, etc), Epaulette Sharks, BonnetHeads, and several types of rays. The Clown races around his one rock area (maybe 3’ X 3’ tops) nonstop regardless of how much space it has.

So just because the Clown Tang is hyperactive doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not happy with the amount of space he has. Obviously you need to account for the fact that this fish needs space to swim, but it doesn’t take a swimming pool to accomplish that.

Just an observation.

DopeCantWin · 06/17/2013, 08:36 AM

I would love to see a Clown tang video in their natural habitat.

12/07/2009, 02:09 AM	#29
Sardaukar Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: San Jose, California Posts: 1,439	Beautiful tank and fish and all that, but in case your curious, here is a video that Danorth posted of his tank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpsUTcLzouk See that blur that zooms by every 15 seconds? That's the clown dang doing non stop laps around the tank. The first thing that comes to my mind when I see that is a tiger restlessly pacing in a cage too small for it. Danorth has obviously provided a tank thats much larger than the average clown tang is going to find, and in that sense hes lucky, but I'm more and more coming to the belief that clown tangs should just be left in the ocean. Compare the non stop, fairly rapid swimming of the clown tang to slow puttering and hovering of the equally large angels and triggers and you will see what I mean. I've seen 3 large (8"+) clown tangs in reef tanks, none shorter than 8 feet long, and they all looked restless, spending their time doing lap after lap around the tank. They were alive, healthy, eating, all that but something about it just seemed wrong. There is certainly a tank size that a full adult clown tang would be comfortable in, but I think its closer to 'backyard swimming pool' than it is to the average large tank. There are so many beautiful and engaging fish to pick from and almost EVERY one is going to be more comfortable in a huge tank than a clown tank IMO - even Sohal tangs seem to be less restlessly active and aggressive than clowns. __________________ Currently tank-less :(

01/02/2013, 08:03 PM	#32
nanoreefer1000 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bay Area,CA Posts: 1,040	I saw the one at CA acad. of sciences was pacing against the glass, this is like a 10-15ft panel of glass at least. __________________ 6 gallon reef

01/03/2013, 06:21 AM	#33
JohnniG Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 620	Its a shame but the truth. They need SPACE. __________________ 65 gal tank under construction

05/15/2013, 03:00 PM	#35
cdefla Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 9	Clown Tang I saw this thread and had to pipe in...if you have the ideal environment with strong flow and plenty of hiding places they can be kept sucessfully in any reasonable sized tank. I have a 9 year old 38 gallon reef tank (established) and have had my clown tang for 4 years. Happy fat and healthy, around 3.5 inches long. I say if you have the right system with algae to graze your tang will be happy and healthy.

05/15/2013, 10:34 PM	#37
OSTguy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: 95747 Posts: 319	__________________ Makin' it work

11/23/2009, 12:37 AM	#27
kaiserkid Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 131	[/QUOTE] Now those are some beautiful fish. Nice diversity of colors and patterns.

12/07/2009, 02:08 AM	#28
Chris Witort Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Western Washington Posts: 556	I see a blue lined trigger in there, that is one mean fish!

01/02/2013, 03:18 PM	#30
Glindac Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: NC Posts: 327	I rescued mine from a LFS that had him in a cubed off 10 gal tank. Had him for a couple months like that, he wouldn't eat and was wafer thin. Took him about a month to come out and eat once I got him. I really did not expect him to live. I have him in a 225 tank and he gets along fine with every one. Have had him about a year now. I would love for him to have a bigger tank because he swims constantly (more so than the other fish). He seems happy and is about 7" now. They are beautiful fish and a personality all their own. Hope that helps some?

01/03/2013, 07:47 AM	#34
Glindac Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: NC Posts: 327	I will be glad when they put regulations on the type and size of fish collected, ohhh I wish that day would come soon.

05/16/2013, 04:35 AM	#38
CenterConsole Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 187	What about circle tanks? I'd think the shape of a tank plays more of a part than volume.

06/16/2013, 10:58 PM	#39
Fishareawesome Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: NashVegas, TN Posts: 29	Howdy All, new to the forum but been "in the hobby" for 30 plus years. Just starting back up my 180 gal as a project with my 10 year old daughter (WHO WILL LIKELY READ THIS so play nice!) and as the highlight of the tank we have been considering...yep, the infamous Clown Tang... It will be many, many months if not longer before we would add Mr. Acanthurus lineatus since time and money will dictate speed and this as would likely be the last fish in a sparsely stocked FOWLR tank. I've been on the fence about attempting the challenge but I will say one thing I have noticed about this fish: You can put it in a 10,000 gallon aquarium and it will still zoom around "like a caged tiger.” It’s easy to anthropomorphize these magnificent animals, especially with the huge personalities they carry. I think of the clown tang more like the crazy spider money's at the zoo than a caged tiger , pacing off anxiety. I offer this recent experience to share: If you get a chance, and are ever in the Chattanooga area, the TN Aquarium is a beautiful facility. In the top “Petting Pool” is one 8”-9” Clown Tang and a couple dozen or so other tangs (yellows, hippos, vlamingi’s, etc), Epaulette Sharks, BonnetHeads, and several types of rays. The Clown races around his one rock area (maybe 3’ X 3’ tops) nonstop regardless of how much space it has. So just because the Clown Tang is hyperactive doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not happy with the amount of space he has. Obviously you need to account for the fact that this fish needs space to swim, but it doesn’t take a swimming pool to accomplish that. Just an observation.

06/17/2013, 08:36 AM	#40
DopeCantWin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Buffalo Grove Posts: 2,193	I would love to see a Clown tang video in their natural habitat.