Tiny Blue Tang

[mcritter86]

My LFS has a tiny blue tang that may be 1 in. It's like the size of a quarter. I have a 55 gallon. I would love to have one, even if I need to find it a better home or upgrade later. What do you guys think? Will it outgrow a 55 gallon if placed in there so young?

 

[Northstar24]

Yes, and those tiny blue tangs generally do not adjust to tank life, and get sucked into overflows or powerheads. There is not a tang that stays small enough for a 55, despite what your LFS tells you to sell a fish

 

[wontonflip]

+1 North....good intentions aside, why bother even put a fish through all that moving around? They're already prone to ich. That's just more stress. Leave him for someone who already has a large tank.

Plus the smaller they are the higher the chance of them dying.

 

[little_fish]

+1 everyone

Those tiny blue tangs have just settled out the larval phase and need to eat about 30 times per day to make it, which I dont know of anyone who can provide that. Sadly, those little guys are pretty much doomed

 

[bigford]

yup i just bought a tomini tang about the same size
after a nice long drip he went into the tank only to be
found dead the next morning

 

[little_fish]

The little baby fish, adorable as they are, dont often it make it

 

[Smitty]

I guess you get the general consensus. :)

 

[OceanCrazy]

So are they captured as adults? Or is there like a special breeding facility that will only distribute at a certain size.

 

[wontonflip]

You an always order online. From what I've heard liveaquaria.com is a good place to start.

 

[jr7168]

+1 everyone to include my local guys all say liveaquaria.com and their divers den.

 

[little_fish]

There are no captive breeding programs for tangs, so you need to purchase them when they are at least 3 inches

 

[OceanCrazy]

Ty again.

 

[tritan]

I dont know what it is about blue tangs but they love current and will try to lay anywhere there is some. Overflows are common and at that age they will slip through (trust me, happened to me).

They will also get the ich if you even blink at them so putting a little guy of that size through it wont end well most times.