"the tang police"

[treesprite]

So, at what point would you classify a person as a member of the elitist organization known as "the tang police"?

 

Do you consider yourself a member of the tang police?

 

Now be honest, what are your standards or opinions for the keeping of tangs in aquariums?

[treesprite]

I would consider a tang police member to be someone who demonstrates a special interest in the welfare of tangs, who takes on personal responsibility to see to it that other people keep tangs in properly sized living spaces. This person is one of the first to speak their opinion when seeing that someone is keeping a tang in too small of a tank. I don't believe that tang police are necessarily rigid or over-strict, though many are and look at the subject with narrow minds.

 

I guess I am going to have to call myself a member of the open-minded unit of the tang police. I say this because there are times when I feel I have to educate or remind people about the keeping of tangs in certain sizes of tanks or in tanks with aquascaping that is not best suited for tangs. But I am not narrow-minded about it.

 

As far as my opinions about keeping tangs, I look at many variables. Gallons of a tank are not as important as dimensions, and rockwork makes a difference. I imagine that to a tang, a 75g tank with proper aquascaping is bigger than a 120g tank with either a rock wall or one or two big islands - my tank is a 75 but I have 4 large archways so my yellow varies his route of travel instead of pacing, has more rock surface to graze/pick, can move away from tank mates (or my hand) easily going his merry way without backing himself into a cave or corner to feel secure, has multiple choices of where to lay low, has shrimps conveniently posted under two different archways for cleaning stations, and he is always very active and lively. When I see tanks longer than mine with big walls or mounds, and caves instead of archways, I think to myself that my yellow zebramosa tang is probably happier in my tank than it would be in that larger tank. I think it is ok to keep a mature yellow tang or kole tang in a 75g tank. As for larger species, like acanthurus, I see nothing wrong with having a juvenile in a tank that size, but I draw the line at 4"... I want a powder blue tang, but I'm not going to get one until I'm sure I want to take my rockwork apart to catch it when it gets to that size.

[Coral Hind]

I don't consider myself a Tang Police since I try not to get aggressively involved in threads as the normal Tang Police person seems to do. I might suggest something once to a newbie but if it is a veteran reefer then I assume he knows his system and livestock better than me. I see no problems with having small tangs in small tanks as long as the reefer knows that in a few years the fish will have to find a new home.

 

I know for me I love tangs and my family's favorite fish is a large vlamingii which has made us go from a 120g to 210g, and now to the 600g. Honestly, I wish I would have gotten it something bigger. He loves to swim!!

[treesprite]

I don't consider myself a Tang Police since I try not to get aggressively involved in threads as the normal Tang Police person seems to do. I might suggest something once to a newbie but if it is a veteran reefer then I assume he knows his system and livestock better than me. I see no problems with having small tangs in small tanks as long as the reefer knows that in a few years the fish will have to find a new home.

 

I know for me I love tangs and my family's favorite fish is a large vlamingii which has made us go from a 120g to 210g, and now to the 600g. Honestly, I wish I would have gotten it something bigger. He loves to swim!!

 

I don't get aggressively involved in them either, and only speak up in certain situations, but I feel like it's enough to put me in a tang police category. I have certainly commented to friends outside of the internet, but not to be offensive. I feel like if I don;t or someone doesn't say something to educate people, they will cause harm that will then be my fault for having not shared the information. Some newbies actually are glad when someone explains tang-keeping or any fish-keeping topics to them, and act accordingly to ensure good care of the fish.

[gwweber]

ive been busted by da tangpo My new naso is to big for my 64, but will soon be in my 150

Edited March 15, 2013 by gwweber

[treesprite]

ive been busted by da tangpo My new naso is to big for my 64, but will soon be in my 150

All I did was ask if the blue would be going in a bigger tank. It's turned out to be a really great looking fat pig of a creature.

[steveoutlaw]

I will say something if I see something ridiculous.......like a 5" Naso in a 2x2 cube. It just chaps my a$$ to see people putting Tangs, or any other fish that needs swimming room, in a tank that doesn't allow him to swim. I also love the argument of, "oh, my Tang is happy in my little tank".......until he stresses and dies. But hey, it's just a fish......right? Ok, stepping off my soapbox now.

[treesprite]

I will say something if I see something ridiculous.......like a 5" Naso in a 2x2 cube. It just chaps my a$$ to see people putting Tangs, or any other fish that needs swimming room, in a tank that doesn't allow him to swim. I also love the argument of, "oh, my Tang is happy in my little tank".......until he stresses and dies. But hey, it's just a fish......right? Ok, stepping off my soapbox now.

 

When I broke my tank I had to cram everything - all my rock from a 75g - in a 2x2 42g hex. My yellow was really small, but went totally batty. I felt bad for it. I sold it to Gary who put it in his old 75g. Then, after he made it all bossy and fat, he sold it back to me about a year later when I had the present 75g set up. It's kind of fun sharing fish, but you have to trust the other person... Gary takes good care of his fish.

Edited March 15, 2013 by treesprite

[SunWyrm]

I don't get on people if it's temporary, we've all been in between upgrades and not wanted to part with our fish babies (I kept my desjardini and naso in a 90 for an inappropriate amount of time, thought they didn't seem "unhappy" they certainly did get more pudgy). I will say that my fish love the 8' of open swim space and regularly race each other back and forth. If I thought about it too hard I'd start to think anything less wasn't good enough, so I need to just be happy that my fish are happy and let other people and their fish be. I've found that I do tend to get a little "police-y" with other fish species.

[Origami]

I don't consider myself a member. I think that the requirements vary even with a particular individual being kept throughout its life. Hard and fast rules don't apply but change as an individual grows. i think, however, it's good practice to understand and consider the husbandry requirements of any species, including how large they will get, how aggressive they might get, compatible species, natural behavior, whether they are pelagic, bottom dwelling, etc.

[sachabballi reef]

I will say something if I see something ridiculous.......like a 5" Naso in a 2x2 cube. It just chaps my a$$ to see people putting Tangs, or any other fish that needs swimming room, in a tank that doesn't allow him to swim. I also love the argument of, "oh, my Tang is happy in my little tank".......until he stresses and dies. But hey, it's just a fish......right? Ok, stepping off my soapbox now.

 

so you have a badge is what you are saying

[Tracy G]

Ok let's test to see who really has a badge. I just got a tang for my 40 Breeder!

 

 

It's a Tang Flame Fin and requires a 50 gallon tank. He is very small right now (and is in a 10 gallon QT right now). Very healthy eating well already on his third day of PraziPro

 

and Begin!

[SunWyrm]

Umm. Requires 50g... what!? lol I hate the required gallons... you can't ever tell if they mean swim space or overall gallons bc of waste. SHOULD be swim space

 

You're off the hook with me though, he's a baby.

[Tracy G]

If you look at my rock works its very basic. Lots of room to swim as everything is in the center and low

[LCDRDATA]

Here's one way to make it official:

 

 

I like this solution better, though:

 

[surf&turf]

Ok let's test to see who really has a badge. I just got a tang for my 40 Breeder!

 

 

It's a Tang Flame Fin and requires a 50 gallon tank. He is very small right now (and is in a 10 gallon QT right now). Very healthy eating well already on his third day of PraziPro

 

and Begin!

 

 

He will be fine for awhile, he is a member of the kole family and they stay smaller. I'm sure by the time he needs a bigger tank you will already have one.

[flyingfish]

I'd say I'm more a member of the Mandarin Police really...

 

 

Kim H.

[davelin315]

Tang police are those that think they're always right when it comes to the welfare of a fish, regardless of personal experience and actual knowledge. Those who rely on the "rules of thumb" but don't understand that there are exceptions to almost any rule are tang police. It's amazing sometimes how people jump all over others for doing something when they don't know the first thing about the subject themselves.

 

I don't consider myself the tang police because I try my best to simply give explanations for why something might not work. In a ridiculous situation, yes, I agree, it's easy to judge, but not everything is black and white when it comes to housing our animals.

[steveoutlaw]

so you have a badge is what you are saying

Hmmmmm........sometimes? Edited March 16, 2013 by steveoutlaw

[sachabballi reef]

Hmmmmm........sometimes?

wishy washy....you can't be a little pregnant

[treesprite]

I didn't consider myself tang police until I was thinking about it in making the post, trying to define what "police" are/do, and use that to help me define tang police. I came to the conclusion that I must be a very laid back liberal tang police member. Maybe not.

[gwweber]

BTW When was the last time i lost a fish HMMMMMMM--------- THe naso will be in his new home soon. He is quite happy atm all puppydogish and eating out of my fingers. I feel bad for him too, but his situation will change as soon as I get the rock cycled for his new tank. But ill tell you all what, if i dont get my new tank up in a month and a half ill sell him to someone with a larger tank.