which tang for me?

[fish daddy]

I have 55g reef with a couple tufts of hair algae. I like the bristle cheek? Tangs, but the family is jonesing for a yellow tang. I want a smaller version than the yellow or hippo.
Any suggestions?

[eklikewhoa]

Don't think any of them will suit your needs in the 55g.

You could just get kole or lemon tang but they might outgrow the tank and food source of the 55g. Do what I do, just buy really small and sell them as they get bigger or just stunt their growth in the small tank. I know a lot of people will shun me for saying that but then again a lot of people do it and just don't say anything about it.

[eklikewhoa]

I'm not gonna lie, I found a tiny hippo tang once and kept it in my 12g....

[semper]

Yellow should be fine in 55 if he is only tang

[nacra99]

I would say a very tiny tiny tang.... but even tiny tangs will outgrow a 55 gal.

Personally, for your algae, i would go with a mixed variety of algae eating snails (i.e not nassarius) plus a couple of emerald crabs.

[fishboyt]

I would say a very tiny tiny tang.... but even tiny tangs will outgrow a 55 gal.

Personally, for your algae, i would go with a mixed variety of algae eating snails (i.e not nassarius) plus a couple of emerald crabs.

Emerald crabs rock; they get every last bit of algae!

[dhutch]

Do what I do, just buy really small and sell them as they get bigger or just stunt their growth in the small tank. I know a lot of people will shun me for saying that but then again a lot of people do it and just don't say anything about it.

I agree with your above comment. You see tons of Yellow and Hippo tangs in smaller tanks. If you go this route, make sure you buy them SMALL. You can get Hippo tangs about the size of an inch if you look around.

[DustinB]

You know tangs are very active fish that develop liver problems and die from being in small spaces right? Even small ones.

The only tangs I would consider in a 55g are kole and tomini. Just about any of the smaller bristletooth tangs.

[Darbex]

Thing I hate about emerald crabs is they knock crap over all the time. So make sure your corals are secure.

[flipside]

Thing I hate about emerald crabs is they knock crap over all the time. So make sure your corals are secure.

Plus, as they get older/bigger, they start looking for other sources of food. They will eat pellets and lord knows what, when they grow out. I had 4 in my last tank, and had to QT them because they were going after my zoas (which wound-up being extinct).