10gal QT tank

Hi,

If there is a rule of thumb that I find confusing and misleading is the X inch of fish per Y gallons....

It will depend on your filtration and how long you plan to keep the animal in there. Also, you dont want the animal to feel restricted and stressed...

Many people have 10g tanks running with an active biofilter just in case they need to move any fish from their main tank into the q-tank.

I would say that if you have good filtration and you are only keeping the animal for 5 days, you could keep a pair or more of clowns, or a couple of damsels (although they might fight), or even one yellow tang...

If you keep more than one fish, I would provide at least some form of coverage for them. If you do not want live rock in this qtank, you can use an adequate sized piece of PVC pipe....
 
Thanks. I have a mechanical wisper filter, my QT tank has been running 2 years. I acclimated black freshwater mollies in it to keep the bio going. Worked Great. My main tanks are a 55, and a 75. I have been very lucky with my 55 cause I haven't ever had to us the qt tank. My 75 I set up 1 week ago. I am getting a yellow tang, a blue tang and another sailfin tang today, and i am not sure how to qt them. I have 4 clowns ,3 damsels, and othere assorted items in my 55 right know. I also have 6 yellow tails for my 75 to get started. I havent added fish for 2 years. Only lost 3. I think I will just add them to the main tank. What ya think?
 
I think 3 tangs in a 75 gallon tank is asking for trouble--those fish need a lot of swimming room, and 2 of them get much larger than a 75 can support. They'll be stressed on introduction and fighting, in addition to the sudden increased demand on the bacteria probably causing a spike, and the fish will likely get sick. Sorry, but it sounds like a bad plan to me.
 
A sailfin tang is the largest of tangs, at a max size of over 15 inches (albeit at a very old age), with a recommended tank size of 135gal according to Marine Fishes by Scott W. Michael. But other than that it's the most peaceful tang and will most likely get bullied by the other two to the point of extreme stress and probably will get sick or die.

I wouldn't keep 1, let alone 3 tangs in a 75 gallon tank. Most people will say it's ok, and it's really not a horrible sized tank for a 75 but tangs are fragile, very active, and most are pretty aggressive. I wouldn't recommend it.

I would reconsider your stocking plans.
 
Hi,

I have never tried that combination of fish before, but you may be able to get the sailfin and the yellow or blue together in the 75. However, I would not mix the blue and the yellow.

You could split the three between your two show tanks.

However, as for q-tank, you will need more than one tank or no q at all.

I would be careful with that many damsels. What are you planning to do with them?

As for the size attained by the sailfin, I do not think it will be a problem for a 75g tank.

The size and growth rate of this fish in captivity will never be the same as in the wild. I respect Scott Michael but he sometimes overstates tank size requirement, mostly because he is thinking about community reef tanks. So, it will depend on what you have. Yellow tail damsels, specially 6 of them, does not sound that great of a tank budy for this fish.

I would also introduce the sailfin first. It is a shy fish as tangs are concerned, althought once it gets the "this is my tank" feeling he can become obnoxious. I think the yellow tang is more of a bully than this fish. IME
 
All three of these tangs are small, and after my 75 gets cycled I planned on moving one. I agree, but they will only be 2 inches in size. I have seen alot of tanks that are 55 that have a blue tang sailfin, and a yellow together I guess I will just try.
 
I have also seen them, but they where all display tanks. Often tanks at hotels, pet shops and even aquariums, are of the "disposable fish" variety. If a fish dies, they throw it out and replace it with a new one, almost an identical one... I know because I have talk to several people who either maintain or work closely with the maintainance of such tanks... So do not be fooled...

Having said that, let me point out also that the more fish you have in a tank, the less aggression you have. But you have to risk over crowding your tank in only to reach such a point where the aggression will be disipated by overpopulation.



The fact that they are small now does not mean they will be small in a few months... I know you know that, but keep in mind they may grow faster than what you anticipate..... Especially if they are that small...

BTW You are getting this fish from your LFS?
 
I would be very reserved about putting 3 tangs in a 75, I wouldn't put more than 1 in a 55 (well I wouldn't put any in a 55 but I wouldn't recommend more than 1).

There are a miriade (sp?) of reasons why I wouldn't but besides the size constraints and aggressiveness issues, tangs are constant grazers that need a supply of spirulina pretty much all the time or they will undoubtably develop HLLE, and having that much spirulina in your tank isn't going to help water quality at all. A lot gets broken off and sinks or goes down the filter, and if not collected will shoot the Nitrates up in no time, the end result being a healthy supply of nusance algea plauging your tank.

I'm trying to be helpful, and I'm sure you really like these fish, but consider a MUCH larger tank or not getting them. If I see a post in the future about how your tangs have holes and open wounds running down their bodies or an Ich breakout I won't feel bad in saying it was likely to happen.

Don't take this as me giving you a hard time or being an a$$, I'm just trying to recognize this as a poor decision.
 
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