tang or butterfly

[Monica25]

Hello just wondering and could use some advise. Is there any tang or butterfly that I could keep in my 46 gallon tank? I dont have corals. I would really like to keep one just wanted to know if anyone had experience or can give me some advice. or a yes or no.
thanks,
monica

[txg8gxp]

I have never owned a tang or butterfly, but I would vote that the tank is too small. I have a 57g and will not add any. But yes, you could...you would just have the rehome the fish in several months.

[Mike]

Most of the butterflies stay smaller than most tangs, although most are not really considered reef safe, which might be an issue if you do eventually get coral. We have a long nose in our 210g and have not had any issues, but we have heard stories to the contrary. The will also sometimes eat anemones, which is good for aptasia, but not so good if you wish to keep any others...

I would think any tangs would eventually outgrow your tank, which is all the more reason to upgrade. :) Depending on how small they are, they would probably last a while. We have one in our 20g hex, a quarter+ sized blue hippo. Eventually, we know he will outgrow that tank and eventually go into the larger tank. But he is at a fun size and eats like a pig (sometimes the smaller ones don't eat well). Kristy has been calling him Dorrito. :)

[ramsey]

Maybe look into dwarf angels. They stay smaller, look similar and will fit in your tank. There are some angels that are reef safe but some are reef safe with cation.

[ErikH]

With a small tank, either tang or angel, make sure you purchase one that is considered peaceful. Otherwise dominance will quickly become an issue.

[justahobby]

IMO, 75g would be the smallest for keeping a happy tang (and only the smaller tangs). I've seen first hand in my 58g that they get skiddish as they mature when kept in too small of a tank. I had a fairly small scopas that went from very outgoing to jumpy, skiddish after 7-8 months.

[Monica25]

wow thank you everybody for the quick replies. i want a pretty fish that is peaceful and is active. i have two oce clowns a coral beauty angel a fire fish and a manderine goby. i want one more fish ant suggestions?

[txg8gxp]

If your tank has a lid, maybe look at reef safe wrasses. There are alot of cool ones

[ErikH]

If your tank has a lid, maybe look at reef safe wrasses. There are alot of cool ones

+1

[Andrew]

You'd probably do fine with the Hawaiian lemon butterfly in that size tank. They are also reasonably hardy, and are one of the more reef safe butterflys, should you decide to add corals down the road. . .

Best luck
Andy

[tony]

too small for a tang, look at flame angels if you insist on an angel. they are gorgeous and work in smaller tanks

[Kristy]

Tony - maybe you missed it above, but she says she has a coral beauty in there already. Not a good plan to add a flame angel in a tank of that size. They won't play nice together unless you have a BIG tank and even then it's a gamble.