tang staying small

[tebstan]

I got a yellow tang about a year ago. I'm a bad fish mom and don't have any pics from back then... but I swear, he hasn't hardly grown.

I don't want to jinx it and have the little guy outgrow the tank... I love tangs but I know I'm pretty limited with a 90g.

I got him from AD, he was a 'small' and is now not even close to a 'medium.'

He eats plenty, and eats well. I feed quality frozen food, and grow macro for him to eat. The tank is clean, he's active, even a little pudgy sometimes. Is it possible his growth was stunted if he was kept at a store or facility too long?

So why is he is so dang small? Do yellows just grow slow?

I had a sailfin grow from this size to salad plate size in about 6 months, so I'm confused by this little guy.


Here's a shot with the other fish to give some size perspective, remember that I've had him for a year and he's still this small:
http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss9/TebstansTank/Fish/yellowtang12-7-12.jpg

[allan]

I was fixing to say (cause I always look at the pictures first), man that cardinal is HUGE!

:)


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[mkengr45]

Be glad. My yellow tang has grown big and is a real ***** to any new fish I add to the tank.

[tebstan]

Its impossible to get a pic of the tang that isn't blurry, but they converge in the corner when I come over, thinking they're getting food. He's barely bigger than the cardinal and six line!

I've been whining about how tiny he is for months, but I'd be heart broken if he got so big I would have to find him a new home.

[SABOB]

Maybe it's a Dwarf Tang,Lol


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[Scutterborn]

Ya know, I'm in the same boat. I also got a yellow from Jason about 7-8 months ago. It was about 1.5". Today it's no bigger than 2.5".


- Ben -

[Europhyllia]

Can they vary by region (if they came from the same batch through AD)?

Like people! Here I am practically ginormous. Dudes ask me to get stuff off the top shelf for them at the grocery store. But back home I am just run of the mill average. (can't wait to get back home in March -woohoo)

So maybe it's a small tang strain and it will always stay smaller than others even with adequate (and I know in your tank nutrition will be fantastic) food?

[tebstan]

I've read about growth inhibition in goldfish and koi, when kept crowded in small tanks as juveniles they have stunted growth.

I never heard about it with saltwater, but I never asked either. Coming from different regions and genetic lines is a possibility. Too bad breeding tangs in captivity isn't possible, people would love a dwarf yellow tang option.

[jrnannery]

The Tang Police would be a smaller problem at that point...get it? SMALLER problem?

[SinisterLou]

If hes healthy and eating a good diet with plenty of greens, I wouldnt worry about it, before you know it he will grow

[mkengr45]

Too much whiskey and prior knowledge to get involved in this type of argument. I have a tang that is a big jerk...but despite what I know is best I keep trying to keep this tang. Apparently I don't learn from my mistakes...so dumb.

[tebstan]

It's no argument, at least not from me... I know tangs can't be kept in little tanks, at least not for long. I fully intended to keep him for 6 months to a year, until he got about 3-4 inches, then give him to a big tank. He must not want to go anywhere.

He's not mean, either. Kind of a wuss, really, and a pig. I used to have an ulva overgrowth problem, but he keeps it in check.

I've probably ruined it now, by talking about it - next week he'll balloon in size, I bet.

[mkengr45]

I'd pay stoopid money to have someone hang out and catch this fish. Really, just hang out to have some drinks and catch the fish would be nice. I'm a betting sorta guy, so how about having some people over for adult beverages and betting on the time frame the fish gets caught in? I really win either way...

[SinisterLou]

id go for the entertainment factor and to talk reef and some of that fine whiskey and bbq

[SABOB]

Sign me up for whiskey and BBQ.....I might even dive into the tank to catch that fish


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[Flyride95]

Nori in a fish trap works super fast for my yellow tang. He gets really annoying when your not trying to catch him lol.

[SinisterLou]

Nori in a fish trap works super fast for my yellow tang. He gets really annoying when your not trying to catch him lol.
good idea

[mkengr45]

Nori in a fish trap works super fast for my yellow tang. He gets really annoying when your not trying to catch him lol.

Good to know so we can rule that out....not trying to catch this thing right off the bat now are we.

[mkengr45]

I

[Scutterborn]

Any updates? Is the Yellow tang still small?


-Ben-