Hey guys im new to the hobby

[My girlfriend and I started a 30G a month ago as a FO with a blue regal, maroon clown, yellow tang, 2 damsels, one other i forgot the name, and a pencil urchin.
I had so much fun doing it I recently started my own and today I bought a naso tang and a yellow tang. Next I plan on getting some live rock. This is a really interesting (and expensive) hobby with a whole lot to learn.
Luckily I found this forum and a few other interesting websites and just wanted to introduce myself - Mark.
Ive done almost all my business with Dallas North Aquarium but have recently found new places (thanks to this website). Looking forward to new experience and ideas in the future.]
 
[Wow...moving fast. Best of luck!! Curiously, how big is "your own" tank. You've got some fish there that get pretty big and like to swim A LOT.

The blue regal will outgrow the 30 for sure. There's others here with more tang knowledge, so I'll let them chime in.]
 
[I have been doing a lot of reading and found today that the blue tang will be happy in atleast 75, so I told her, but he looks happy.
Mine is 30G also, and while Im not positive it looks big enough for the yellow, but the naso looks like he might grow a lot and might need a bigger tank. Hopefully should be OK for now, ya think?]
 
[Others would know more. Both tangs would like a bigger tank, the Naso will absolutely require it. Depends how big they are right now, though. I think most tangs eat like pigs, so even the bioload is going to be high...tough to keep good water quality.]
 
[the tanks are definitely to small for the tangs. the blue and yellow need at least a 75g and the naso needs at least a 125g. you are lucky you found us before you spent all your money on nothin. are they the ones who said that the fish can live in that small of a tank? tangs also need some kind of vegtable matter in their diet to keep their color and stay healthy. make sure you buy cured live rock instead of uncured it will be more expensive but if not cured it will kill your fish. watch the tangs for ick. espesaly the blue. i would get me some cleaner shrimp. your bio load sounds like it might be to much for that small of tank. what kind of filter do you have? do you have any live sand? a skimmer might help reduce some of the waste.]
 
[well we did say that we had a 30G and they did not mention that it was too small. next, i plan on buying live rock, skimmer, and a cleaning shrimp.
I suppose I will have to upgrade tanks for these fish since tangs seem to be our favorites. Hopefully as babies, this will be ok for now though.]
 
[a naso and blue tang wont last long in a 30 gallon, you really ought to consider taking them back or a major tank upgrade. The fish store shouldnt even have sold you those fish knowing the size of your tank.

A few reasons why tangs need a larger tank...

1.)need lots of horizontal swimming room, 30 gallon is only 3 feet long; many say even 4 feet long would be too small for a blue tang let alone the naso.
2.)Ick...these fish are very prone to the ick parasite, not enough swimming room will stress them out and become very prone to the parasite.

So, unless you are willing to upgrade soon id really think about trying to find a new home for these fish.

HTH,
Mark]
 
[The regal blue tang will get to be like 15", the yellow to 8", the naso will get to be 20". I would go nothing smaller then a 180 gallon (72x24x24) for a final home for these fish. The sooner the better. The naso being small is in its developmental stages, its pretty important it is in a decent sized tank so it will grow normally and healthy.

Tangs in the wild will cover miles of reef a day scouring the rocks for algae, and really need a continuous supply of grazing and swimming space to be happy and healthy.]
 
[Your first mistake was listening to anything that North Dallas Aquarium told you.
But the biggest was not doing some research and reading to get yourself educated about the livestock and it's proper care. Like you said it is an expensive hobby and without gaining knowledge you will be throwing money down the drain. Not to mention the livestock that will die.
People on forums like this and ReefCentral.com, wetwebmedia.com are willing to help, but you should really get some good books and do some searching on the archives of the forums, before you do anything else.
One good book to start with is, "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner. And I am sure others can point out some good books.]
 
[Oh me Oh my! Please please take the Naso back! (or sell it to someone with an appropriate tank on this board. Same goes for the blue tang if you dont plan to upgrade, ummm immediately!
Were your tanks cycled before you put these fish in them? Did you buy test kits? What are you feeding and how much/often?
Please do check out wetweb and read as many articles as you can. In the meantime you can order "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael Palletta and "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner. You can usually get a good deal at Amazon.com on books.
We welcome you to the board and want to see you succeed, but you have set way off on the wrong foot and it looks like DNA has helped you get there. If you are spending this much on pricey livestock, then setting up a proper tank shouldnt be too big of an obstacle for you. If your main interest is tangs (and lots of them) you should be looking at 200g plus systems.]
 
[Hi Mark, did I happen to meet you at Pet O Rama last week? (That man mentioned his girlfriend had a tank and he wanted to get one himself...)

Shockingly, it appears you have awakened the "Tang Police", and I didn't even realize our board had any. :Oo: I do have to agree that Tangs need a lot of horizontal swimming room, and that the advice you've been given here is sound. I'm sure you don't like being told what to do, especially when you've barely gotten your foot in the door here at DFWMAS, but I assure you the comments you received are from the heart.

Keep asking questions, preferably before you make your purchase so we can help.]
 
[Welcome to the board.
I would aree with what everyone has said. I would add that tangs kept in small tanks are going to get HLLE (head and lateral line erosion). Do a search on that. I can't believe that DNA didn't point out to you that your tanks are too small to house these tangs.
HTH]
 
[NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... not the tang police!!! Bad tang police, BAD! :no:

Don't bash a newbie over the head... they will just leave and continue without learning. :sniffle:

Seriously, I would like to see a "New to the Hobby" forum added where we can have a enclave of tolerance and gentle education.]
 
[Mark:

I am not going to say a word about your tangs and the size of your tank. Everyone else has already. They are trying to help and tangs are like wild bears only in the sea, they roam and forage for food. If no one has told you yet, get a piece of Romaine lettuce and clip it inside your tank ( a clothes pin will work ) and watch how they will devoir it. Tangs need vegetable matter in their diet to be healthy.

Now please understand this about rock. If you put in rock that is "uncured" you risk an ammonium spike that will kill off every fish. There is no good way to look at rock and determine if it is sufficiently cured or not, and based on the advice you have gotten so far, it might not be that instructive to ask the retailer how long the rock has been cycling. I would keep my eyes open on here for a bigger used tank, one just sold yesterday for $400 and it was a pretty big one.

Cycle your rock and sand in that tank for 4 weeks or so and then ( only then) migrate your livestock to the new one after you are comfortable with the water parameters. You need test kits to determine your water quality ( parameters).

Welcome to the hobby. It is an amazing one.]
 
[Wow :shocked: Ask and you shall recieve :cool: I think this forum should be a good one. Maybe there should be some rules made so us newbies aren't bashed to bad :D

Oh, by the way, welcome to the board Mark!!!!!!]
 
[you can also smell the live rock to see if it is cured. if it smells real bad (ammonia smeel) it is uncured. if it dosent smell that bad it should be ok. ask sales person how long it been thier. if in dought put in in a bucket with a power head and water for a week or two.]
 
[
Don't bash a newbie over the head... they will just leave and continue without learning. said:
I should probably leave this alone, but I don't think anyone is really bashing here. Everything that has been said is to help educate. Maybe we need to use more of these :beerchug: :;): :;):]
 
[With a little as what we know about reefs corals and fish we keep, even the people who write the articles we read could be considered newbies :)]
 
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