How many Tangs is too many?

Imo 4 mid size tangs are just fine as long as theyre not sailfins (which imo are just too big all but the largest tanks).

Andy raises good points tho. Although natural reefs have huge fish density those fish arent confined and can escape constant stresses more easily. Watching the tank is key!

Matt

 

No way dude. You've had like 1 or 2 of those tangs for more than 2 years. You've got about 6 of those within the last year.
also my point was that observation doesn't always yield reliable assessment of overall stress levels

 

I've had about 4 of them for longer than 2 years buddy! /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/wink.gif Regardless, they are all happy and co-habitating very well. Rigghhhht???

 

I currently have a sailfin and purple I have nursed both back to health. They both had lateral line disease pretty bad. They are doing much better now.

 

How did you get rid of the HLLE if you don't mind me asking. My yellow tang has it, and I feed and dose garlic once in a while...

 

I was waiting for this.

 

Activated carbon can cause this? My tang had it prior to carbon, but I run carbon now lol

 

lol understandable!

 

So is there any other way to have crystal clear water without carbon? Lol

 

Reading the arguments about this, It seems what it really comes down too is 3 things. How much can your filtration handle and do you want to do whats possible, or whats feasible? Either way you will find your own limit and find your balance of both. I mean in reality is that not what we all do?

 

There is evidence to support that there is a causal relationship between GAC and HLLE. Jay Hemdal and I had a dialog about the results and I conveyed a healthy amount of skepticism about the study, Jay was not skeptical at all. Scientists often fall prey to their own optimism, and while the study did not support the null hypothesis that GAC would NOT cause HLLE, it came far from "proving" a "causal modality." However a secondary study published weeks later by NCSU recapitulates and corroborates similar results. Hemdal was satisfied with his study once it had been peer reviewed and he had satisfied and/or dismissed critics that the experimental design did not address the possibility that HLLE could be a viral condition. In fact neither of these studies rules out HLLE as a viral affliction. In fact, I also have fallen short of designing a method of testing that would rule out that possibility as well. While I am certain that GAC is positively related with HLLE I am open minded about other possibilities and skeptical about the controls in the two studies. This is healthy skepticism and the exact modality of the causal relationship is far from proven. Histopathology of affected specimens reveals pitting as the result of demyelination and microcalcifications both of which can be caused by; viruses, prions, parasites, bacteria, fungi, neuroleptics (organic compounds which may be found in (or derivative enantomers/isomers/or stereoisomers) low quality GAC), autoimmune conditions, and organophosphates. Clearly caution is warranted in making any definitive conclusions, especially when use of carbon does not ALWAYS lead to HLLE. In fact GAC may not be the problem at all, but rather associated residues found in low quality carbon. This is why choosing and using high quality GAC is so important.
ANYWAYS.....yeah Bud 3 tangs is probably okay in that tank. However, I failed to mention a cornerstone of my philosophy about stocking capacity; I believe (and this is purely anecdotal) that dimensions of the tank have a lot to do with stress and stocking capacities. For instance, a 120 which is shaped 4'x2'x2' is much more restrictive on species like tangs than the 125 which is typically 6'x1.5'x2'. This is simply related to the allocation of one dimension of 6' for long bounding and swimming space that tangs enjoy. I think that dimensions have a large impact on the health of species like tangs in the captive environment and the longer the tank the better.

 

Andy, all I can say is wow! Great post

 

I would say you would be served well if you have an open rockwork with a lot of tangs. I noticed since I opened my tank up that the tangs actually swim around less. I have taken out over half of the rock I had previous. I made several channels of open space. Nowadays the tangs don't swim as much as they just kind of wonder around the reef, picking at stuff. Before they kind of raced back and forth in front of the rockpile wall I had going.

 

Not at all, as time goes on you will resent my quasi-scientific nomenclature like everybody else does. Most people just think I'm talking out of my ***.....I'm not. I AM a chronic one-upper, self proclaimed narcissist, and probably schizotypal, but I do have a broad background in many disciplines and an undying passion for aquatic science.
On the topic at hand I would further my argument that just as scientific optimism can be misleading, such is usually the case of non-scientific optimism like those positive observations seen in this thread. A warm fuzzy feeling when your tank looks great, a knock on wood, and a prayer will not save you from the reefkeeping gods of doom and havoc!

 

I am actually happy you sad this. Honestly, I don't believe most people think you are talking out of your ***. I suspect most people simply don't understand what you are saying, or at least not all of it, especially with zero biology background. I get that way when people talk engineering. I have absolutely no idea what they are saying. They could be talking out their *** for all I know because I don't have the knowledge to tell otherwise. Sometimes it's helpful to find a happy medium. You don't go to the doctor and expect her to tell you what is wrong with you only in medical terms and then be given a prescription with directions only in shorthand. Perhaps it would help if your explanation were more geared towards the laymen and not the biologist. Your information and knowledge is only useful to the readers that can understand it. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif

 

Haha, little confusing at first. I think it's clear as mud now /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/tongue.gif