A 40 gallon and that stocking level, I would look into a skimmer. Sump would be a good idea too, you could just incorporate the two as well as the heater in there and keep it all out of your display. Zoas I thought were pretty easy when I did saltwater.
Care for Zoanthids
- Thread starter The Real 118
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unannon;4823802; said:
its is an overflow sump and a 405 so i got lots of filtration and im now thinking stock one achilles tang, one Mimic Tang, two normal clone (not marron) and one coral beauty angle. sound ok?
The Real 118;4825533; said:
In a 40 gallon!!!!!
Tangs are an absolute no go in a tank this small.
If you want to keep 1 small tang that doesn't get too big the smallest tank you could even consider is a 55, but then it should be a 75 cause they take up about the same space.
If planning on keeping more than one tang you need a 90 gallon or bigger, preferably a 125 or something else that is 6 ft. long.
Even if you had a well established 125 gallon I would still advise you not to buy an Achilles Tang. They are very very hard to keep, frequently not making it through shipping well because of their very soft bodies. They also do not adapt to aquarium food very well.
So in a 40 gallon you can keep a pair of clowns, a pygmy angel, and a few other small fish like a damsel, goby, blenny, etc. Big fish are a no go, even when small a 40 gallon is not big enough.
how is a 40 gallon breeder 3 foot by 18 inch to small i understand the hard to keep and the shipping but i have a store like 10 minutes away that has 5 instock and has had them for about 6 months and they are eating and very healthy so dont see how that would be an issue but i have a 55 and that just longer then the 40 and way narrower i would think a 9 inch tang alone would fit in the tank? i thank the input just want more explained? i just its just me tho and i dont want to sound mad at u im just wondering y not is all
The Real 118;4830228; said:
I am not offended at all and my goal in posting advice is not to offend you either, it is to help if I can.
Where do you live that a store has 5 Achilles Tangs!?!?! They are normally very hard to get and when LFS's do they get one that is damaged and skinny. The fact that they have had them for a long time and they are eating is a very good thing. It would greatly increase your chances of keeping one if you had the proper setup.
The problem is that Achilles Tangs are still very susceptible to stress. They need lots and lots of space to swim and graze on rocks for food. This is why they need an established tank that has been setup for at least a year so that they can find lots of food. There is not enough space for them to swim around in a 40 gallon or 90 gallon for that matter. With this species, I would not recommend anything less than a 180 gallon tank for an Achilles tang.
There is not enough space for a tang no matter how many other fish there are in this case. It would be stressful not having enough territory, but the bigger problem is not enough swimming space period. It would be cruel to keep a fish as active as a tang in a tank that small. That is like keeping a human in a closet and sliding food under the door once a day.
The only tang I would even consider for a 55 gallon would be a Yellow Tang, Scopas, Bristletooth, OR Kole tang.
corbins exotic pets in marengo late time i was there about 2 months ago last i heard they now have 2-3 around there
ok cool tanks for the info and the names of some maybe tangs for the tank i am "new" to salt like 1.5 years and im starting a frag tank and wanted the 40 as a desplay and only was looking for 1 nice fish and the others more there for movment in the tank so thanks 
its going to be all Zoa and a low rock form for them so almost all the tank will be swimable about like 5-8" any ideas or thought on a nice show fish price rang around max of 200
its going to be all Zoa and a low rock form for them so almost all the tank will be swimable about like 5-8" any ideas or thought on a nice show fish price rang around max of 200The Real 118;4830308; said:ok cool tanks for the info and the names of some maybe tangs for the tank i am "new" to salt like 1.5 years and im starting a frag tank and wanted the 40 as a desplay and only was looking for 1 nice fish and the others more there for movment in the tank so thanks
Thanks for the info on the store. Always curious to see who is getting in some of the rare stuff.
Do you remember how much they were?
I am glad I can be of assistance. I think that in any smaller tank that clownfish are awesome. They way they move and act, particularly as a pair. I really enjoy some of the colors in pygmy angels like a coral beauty or flame. A Wrasse like a Fairy, Flasher, or 6 line.
Its all about finding the right balance that you like. Just don't overstock the tank or you will have a tough time keeping the water parameters good enough for corals.
I would do a clown pair, a pygmy, a wrasse, and a goby. That is a fully stocked tank in my opinion.
