Mata Tang or Elongate Tang?

thinking about ordering a mata / elongate tang anyone have this type of tang in your reef tank? I was going to get a kole or yellow tang as my last fish, but I dont see these very often. I know these get big, but one I'm looking at is small. and would upgrade tank size down the road probly anyways.

mata Tang - Google Search

 

Probably out grow your tank post haste.

 

Everything I can find says they grow very big, extremely fast. Beautiful tang however.

 

We just got one in at the store today. Very pretty fish, but will out grow your tank real fast.

 

Probly would have to upgrade or trade in fish in a year huh..

Size:

Smaller species "only" get six to eight inches, the largest ones to a couple of feet. Under ideal conditions the big ones get that way quickly; growing a handful of inches a year.


I wish I knew what ones are the smaller species.

 

The smallest species would be of the Ctenochaetus genus, and some of the Zebrasomas stay smallish. Ctenochaetus would be like the Kole, Tomini, and Chevron. Zebrasoma would be like the Yellow and Sailfin tang. I don't think I'd put Zebrasomas in a 55, personally, but they're the next smallest genus. Some of the acanthurus stay small too, but there's a big size variation in them. If you get anything that isn't a ctenochaetus, do some research into the species itself.

 

everywhere I read something different on these fishes.. some say 20" max length some say 6".. I guess its really depends on the actual fish too.

Mata Tang

 

That's fine but you're going to get the one that's not convenient. If you don't have a 150 gallon tank, you don't get a tang. Sorry but them's the breaks.