Atlantic blue surgeon

[AnemicOak]

In the end we probably shouldn't be focusing on the minimum tank sizes anyway as we should be shooting for an optimum environment instead of a minimum one.

Of course, but what always comes up if the minimum. Some would say the minimum fpr a Yellow Tang is a 55 & by putting one in my 75 I'm well above the minimum (no interest in having one btw). Another person will say the minimum is a 125 (6' tank). It's hard to say either is right or wrong I guess, because neither can really compare to their natural environment.

So what'd we decide about the ABT anyway?

 

[AnemicOak]

...I like to give my animals LOTS of space (I have a 4'x2'x4' cage for a 2ft. lizard)...

I know nothing about lizards, what do folks normally keep something that size in? A cage that's only double it's size length wise seems small to me (but like I said I wouldn't know ).

 

[pnosko]

So what'd we decide about the ABT anyway?

He already found an answer that he liked; why keep looking?

 

[Dino]

I can see this thread has gotten way off topic now! I've heard of many trying to keep a beardie in a 55 or even a 40, and even I used to keep one in a 55 before I moved to my current cage (but I always hated seeing him in something that small). I would certainly like give him an even bigger cage (8ft. long) but I'm currently at max size for where the cage is. May not seem huge but a lizard doesn't move nearly as much as a fish and is also 2/3 tail. Like I said, maybe I should have phrased it "more space" instead of "lots of space."

I think I'll be quiet now before I drag this thread off into even more reptile talk!

 

[Green Thumb]

Ive decided to get an ABT, however as Ive said already, I wouldnt want to keep a tang over 6 inches in a 75 gallon. That gives me 2 years to upgrade, I think? What were the growth rates you observed on the ABT zfunk?

There is lots of macro algea on my rock right now, also I live on the beach so I have endless access to kelp as well as various other sea weeds.

Theres no doubt in my mind I can give this guy a styling life in this tank untill the next upgrade. And in the end I guess if the tang ends up waiting a little longer to move out of that tank and into a bigger one, (Which knowing myself, isnt likely to happen) i can tell myself that Scott Micheals thaught it was ok.

dinoman,No worries about the thread

 

[zfunk007]

Wow, this thread went crazy. I didn't check it since this morning and there were like 20 new posts! hehe... Anyway, Green Thumb, i'd estimate that you could get about 2 years out of your ABT in a 75 gallon before he becomes "uncomfortable". Maybe less. So make sure you get a smaller one that is still yellow if possible. You can also find them in intermediate sizes and they tend to be blue with a yellow tail.

Around here i've never seen any really small yellow ones in the stores (unless I catch them myself hehe). When you do see them they are usually bigger (at least 3 or 4 inches). So you may have some difficulty finding a small one. Good Luck.

 

[zfunk007]

Alrighty Green Thumb. Here you go. I went diving today and was able to catch 3 juvenile Atlantic Blue Tangs. I caught each one of them on my first try. I was amazed. Cause usually they are much more difficult to catch than that. Here are some pics of them acclimating to my quarantine tank:

There's the first one, kind of a closeup.

Heres another closeup of a different one.

Heres a pic of all 3 together. I put them in plastic bags to acclimate them. The one on the left was a little beat up when I got him, hopefully he will be ok.

And last but not least heres one more.

Hope you enjoyed the pics Green Thumb. I am going to leave them in quarantine for about a month and then probably introduce them into my 210 gallon reef tank. I think they will do fine. Remember, i'd be more than happy to ship one to you once they have adjusted to captivity. But if you say it can't be done, then I guess it can't be done. But i'd find out for sure.

 

[tsquad]

That is so cool! If you ever see more exotic fish, and would consider shipping, I'd SO be interested.

Green Thumb...while I don't agree with your decision at all, I suppose it would be ok for a while. Not two years IMO, but a while. Make sure you upgrade though; not just for the fishy though. The CORALS!! Think of THE CORALS!! :lol: Good luck.

 

[zfunk007]

Well like I said, the Atlantic Blue Tang is pretty common down here in South Florida. I see lots of them every time I go out. So if Green Thumb was willing to pay for shipping i'd gladly ship one to him. Now i'm not saying im gonna start a charity service shipping fish to people, but once in a while when someone is VERY interested in a certain kind of fish and I can help, then why not?

 

[zfunk007]

Heres a couple better pics since they have adjusted and are in quarantine:

Heres the 3 of them and a juvenile french I have in quarentine, the one in the back is the one that was a little beat up when I got him.

One more pic of the 3 of them.

 

[Green Thumb]

WOW, nice catch zfunk! Man Im realy going to look into the rules for importing tropical fish cause I would be REALY stoked to get one of these fish, actualy I GOTTA get one of these that you just caught!

THey are realy cute. How big are they right now? How did you do the catch? Did you catch them at that spot you posted a picture of in your Moorish Idol tread, some reef I think? Do you plan on deworming them as was suggested earlier on this thread?

I almost feel bad about separating them, surely if I dont end up getting one from you, youll enjoy having the three to watch grow up together... Im going to check into this serriously zfunk. I realy appreciate the offer.

 

[zfunk007]

Thanks Green Thumb. This whole thing is kinda funny cause I haven't caught an Atlantic Blue Tang since before the hurricanes last year. I go diving all the time but since you started this thread you kind of inspired me to catch some .

This morning they all seem to be doing well. They are sticking together and seem spunky for the most part. Now I just gotta get them eating. Which shoulden't be to hard.

They are all just under an inch long from what it looks like. I caught them in that inlet I posted a picture of in the other thread. Literally RIGHT in the water in that pic was where they were. They were not schooling when I caught them. They were in the same area but by different rocks. I caught them one at a time with a clear plastic net (no slurp guns).

As far as deworming is concerned, i'm not sure. I've never had to do anything like that before. But I will look into it. Right now I have them in hyposalinity (I always keep my quarantine tank at a very low salinity to get rid of ich). So like I said, in about a month they should be ready to be introduced into a regular system.

Do me a favor Green Thumb, do some research on deworming and let me know what you find out.

 

[Jeffie]

Caribbean/Florida fishes are notorious for carrying internal and external flukes and trematodes. Hence the de-worming. At that small of a size and that young in age it may not be an issue. Hypo may be all that you need to do thru QT.

 

[Green Thumb]

zfunk, glad I could inspire you to go diving! That looks like a cool spot. Do you have any underwater photos of it? I realy wish I lived in the tropics sometimes as to go colecting as youve done! Lucky! I do use NSW guess Im prety lucky for that. Thanks for all the info on these little guys. Ill look into the deworming thing.

Jeffie, can you tell me what you use to deworm fish. What would be the proceidure?
Thanks.

 

[emperior911]

wow, Greenthumb... i work in the one of the best fish stores in my town. First thing i ask is "what size tank is it going in". If you don't want any responses then dont post... simple as that!

 

[emperior911]

zfunk, I'll take one off your hands. I have a 210 Reef as well... be happy to pay for shipping cost

 

[zfunk007]

Well Green Thumb has first dibs and i'd like to keep a couple for myself. So we'll see. Also i'm going to leave them in quarantine for a month or so. If they are all doing well after a month, then we can talk about shipping some out.

I do have to say though that I think I was VERY lucky to find 3 juveniles in the same spot and that were so easy to catch. Most of the time when I see the juves they are EXTREMELY difficult to catch. Tangs NEVER stop moving. These weren't as hard because they were near some small rocks. So when they went in I just lifted up the rock and scared them into my net. Also, most of the ABT I see are in huge schools and fully grown. Juves are a little harder to find. But if I find more I will most definitely try and catch them.

As of this morning my three are eating spectrum pellets (the VERY small kind). I also attached some algae strips to the glass. Not sure if they are going after that or not.

Green thumb, I don't have any underwater pics of the places I dive at yet. However, I have an old underwater camera that I bought like 10 years ago when I took a trip to the Caymans. I'm gonna pull it out of the closet and see if it still works. If it does i'll be sure and take some pics the next time I go.

Let me know about the deworming guys. And find out if hypo is all you need.

 

[nathanielT]

people say not to keep tangs at least most of them im small tanks i say when the tang starts feeling uncomfy find someone with a bigger tank and give it away and suffer the loss sometimes its hard but its better for the sweet lil fishy in the long run

 

[nathanielT]

man i want a tang zfunk007 let me know I pm'ed ya cant wait till i move to florida next year a lil scared bout the weather but I'll get through it living in indiana most of my life i could use some excitement LOL let me know if you get pics of ur diving site it sounds cool

 

[Jeffie]

Green thumb- there are many different meds that you can use for de-worming. The best and most expensive IMO in praziquantel. This can be used for external if put in the water and internal if fed to the fishes via there food. You may be able to find this or something that has this in it at your LFS. Otherwise I know that most Petco and Petsmart carry pipzine which is a great medication for ridding internals if fed to the fishes. Otherwise for external there are many meds that you will be able to find at your LFS also. But like I said the hypo may be all that you need. If the fishes are feeding well but not putting on weight quickly they are probably internally infested and will need to be de-wormed especially at such a young age when there metabolisms are so high. So I would just QT them for a month useing Hypo and see how they are doing and if any problems come up I would assess the situation from there. Good luck.