convict tangs

[civics14]

How many would be safe to house in a 150g (5x2x2). I like the idea of a schooling tang community. My tank is pretty open (see attached).

Current stock list:
-yellow tang (3")
-melanurus wrasse
-yellow coris wrasse
-leopard wrasse
-potter's wrasse
-firefish goby
-yellow tail damsel
-pair of yellow striped maroon clowns
-copperband butterfly
-neon dottyback
-lawnmower blenny

 

[anbosu]

One.

 

[civics14]

One.

umm... why do you say one?

 

[twon8]

Your current yellow is likely to Harrass a new convict tang to death. I do like the open rock work but it limits your hiding places


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[civics14]

Your current yellow is likely to Harrass a new convict tang to death. I do like the open rock work but it limits your hiding places

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Possible, its a hit or miss with him. However, I'm trying to determine if 3 convicts would be okay, or is that too many? I wouldn't want to house a single one.

 

[twon8]

It worth a shot, just be prepared to pull the yellow if he becomes a terror


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[civics14]

yeah, i would definitely pull the yellow tang. i just like the idea to have a schooling type of fish in my tank. i was thinking of anthias but i like tangs as they are helpful with algae control, not that i have any issue with it, but its nice to know they help.

 

[Dmorty217]

The bigger problem is going to get a single convict to live long enough to make it into your DT, getting multiples will take several tries. They often come in with sunken in stomachs and most never eat. I know several that have tried multiples at a time thru QT and they are yet to get one to live long enough to make it to the DT

 

[d-man]

I doubt your current list will be a problem. Maybe the yellow, but probably not.
As Derek stated, they are a very tough tang to keep alive. I've tried multiple times with anywhere from 1 to 4. All perish, as usually they come in skinny. My last group I got were fuller but ultimately never took to prepared food and starved

 

[civics14]

that's good to know. thanks for the advice guys. i'll update on my search for healthy ones, my lfs got one that he had for over a month and it was doing well, but he never got another and I didn't want to just add one.

i'm not a fan of ordering fish online because the fact I like to see them eat before I consider taking them home.

 

[ca1ore]

The bigger problem is going to get a single convict to live long enough to make it into your DT, getting multiples will take several tries. They often come in with sunken in stomachs and most never eat. I know several that have tried multiples at a time thru QT and they are yet to get one to live long enough to make it to the DT

Similar stories here. What I have found is that you need to QT this fish in a full reef tank. I appreciate that most people don't have such a thing, but I do as that's how I also QT fish like leopard wrasses. Doing it that way I'm 2 for 2 with convicts. Unfortunately it doesn't work for the Naso where I'm 0 for 3 and there won't be a fourth.

 

[maxxII]

The bigger problem is going to get a single convict to live long enough to make it into your DT, getting multiples will take several tries. They often come in with sunken in stomachs and most never eat. I know several that have tried multiples at a time thru QT and they are yet to get one to live long enough to make it to the DT

I've had the exact opposite experience with Convicts.
I've only lost one due to jumping from the tank.

I treat them the same as other tangs....QT for ich and parasites, and then feed heavily with Nori and other prepared foods.

 

[horseplay]

I have two in my 105. One foot shorter than you tank. Not a lot of hiding space either. I had them in a 30g tank for a week then they went into the DT. At the beginning you need to feed them a lot to fatten them up. Now they look like little footballs so I only feed them nori when I can remember. They are fed once a day with my CBB. They are not aggressive to each other because they always graze. And kind of follow each other. If I were you I would remove the yellow and add 3, as small as you can find.

 

[Dmorty217]

I've had the exact opposite experience with Convicts.
I've only lost one due to jumping from the tank.

I treat them the same as other tangs....QT for ich and parasites, and then feed heavily with Nori and other prepared foods.

I have never seen a non skinny tang so I haven't attempted any myself, just relaying what others have told me. How many do you have or had? Simon I'm 0 for 2 with Nasos myself.

 

[Coralmassa]

the only time I dealt with convict tangs I put one in a customers new 200 gallon fish only tank with a naso, blue tang, and a smaller yellow and that thing was a pig. Took care of the tank for another nine months before I switched jobs and it did the best out of all the tangs. The company I worked for had no facilities for qt or treatment so it went straight from the on trac delivery box into the tank.

The one thing I have heard is that there has been an outbreak of some kind of bacterial and communicable disease that grows a black stain on the face that eventually kills the fish. Hard to see bc of the black stripes on the face.

 

[Dmorty217]

I have two in my 105. One foot shorter than you tank. Not a lot of hiding space either. I had them in a 30g tank for a week then they went into the DT. At the beginning you need to feed them a lot to fatten them up. Now they look like little footballs so I only feed them nori when I can remember. They are fed once a day with my CBB. They are not aggressive to each other because they always graze. And kind of follow each other. If I were you I would remove the yellow and add 3, as small as you can find.

So no QT then?

 

[horseplay]

These guys ate from day one so QT or not is not really a factor to their adjustment to tank life. now they eat everything. Love them. I see them graze side by side all the time and my tank is only 4 feet.

 

[Dmorty217]

These guys ate from day one so QT or not is not really a factor to their adjustment to tank life. now they eat everything. Love them. I see them graze side by side all the time and my tank is only 4 feet.

I have lost far too much $$ in prized fish, so not QTing isn't a option. Were they Hawaiian convicts? Where were they purchased from?

 

[horseplay]

Not sure where they were from. I bought them from LFS. They were doing fine in the smaller bare tank so you can definitely QT them. My system is not clean so there is no point of TTM the newcomers. I have seen ich on these guys and they were gone in a few days.

 

[horseplay]

I just realize you have a 625g monster tank. You can probably put 10 in there. Can you imagine what a show that's gonna be?