Do I need a bigger QT?

[lbear]

Hi!

I ordered one "medium size" blue tang online and received it yesterday. It is much bigger than I expected. It's about 5" long. My quarantine tank is 10 gal. Do you think I HAVE to get a bigger QT to house the blue tang for 4 to 6 weeks? That tang looks pretty healthy and beautiful though.

Thanks!

Albert

 

[Qwiv]

Is it a Powder Blue or a Hippo Tang? I would get a big rubber made from Home Depot and put the fish in there. They only cost a few $. I don't think the fish will like the 10 gal very much. It is good to see you quaranteen your fish. You can probably borrow a large rubbermade, or find one in the house. If your near PA, I have one you can borrow.

 

[Psionicdragon]

you definitely need at least a 50-75 gal tank for a 5incher..thats pretty big.

 

[lbear]

It's a blue hippo tang. Since all I can find in LFS are penny size blue tangs, I ordered it online. I expect to get one about 3" and receive this big guy about 5".

I have some rubbermaid which could be used as QT. How to transport the big tang from one tank to another? I know fish net is no no.

I know tang is relatively easy to get ich. Do you think it's a good idea to use either rid-ich or formalin3 for some prevention at this moment?
The tang looks pretty healthy though.

I have my webcam aim at the QT and got this pic: That big PVC is 2 and 1/2"

 

[Qwiv]

Just full the rubbermaid with salt water. Add some of that salt water to the 10 gal tank just like you would acclimate any fish. Remove water from 10 gal and put back into rubbermaid. When you feel acclimation is complete, empty the 10 gal into the rubbermaid until you can life the 10 gal. Pour the fish into rubbermaid.

 

[lbear]

Thanks for your reply.

Now my question is: how to move big fish from QT to main tank without using fish net and introducing any QT water to main tank?

 

[Qwiv]

Put fish in small container, acclimate to tank. Empty container 100%, fill with tank water then pour fish into tank.

 

[sfsuphysics]

make new water in larger vessel, put water from 10g into larger vessel. Depending how much shock you want to do.. just dump the fish and rest of the water in when you've pulled enough water to lift the smaller tank. Or if you must acclimate, simply put water from larger vessel into the smaller tank slowly while swapping out the water, eventually it'll basically be the same water.

 

[Vincerama2]

I hate to ask a newb question but ... why is a net a no-no? Is that all fish? Or just tangs?

V

 

[lbear]

All the articles and threads about QT and fish handling I find in RC are against fish net. I think it's not limited to tang. People think fish net could stress the pet. I am a newbie to this hobby, just try to follow those advices.

Honestly speaking, I used fish net to transport my pair of clown from QT to main tank. They were exposed in the air several seconds. They are still doing well in the main tank.

The blue tang is the biggest fish I've ever had. All fish in my main tank are 2"~3". I don't know how to handle that big tang correctly. I am thinking of selling or trading it.

 

[dswong01]

I used a 2 quart pitcher with handle and scoop out the fish.Just lower the water in current QT tank and scooping is easy. ANd when transport make sure you cover the pitcher or he may jump out. When I broke down my tank. It really easy to handle the fish with this method and using a net, the fish might get stuck in the net. Tangs get ick very easily so i would not reccomend netting.

 

[Qwiv]

I will use a net on calm fish, but when you get a fish that freaks out and starts thrashing inside the net, they can scrape themselves up pretty good. Just trying to be carefull as possible.

Some fish are just dangerouse in a net. Fish with spines or sensitive skin are a no no. I got a yellow tang at a LFS once and the little spine they have on their backside got caught in the net. He thrashed so hard that there was a tear in the flesh. I returned the fish after a saw him in the bag and went to another store.

Getting a fish out of the net and into a new tank without damage is a skill

 

[sfsuphysics]

Yeah I can say for one that fish can get their gills stuck in the netting too (they do have scales don't forget!) it can be damaging but as long as the fish is in good health it should be fine.

Out of curiosity why don't you want a "quarter sized" tang? Is it just considered bad mojo to buy them because they shouldn't be collected so young or something?

 

[lbear]

I was looking for blue hippo tang about 3" in past 4 weeks. I know tang could grow bigger than that pretty fast.

I started to stock my 90 gal tank two months ago. I planed to aquire new fish one per month. It's kind of "pipling", moving new fish to QT and QT to main tank every 4 weeks. Dry up the QT for one week. Some people suggest 6 weeks quarantine. I just want to stock fast though.

I went to all LFS's in east bay and south bay. I can only find some in east bay and all those blue tangs are quarter size. They got new shipment two weeks ago and again they are quarter size too. I would say some of them are even nickle size.

That's why I placed order online as well as other stuff I can't find in LFS. There is another thread of "fighting conch" about the same order. Just being unlucky I guess. Actually I'd rather getting fish from LFS.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Too bad you weren't on the pennisula Lucky Ocean usually has all sorts of Blue Hippo tangs from the small quarter sized ones to the larger 5" ones, just which one he happens to have is a luck of the draw.