I want a PBT. Any advice?

[Nasty Wendy]

I've been away from this hobby for a number of years and I'm 'bout to get back in. The Powder Blue Tang is one of my top 5 favorite fish and I plan to have one as I take my second trip into this hobby. I got out the first time because I moved into a new house and now its time to get back in. What I remember from my first experiences is that they are hit or miss. I remember watching newly introduced PBTs catch ich and eventually succomb. If the hobby has found a more humane way to keep these beautiful fish I'm all ears. I am prepared to have it be the first and only fish in the tank for as long as needed if that will help. Construction will start on the tank as soon as tomorrow. It will be 230-350 gal. Its going to take a bit of time to complete as I'm not in a rush. It will be a part of a room that is to be ready for the start of the 2012 NFL season....'Go Saints'. I am all ears to what everyone thinks is the best way to succeed in keeping a PBT.

 

[Yurivd]

I've been away from this hobby for a number of years and I'm 'bout to get back in. The Powder Blue Tang is one of my top 5 favorite fish and I plan to have one as I take my second trip into this hobby. I got out the first time because I moved into a new house and now its time to get back in. What I remember from my first experiences is that they are hit or miss. I remember watching newly introduced PBTs catch ich and eventually succomb. If the hobby has found a more humane way to keep these beautiful fish I'm all ears. I am prepared to have it be the first and only fish in the tank for as long as needed if that will help. Construction will start on the tank as soon as tomorrow. It will be 230-350 gal. Its going to take a bit of time to complete as I'm not in a rush. It will be a part of a room that is to be ready for the start of the 2012 NFL season....'Go Saints'. I am all ears to what everyone thinks is the best way to succeed in keeping a PBT.

The key is proper quarantining of all things going in to the tank even live rock

 

[Nasty Wendy]

Thanks for the tip. I guess I need to be brought up to speed on the best method of quarantine as well.

 

[dunc101]

Look in the Fish Disease and Treatment forum for some good QT procedures and more info on how to perform it.
I use a HOB AquaClear filter with just the sponge and a few PVC pipes in a bare bottom 20 gallon long. I also have a maxijet 900 for better circulation.

Here is my personal regimen:
Week 1) Get the fish to eat
Week 2) Start cupramine or hypo treatment (depends on the fish). Remeber that hypo will not kill velvet!
Week 3) Dose Prazi Pro
Week 4 - 5) Observe
Week 6) Remove copper if everything looks good.
Week 7.) Second round of Prazi Pro
Week 8) Observe
Week 9) Place into DT if all is well.

 

[Nasty Wendy]

Look in the Fish Disease and Treatment forum for some good QT procedures and more info on how to perform it.
I use a HOB AquaClear filter with just the sponge and a few PVC pipes in a bare bottom 20 gallon long. I also have a maxijet 900 for better circulation.

Here is my personal regimen:
Week 1) Get the fish to eat
Week 2) Start cupramine or hypo treatment (depends on the fish). Remeber that hypo will not kill velvet!
Week 3) Dose Prazi Pro
Week 4 - 5) Observe
Week 6) Remove copper if everything looks good.
Week 7.) Second round of Prazi Pro
Week 8) Observe
Week 9) Place into DT if all is well.

Thanks a bunch for that input. One quick question. I got into the saltwater side of this hobby in '04 and back then folks would all but shoot you in the head with a howitzer if you put a tang in a tank without adequate swimming space. Would a 20L suffice for quarantining a PBT?

:fish2:I don't have room for a 90g quarantine tank.

 

[Haffs09]

As long as you get a smaller one (~3"), a 20L will be fine. Be sure to have plenty of aeration and water movement. I have a friend that is QTing a small achilles and small powder blue in separate 20 long tanks and they are doing well. I have a ~3" in a 30L for QT too.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

First off, you have to do tons of research on them. You should be doing this for any fish that you get any way, but the harder to keep fish like PBTs should be given extra attention. You will want to quarentine every fish, coral, invert, etc... that you get to prevent anything from getting into the tank. Everything should be quarentined for at least 6 weeks, 8 weeks being far better. You can do a simple observation of the fish over the course of 8 weeks and if ick is present it will show itself by that time. Take action to cure the disease, proper action for the disease is what I should say. If you decide to prophyatically treat your fish do some research on what cure/treatment can be used with what. An above post has Prazi being dosed at the same time there is copper in the tank which is a huge NO! The two say not to use with other medications. Do one at a time to be safe and remove completely before using another medication.

For research I suggest looking and reading about the PBT in books and on the web. Liveaquaria has descriptions of the fish that they sell and it will be a good starting point. Another good place to read is WetWebMedia. Tons of information on virtually every fish. Here is a link to the PBT on there. And probably the best place to look is in the PBT primer. It is filled with other people's experience with PBTs and what has and hasn't worked so well at keeping them.

 

[Nasty Wendy]

Thanks for the advice and the links. My PBT that I had when I had my 180g was ~6" and beautiful. I'd had him for a LOOOOONG time. I had a friend that worked at a LFS and he took him in on trade and immediately called me to come get him. I was lucky as he was parasite free and was eating everything that I put in the water. I know how lucky I was. Trust me that wasn't my first attempt at keeping one.

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

Get it last!

 

[geaux xman]

What other fish are you planning to keep?

 

[sanchoy]

Pbt like any fragile tangs will require proper selection and care. Start by purchasing from a reputable vendor. Observe the fish before Purchase. Make sure it's disease and accepts food. Once purchased make sure u quarantine. High flow also helps in reducing stress for this species. They like to swim a lot. In the qt tank I would place a strong power head and oxygen pump.

 

[humaguy]

and they love and need lots of Nori!

 

[Nasty Wendy]

Get it last!

I know someone who really wanted to add a PBT to his reef. He put it off forever because he didn't want it to give every fish in the tank ich. When the day came that his tank suffered an ich outbreak (he thinks the ich got in with some live food) he went and purchased a PBT and threw in there. Last I heard the PBT was doing well.

I don't know if I will want to risk exposing all my fish to ich by adding him last. I am more prepared to deal with the aggressiveness.

What other fish are you planning to keep?

In addition to the PBT I ultimately would like to have the following: Harlequin Tusk, Majestic Angel, Flame Angel, Potters Angel, 'Psychedelic' Manderin Goby, a pair of Percs or GSM Clowns......and some Sailfin Mollies.

Pbt like any fragile tangs will require proper selection and care. Start by purchasing from a reputable vendor. Observe the fish before Purchase. Make sure it's disease and accepts food. Once purchased make sure u quarantine. High flow also helps in reducing stress for this species. They like to swim a lot. In the qt tank I would place a strong power head and oxygen pump.

Noted.

 

[Nasty Wendy]

and they love and need lots of Nori!

I'll be sure to have all he cares to eat. I know you can buy it dried but is there a way to grow it in a tank or refugium?

 

[dzfish17]

Is the PBT going in the bar tank? If so, 12" wont be tall enough.

 

[Nasty Wendy]

Is the PBT going in the bar tank? If so, 12" wont be tall enough.

Yes it will in the bar tank. I didn't realize they had a minimum height requirement. The bar will be 10'long by 4'wide. Don't think 12" deep minus a little to prevent overflowing and minus the sand bed depth. Think a true 12" minimum water column accounting for the depth of the sandbed and gap to the top the edge.

 

[geaux xman]

i have a 5" PBT. Usually I'm very liberal when it comes to tank sizes, but a 12" water column is too shallow for a PBT and your list of fish, IMO. My PBT is constantly up and down my entire water columnn(~21").

 

[Nasty Wendy]

i have a 5" PBT. Usually I'm very liberal when it comes to tank sizes, but a 12" water column is too shallow for a PBT and your list of fish, IMO. My PBT is constantly up and down my entire water columnn(~21").

I feel the same way about the Majestic Angel. I do know that it will get to big for my set up with a maximum 12"(depth). All plans are fluid right now. The bar isn't built yet and I will construct it however it will need to be including with a sloping floorline to have a 'deep' end.