Keys for powder blues?

[shelburn61]

The LFS is holding a nice 3" PBT for me. He is eating and looks to be healthy, but I've heard how delicate they can be. Does this apply more for newly arrived fish or are they just difficult to acclimate in general?

Anything in particular I should know to help me succeed with these fish?

I plan to quarantine and feed nori with garlic and selcon. I don't plan hyposalinity unless he starts showing signs of ich.

 

[Denadai]

The key is luck hehehe

Off course you have to have a good tank ( at least 150G ), but luck when you buy one is the key

Go ahead and buy this one if he look like in a good shape

Regards

 

[2x210g]

the key...........high flow and clean water

 

[shelburn61]

How fast do these guys grow?

I'll have a 100+g tank within a year, but how long before a 3" PBT outgrows a 36" long tank?

 

[Fishfirst]

In my opinion, a 3" PBT is already too big for 36"

 

[Jorbucks]

i think the PBT is too big for 36'' too. They are really active fish that like lots of open swimming space and clean water. Why don't you wait until you have your bigger tank? PBTs are frequently available.

 

[Jim_S]

PBT's need lots of swimming room, a great skimmer to suck out all the poo, good flow in the tank (I have over 3,500 gph going through my display) and try to eliminate stress on the fish (i.e. no similar tankmates or tangs unless your display is huge). And lots and lots of food. If you can, always quarantine these fish. Because they have such small scales, they are easily infected with ich.

But from the way it sounds, your tank may be too small

This ones been with me for about 3 years. Its a mean little sucker!!!!!

Jim

 

[JENnKerry]

I'd like to add to jimdogg187's statement and say a well balanced diet.

 

[garvondavis14]

Yeah, I would just wait until you have your bigger tank...no sense in trying to cram him in there and hope that you have your new tank (which for a lot of people, never comes) and then try one, considering how delicate they are anyways. this way you also wouldn't have to put him through a tank move and everything

 

[NexDog]

This is one active fish! My 50g QT (where he is now) is 3' long and there is no way this fish can be kept happy in such a tank. Mine is about 4" and I'm worried that my 72" 340g display is going to be big enough. Some tangs really need 8ft and the PBT might be one.

 

[jda]

My keys are room, rock and food. I have found them to be good tankmates when keep in reef-quality water and feed enough so that they grow 1-2" a year. However, that much food can ruin a small reef... so that is another reason for not keeping one in such a small tank. Mine is 3" or so in a 7' 210G FOWLR.

The current one that I have was a terror in his old 125G tank, but when kept happy with room, rock and food he is quite tame and will even welcome new tankmates without agression. Food is one key that is not stressed enough with tangs IMO.