PBT question

[NCreefwannabe]

Ok so as I type my tank is filling then comes the cycle then comes the first fish etc etc etc. most likely coral will be before fish if I can keep parameters inline but I have a quick question about a fish.

Ive read and heard alot on here and from family in the hobby that pbt's are a pita sometimes. Im not new to the hobby but I am new to this particular tank and new to owning a tang period since I refused to last time with such a small tank.

I really want a powder blue, but I've heard mixed responses to this.

Should it be my first selection as far as fish?

 

[agreeive?fish]

No donot select a powder blue tang for the 1st fish for a tank. a very bad idea because it will most likely kill or harrasse anything you try to put in the tank later on...

what size tank /demmensions of the tank

 

[crvz]

Indeed, what are the tank specifics and what other fish do you plan on. If this is the only surgeonfish, it may be fine to add it first.

 

[Patrick12]

It is absolutely imperative....I mean IMPERATIVE....that you quarantine the PBT. if you are unfamiliar with how to do so....research it.

As to when to add it.....you really should come up with a rough list of all the fish you hope to have in the tank and that will better help you determine when to add the PBT.

 

[Patroklos]

If you have a list of fish that you want then make the PBT the last one you add.

In my case I didn't have a difinitive list, so I was adding as I found fish I lilked (but knew the details of!) at the LFS, my second one bieng a PBT.

If you go my route don't despair, I have added fish too the tank since that and while there was aggression it was delt with by suspending a hand mirror against the glass. The PBT will ignore everything else and attack its reflection. After a few hours of beating itself up it will forget about whatever you added and everything should be fine.

I have added two Yellow Eyed Kole Tangs in whith him this way and it worked perfectly both times (the first one died because of a heater malfunction).

 

[Amoore311]

+1 to adding him last. Also make sure you get one caught from the Maldive Islands. The sell Maldive caught PBT's @ liveaquaria.com

They have much better survival rates than Sri Lankan caught PBTs.

 

[alin2]

+1 on adding a PBT last.

Also, definitely QT the PBT, and, IMHO, treat with hypo for 4 weeks. I purchased a PBT from my local LFS 4 years ago and it's still my favorite fish. He had a little ich that popped up 1 week into a QT period that was treated successfully with hypo for 4 weeks.