Powder blue tang compatability ?'s

Angela Short

New member
I just had to have a powder blue and misunderstood that them being delicate for being a push over also....not! He is currently in my 80 going into the 270 LAST. He killed my copper banded butterfly and pretty much bullied everyone else in the tank till they learned to run from him. I know the small tank was some of the problem but I knew he was going in the 270 soon.

I am planning on putting multiple tangs in with him and want to try another CCB. Any definet no no fish he will attack that is widely known? It seems I read they do not ever get along with CBB's?

I have a pretty big stock list and please jump in if you see any red flags. Yes I know its a big list :) I tried to get 1 tang from each sub- species... Then the naso and regal fell into my lap but no one has been introduced to the 270 yet. Yes I have 3 holding tanks going in hypo for ick insurance or copper for velvet in one tank from a poor QT on my part :(. Everyone should be STERIL before going into the 270 for sure! My aquascapping is pretty open with lots of free swimming room and open spaces in the rock to dip in and out of. I know that makes some difference in how many you can add...

I have...
*Powder blue
*Small sailfin
*blue spotted kole
*yellow tang ( I can sell him, I just have him as a charity case)
Comming next week when my QTs are freed up...
*regal tang
*naso tang

I do water changes every 2 weeks have a fuge and run a skimmer so I think I can stay on top of there water quality issues.

I also have:
*flame angle
*ocellaris clown pair or GSM clown pair (One is going in the 29 zoa tank)
*fednani dottyback (sp)
*scribbled rabbit fish
* lawn mower blennie
*coral beauty (don't know if I can add with the flame?) He is going in the 29 zoa tank probably... or to a freind

I am mainly concerned about the compatability of the tangs as none have been added yet and I can delet one if needed. The PB is my favorite but if he is going to keep me from having a lot of other fish varieties I will have to give him the boot. The yellow may get the boot also because they just do not do it for me and I kinda hate to burn the bio load up on him. And I think the yellow would harass a CCB for sure. I really want another Copper banded butterfly for aptasia controll in such a big tank but worry the PB or yellow (if he makes the big tank list) will kill it also. Any suggestions on my list? I would also like to add some schooling fish down the road if my bio isn't maxed to the limit. Thanks!
 
This is where they will live. This was taken a few days after incorperating the 80 into the 270 and everything is still cloudy and just thrown together.

100_2607.jpg


The tank is 84"long x 24" deep x 31" tall
Thanks!
 
if you are going to add the powder blue, add the other tangs first. any added after the powder blue will be a problem.
 
I planned on holding him out till everyone else was added anyway. He seems to be more aggressive than normal in the 80 but it may just be the cramped space bringing out the worst in him...
 
I have PBT in with Black, 2 purples, PBTxGoldrim Hybrid, Hippo and Chocolate. I previously had salifin and 2 yellows that got to big and moved on to a 600G. The PBT was not even added last yet has shown no agression past the 2-3 hour hazing of the hybrid upon introduction. If you keep them well fed, it will keep their agression down IME. Your backup/QT system should you have any issues seem well planned and more than adequate. In general, I let the fish tell me when enough is enough. If they chase each other and fight, then you have too many or your combo is not good. However, don't fill a tank to the brim with fish just beacuse they get along - you still have to use common sense and be a good host. Add them slow and watch for reactions to the new tankmates. Good luck.

BTW - the PBT that I have was a local reefer's until he gave it to me because it started eating zoos and LPS. Although the chances of this are small, it can happen. It has eaten a few stow-away zoos in my FOWLR.
 
Put the Regal in first....the Yellow in second to last and the Powder Blue in Last

The others somewhere in between;)

I plan on getting a Powder Blue myself when I transfer my 75 reef to my new [used] 125 gallon reef...I think they are the MOST beautiful fish!!

Good luck
 
the PBT should be ok as the other tangs that you have listed aren't as aggressive but the yellow might pose to be a problem. my PBT was the one being harassed in my 110g... sadly they didnt make the move into my 180... but my new PBT fits the description of a PBT sure is king of the tank... no killing but shows everyone else who's boss.
 
I have a PBT Tang in my 180. He is the samllest fish in the tank, the largest being a 12" Naso. The PBT was the last addition and still I see him trying to assert himself against the Naso. (this only happens when I am cutting back on feeding though) Luckily the Naso knows it 4 times the size of the PBT and doesnt stress out.
 
Thanks for the input guys! I have the sailfin, kole dottyback and a tiny yellow gobie for my 5 gallon all finishing up hypo in a 29. They get along great in such a small tank surprisingly. My sailfin seems pretty laid back so far. I am adding the sailfin and kole first because I need the QT for the naso and regal I am picking up next weekend who will go in the 270 next then the PB last. I am leanning to not putting in the yellow and saving the bio he would use for the other guys.
I am glad no one is seeing a major compatability issue with the tangs so far. I was worried about the powder blue with the naso and regal mainly because I hadn't reaserched them when I told the guy I would give them a home. Mainly the regal and PB being the same color. I would say the naso could handle herself in a spat with the PB as he is kinda small if they did not get along. I am so ready to get all the holding tanks down and some fish finally in the big tank! I have 5 holding tanks going right now. 3 with fish and 2 with zoanthids mainly awaiting the 29 to be freed up.
 
jda...
I hope he doesn't take a likeing to zoas because I have a ton of fraggs started in the big tank!! I do feed heavy anyways. Softhearted I guess when they come begging at the glass. They know who feeds them for sure!
 
I have never bought in to the "same genus" or "same color" thing. Keep them well fed, even as the grow, and this will increase your chance of success. You should be feeding them enough so that they grow half to one inch a year - or more. I mix in a good amount of meat with my veggies soaked in vitamins, fatty acids and garlic. I like formula II pellets as a staple and then supplement with fresh seafood, mysis, nori, formula II flakes/frozen, etc. I imagine that you know about HLLE in hippos if they don't get proper nutrition? If not, then read/ask around. A proper diet will also keep disease at a minimum or non-existent.

Don't be afraid to move a fish to another/bigger home if agression starts down the road.
 
Please tell me I misunderstood.....you aren't putting a Sailfin and a Kole TANG in a 5 GALLON??? It wouldn't be big enough for even a Dottyback! A Sailfin gets well over 1'!!!
 
:lol: I kinda was vauge in my post. No the teeny weeny 1 inch yellow clown goby is going in the 5! The kole and sailfin wouldn't even be able to turn around in my 5. And I am worried the tang police were gonna flame me for so many tangs in my 270 :lol: I have seen some people do stuff just that...silly... before though... :(

I feed a home made mix of frozen food with about 20 ingredients I make up every 6 months or so. I also rotate pellets, cyclopezz and flake and all 3 colors of seaweed. I try to do right by them nutrishionally but my coral beauty has had HLLE since I got it from a freind about a year ago. It came to me that way. It keeps getting worse no matter what I do. Selcon, fresh salmon for fatty acids in the fish mush, vitamins you name it I have tried it. I do run carbon 24/7 and am wondering if it may have something to do with it. Or just some weird parasite because her food is above average for most fish. She was in the 80 that came down with velvet so maybe after copper she will start to heal up if it was a obscure parasite. I am at a loss on her ongoing problem. Thanks for the input!
 
cant wait to see pics of everything when all setup! goodluck with the tank. Yeah I would add the sailfin and then the PBT as the last two fish introduced. Sailfins can be very assertive fish. I have a Red sea in the 220 and he thinks hes top man.
 
thor32766,
I see you have a large tang load also. I love tangs. My sailfin is a red sea also. I got him because his finns stay open all the time and are pretty yellow. I have never seen him close them up once like the other variety so he is a beauty. Anatomically he doesn't look like he could. Does the red sea ones keep there finns erect all the time? I knew they could get real big but wasn't aware they had such a bully rap. He is ideal and actually the kole pushed him around a little when I put them together. Maybe he is just a push over sailfin!

How about a CBB in the future for this mix of fish? The last 50 lbs of rock had a ton of aptasia on it and my poor deceased CBB did a great job eating any that popped up.
 
no sailfins in general should only put up their fins when excited. otherwise you shouldnt see them the whole time. When they are swimming around they should be put back. of course you will have fish with somewhat differant attitudes. He may be layed back. the cbb's can be a bit touchy. But I have had my cbb with a sailfin and yellow tang in my 90 over four years. I love my CBB they are such an awesome fish!!!!
 
My PBT doesn't bother anyone. Unless my blackmouth chromis feels like "steppin" to him. Then he shows him who's boss. He's actually quite docile. He's always palling around with my yellow tang and Foxface. Those three are inseperable.
 
I am glad to hear good reports of the PB getting along well with others. I would say mine being in a 80 has just made him rather cranky so he may chill out in the big tank.
 
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