Powder blue tang TTM question

[RealReef7]

Hi I bought a healthy 5" powder blue tang from my lfs and its currently residing in my 40g Observation/QT tank. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience successfully executing TTM on a powder blue tang or any of the other Acanthurus species? Its already eating nls pellets and nori after a day which is a good sign. I'm just not sure how it will react getting moved around during 5x transfers for 13 days in 10 gallon tanks? Also I plan to combat ammonia with prime but I really don't think it will be an issue even in a 10g tank, at least i've never had before. I know 10g tanks seem kinda small for single 5" fish but I really don't see the benefits of upgrading to 20g tanks. I personally think the fish will be equally as stressed but I could be wrong and I don't have room for another 40g breeder. What do you guys think?

 

[Haffs09]

My first TTM experience was 3 years ago when a friend brought over a 4" achilles hybrid and 6" black tang from his ich infested system. For TTM, I divided a 30L with egg crate and transferred between that and a 20H for the black tang and 15gal for the hybrid. I think it took three attempts at TTM before the fish were clear.

You can make the 10gal tanks work, but if you already have 20gal tanks, I would use those to give an active fish a larger swimming footprint, even if you only fill them up with 10 gallons of water.

 

[rc4kinu]

Curious Haffs09 why the first two attempts failed? Was it tank proximity or something else?

 

[Jdub968]

Tangs do require a larger tank yes. But I think the stress is going to be more because of the ttm after each transfer keep the lights low in the room and don't have a lot of activity going on around the tank so the fish don't feel threatened. I think the fish will do just fine

 

[Haffs09]

Curious Haffs09 why the first two attempts failed? Was it tank proximity or something else?

Not sure why exactly, maybe just my first attempt and not having a good system down?

Now when I do it, I like to use three tanks. I start the fish off in a bottom tank of a multiple tiered tank stand, then transfer to a clean tank the next tier above, then to a third tank I have 6 feet away. All tanks are covered and all equipment gets min 1 day in bleach and the tank air dries for 3 days after a hot water rinse. I have done this on a number of new acquisitions and everything has worked very well.

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[lagatbezan]

I have been doing TTM for the past few years with no issues and have used it for a PB.
Use a clear container or colander and scoop it out and move it to the new tank. If all the parameters are the same and you can catch it and transfer it quickly there will be little stress. Most fish I have done it to usually eat right after as well.
Personally I have been doing the transfer every 48 hours instead of the 72. Its only two more transfers for the fish and I feel the risk of failure is much less since 72 hours is the max.
Doing prazipro might not be a bad idea as well.

 

[kmbyrnes]

My PBT was just fine in TTM, twice actually. Once in a disaster and another prior to moving to a new tank.
I've been doing TTM on (almost) all fish for the last 2+ years. I've had fish die in TMM, but I really doubt it was from stress. They either never ate, or ate for a bit and then stopped. That does not alter my firm belief that TTM is less stressful than chemical means of ich prevention. In tandem with prazipro, it has saved my tanks more than once.
And the one time I skipped it, http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2657541, I got wiped out.

 

[ROlympia]

I did TTM on a powder brown, about 4", using 10 gal tanks. I set them up identically so that when he was transferred he was oriented to the hiding place. Also I made all the water in advance, about 35 gallons so that everythingwas identical.

I also used a scoop style colander for the transfer after removing equipment and siphoning water down to tang height.

He did just fine and was eating on day one.

 

[ROlympia]

Transferred when temperatures were identical using traceable thermometer.

 

[DasCamel]

If it's healthy to start, zero issues. I would TTM alone though, mine upset with the 20g bins used. They like space....

 

[RealReef7]

Sounds good, thank you all for the input. I'm going to start TTM tomorrow, 3 questions. Will 1 air stone be ok or should I add another one when I doze prazi on the 2nd & 4th transfer? Do I need to have a powder head other than a air stone? Should I do a FW dip before the 1st transfer? Thanks again!

 

[RealReef7]

I have been doing TTM for the past few years with no issues and have used it for a PB.
Use a clear container or colander and scoop it out and move it to the new tank. If all the parameters are the same and you can catch it and transfer it quickly there will be little stress. Most fish I have done it to usually eat right after as well.
Personally I have been doing the transfer every 48 hours instead of the 72. Its only two more transfers for the fish and I feel the risk of failure is much less since 72 hours is the max.
Doing prazipro might not be a bad idea as well.

If I were to use a clear container would it be ok if some of that water were to be transferred into the other transfer tank? Probably would be less stress on the fish when you transfer this way.

 

[ROlympia]

The whole point of TTM is to remove the fish from the water it occupies to leave free swimming ich life cycle stages behind; I would not.

I used one air stone and a small Fluval HOB filter.

 

[lagatbezan]

If I were to use a clear container would it be ok if some of that water were to be transferred into the other transfer tank? Probably would be less stress on the fish when you transfer this way.

Use the clear container to catch the fish and then put your hand over the top or put something on top and dump the water back in the original tank and then put the fish into the new tank with as little water as possible. Can also buy a cheap colander from walmart, they are usually a few bucks and then you can transfer the fish from the container into the colander and then into the new tank. a few drops is okay but the less the better.
I always use a powerheads in my qt. it helps with the air exchange and fish also love the flow specially tangs. Can get inexpensive ones for like $8-$10 online. :spin1: