Powder Blue Tang

[happyclam]

I was thinking about a Powder Blue Tang for my 135 gal. reef. It would be the only fish besides a pair of clowns. Do you think it would work? Also, would I need a UV Sterilizer to control ich outbreaks? What experiences have you had with this fish? Fairly hardy?

 

[Macimage]

Powder blue tangs are not "fairly hardy". They can be a difficult fish and need a lot of swimming room. You may be Ok with a 72" long aquarium and only two other fish.

I recommend that you use the RC search button above for more threads about them so you have a better idea of their needs and possible issues (difficult to get eating, ich magnets, etc.).

Joyce

 

[BangkokMatt]

I second Macimage
Also, UV does not help prevent ich as ich bases itself in the substrate. A UV will only eliminate parasites etc which live in the water column.

 

[Chibils]

They are very weak at first (read: ich, feeding, basically everything Joyce said above), but once established are relatively hardy.

 

[happyclam]

A local hobbyist said that his tang got ich once, but that his cleaner shrimps took care of it and that he didn't have to QT it. Would this work for me as well, or was his just an exception to the rule?

 

[flameangel88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12770765#post12770765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by happyclam
A local hobbyist said that his tang got ich once, but that his cleaner shrimps took care of it and that he didn't have to QT it. Would this work for me as well, or was his just an exception to the rule?

I'd 4 lg cleaner shrimps (lost 2 to PH and 1 disappeared) & 3 lg fire shrimps and I see my angels goes to them but they don't show much interest in cleaning so I wouldn't count on them to clean ich if their life depends on it. However, I do see cleaner wrasse constantly cleaning fishes but it'll need quite a number of fishes to sustain its food source. In my lfs I see cleaner wrasse for sale often but they don't last for more than a week then dies due to poor shipping and lack of food. But the one in the 600g DT looks good everytime I see it.

 

[Chibils]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12770765#post12770765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by happyclam
A local hobbyist said that his tang got ich once, but that his cleaner shrimps took care of it and that he didn't have to QT it. Would this work for me as well, or was his just an exception to the rule?

Ich is an internal infection (inside the gills). Despite the fact that I've seen fish flare their gills for cleaner shrimp to get in, a study I read showed that they're completely ineffective against ich. I don't have the link, but it was an interesting read. The ich probably subsided around the time the cleaner went to work.p A good diet with low stress will help quell an ich outbreak.

 

[customdusty]

I have a PBT in a 90 gal. which I began in hyposalinity before putting it in my display. I think I really lucked out and got a good one - it eats pellets, mysis shrmip, etc. It has remained healthy, although it is quite territorial and is quickly outgrowing my tank size. I will soon be trading it away.

I am convinced however that they can be hit or miss, and if you choose to get one, you should know that you are taking a risk. I don't think that anybody who sells livestock will give you any guarantee on this fish whatsoever.

Check out www.vividaquariums.com - they suggest that their care level is "expert only" and their notes consist of one statement "This fish is best left in the ocean. We do not recommend this fish to anybody."

 

[MattL]

Check out www.vividaquariums.com - they suggest that their care level is "expert only" and their notes consist of one statement "This fish is best left in the ocean. We do not recommend this fish to anybody."

That is very interesting, as it is somewhat contrary to my experience -- I have kept mine successfully for 1.5 years now, and I am by no means an "expert".

However! You do have to apply expert husbandry. Cutting corners with this fish will only be met with disaster.

I believe the PBT is the most Ich-prone fish I have ever handled. Moreover, its ability to naturally beat an Ich infestation appears to be very low.

The first step in having success with this fish is being able to see what you prchase. I purchased one from a reputable LFS at 3" in length. They had several* in the same tank, so I was able to choose one that I felt displayed the best combination of alertness, curiosity, and even temperament with his peers. He was eating, and had been in for two weeks.

However, the simple stress of capture and transport to a new sytem is more than enough to cause a fatal Ich outbreak. As such, the second step in having success is putting the fish straight into your q-tank. Even for a small fish (as in my case at 3"), I use a 4ft tank (I use the now defunct 40L).

I believe copper is very unhealthy for these fish. I (personally) don't use copper, but instead a combination of hyposalinity and intense UV and skimming. Protein skimmers must be modified to work under hyposaline conditions. Because these fish are so Ich prone, the third step to success is ensuring hyposalinity be intense and thorough. I dropped salinity very close to the danger zone and kept it there (1.0075) for 6 weeks. In fact, I was unsuccessful the first time, and had to repeat a second course.

Many people who claim quarantine kills more fish than it saves simply don't quarantine correctly. Quarantine is often an afterthought in reefkeeping. You already have one tank you can barely manage. Now you need a completely isolated second system?!? Yes, you do. I use a sufficiently large tank for an active swimmer such as a PBT (40L) with sand and base rock. The system has been up and running with little light for at least 6 months before even beginning. I protein skim, but skimming becomes less and less effective as the salinity drops. I believe that sterile, small, uncycled q-tanks are a major reason for fish fatalities. So (fourth) I recommend using a q-tank that is sufficiently long and has been established for 6 months (with bioload) with rock and sand for a natural environment.

Finally, I believe sudden salinity changes are another contributing factor to fish mortality in quarantine. I lower my salinity and raise it back up over the course of 14 days. That makes the total hypo course 10 weeks. This may be excessive, but I have found that it works.

Now, 18 months later, the PBT is 5" and quite dominant in the tank. He is blind in his right eye. I am not sure how this happened. Shortly after being brought into the display tank, he suffered an infection on his right eye. The infection cleared up, but based on his behavior of always keeping his left side to me, I believe he is blind in that eye. He is fed twice during the day. He receives a Nori clip, along with a mixture of brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, chopped krill, chopped silverside, and angel preparations (for the angel, but he eats them too) with Selcon.

Matt

* Interestingly, the stress pattern on this fish is akin to the zebra pattern of the convict tang, except in blue.

 

[DrBegalke]

PBT's seem to prefer a lot of flow and high oxygenation/good water quality. A 125 might work for a while, but I think most tangs in this genus need more room to swim.