Should I pull the trigger on a PBT?

[rnscross]

sorry for another tang thread but I'm struggling with this one. I have an established 6x2x2 which atm has 6 fish in it. The big ones being a 5" blue tang, a 5" lieutenant tang and a 2.5" majestic angel. I'm looking for that last big fish to round out the list. The LFS has a healthy thick 5-6" PBT which is eating, alert and shows no signs of disease (full QT will still occur).

So can you all please try and sway me one way or the other as I really dont know what to do...

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Do you plan on adding any fish to the tank afterwards? If you do you are going to run into problems with a PBT being in their and established... PBTs often kill any fish added to a tank after them so unless it is going to be your last fish I would say no.

 

[betamed]

I would say your probably 80% chance of success. Any chance your tank has ever had ich? They are the worst about ich.

 

[rnscross]

I will be introducing fish after the PBT, but they will all be small. I have read about them killing new fish but these will only be chromis etc.

All fish atm have undergone extensive hypo to remove ich from the system and the fish. I had an outbreak before and so now I'm a little anal about it.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Only takes one outbreak to make anyone anal about it. I had an ick outbreak while doing FW and breeding german blue rams($12 each at the time) and 4 of the 7 I had died from it! Not a cheap mistake to make. QTing has followed me over to saltwater as well.

 

[Cptn Spaulding]

I would be careful with the lieutenant tang and the pbt, seeing as the body shapes are fairly similar. In terms of adding more fish, in a tank that size, you should be fine, with the exception of any other tang (especially with that body shape). I havent seen any powder blue attack anything other than a tang with similar body shape or a copperband butterfly, on one occasion

 

[MrTuskfish]

Usually, I'm with the group that doesn't think most tangs belong in anything smaller than an 8" tank. But, like all fish, I think a PBT will be better off in a 6' tank with a diligent owner than an 8' tank with an owner who doesn't keep up on the little things that make these fish thrive. They are magnificent fish and I think you could keep one with no big problems. They're not huge tangs and 6' may not be perfect, but what is? I wouldn't get one more than 1/2 the size of the Lt. Tang; they are both the same genus and the PBT will let the Lt. know who's boss soon enough. I assume you're going to do a full QT regimen at home and are confident that your DT is ich free. If either of these is "no'; I'd pass. I always prophylacticly treat all new fish with copper (Cupramine) and Prazipro; but don't push it onto everyone. I know its controversial. But I would treat this fish in QT; PBTs handle Cu very well and there is simply not a reason not to be over-cautious. (It isn't "over" anything, IMO).

 

[Black Beard]

The LT tang will be aggressive once it establishes its territory and will stress out a new PBT causing ick.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

There would be no ick if the OP properly QTs the PBT. There would be absolutly no chance for ick if the OP prophylacticly treats for ick.

 

[Amoore311]

I've had a Powder Blue in a 180.

IMO you have 0% (Yes ZERO Percent) of this working long term. By long term I'm talking 2+ years (if even that long).

The problem is your current stock list. The Powder Blue will not tolerate other acanthurus tangs in a tank that size. The aggressiveness of this fish cannot be understated, they are absolute terrors once they become established.

They will be fine for a day, week, month, year maybe.... but eventually that Powder Blue is going to wreak unholy havoc on that Tennenti lol.


I had my powder blue over 3 years. I got him in from Diver's Den at about 4". He stayed that size for about a year, then grew to 5" in a couple months. That's when I started noticing the aggression. He'd give chase to the Yellow Tang And Convict that were in with him. After another couple months he grew another .5-1" and completely obliterated every tang and butterfly in the tank in a matter of a week. A male blue throat trigger and all my smaller fish were left completely alone.

I think the fish can do fine in a 180 Gallon Tank that has a ton of flow and swimming space. However, for long term success I would keep all other tangs completely out of the equation.

 

[rnscross]

The aggression is what has made me pass on the fish. It could have worked but then it probably would have induced stress is all the tangs involved long term and trying to catch a tang in a reef tank would be a nightmare.

I've hypo'd the DT for 8 weeks to ensure that I had no ich anywhere. I will hypo all new fish prophylacticly as I just dont want to have to break this tank down again.

I'm considering a 3" juvi coloured orange shoulder instead of the PBT, simply because of its hardiness and it being smaller and less aggressive that the PBT. I know they are of similar shape and are both acanthurus but from all the reading and talking to fellow reefers here in australia it seems quite a doable. Does anyone disagree with that?

 

[Reefing Newbie]

I wouldn't worry about an orange-shoulder tang turning nasty on any of your fish. They are probably one of the most laid back tangs in the hobby. I would be worried about your LT going after it though. It has the name Lieutentent for a reason as my lfs said, they aren't one of your peaceful tangs. They aren't as aggressive as a PBT, sohal, or clown tang, but can very well hold their hold their own against most fish. I haven't had one yet, plan to get one for my 125 in the future though casue I love them!

 

[Amoore311]

I think you'd have MUCH better luck with the Orange Shoulder. I think the two fish woud be fine given how "laid back" Orange Shoulders tend to be.