Success rate of captive powder blue tangs

[wetbehindears]

Looking to add another large fish and im loving my tangs so far so im looking to get a powder blue tang. I know they can be iffy at the earily stages. How are they longterm health wise.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I had one in my 125g for a few years. It ate well, grew like mad, and never presented any difficulty or problem. Got along well with other tankmates (gobies, blennies, clowns, tangs.)

The tank had open rockwork, lots of flow, and relatively low bioload/nutrient levels. Fed 1 - 2x daily with flake and/or frozen plus nori several times a week. The powder blue tang survived a few system issues (runaway ATO dropped salinity rather drastically on two occasions).

Unfortunately, one morning, the tang was gone and there was a pile of bones next to my haddoni.

IMHO the key as with other similarly tricky/ich prone fish is to give it a healthy, stable environment that's not overstocked. I bought the fish from an LFS that had had it for a few weeks so I knew it was in good shape and eating well. It cost about twice what you could get them for on the internet at that time, but IMHO it was worth it to get a "known good" fish that was used to tank life rather than a drop-shipped fish with unknown history or condition.

 

[Paradiddle7]

I just had one, developed Ich very quickly and took down 3 other fish with it. I have a 90g, not overstocked but I just don't think the fish ever got comfortable. It's sad because he was the largest fish in the tank, had plenty of room to swim, maybe not enough hiding spots for him, as my tank isn't stuffed to the max with rocks but who knows.

 

[rjmayes34]

I had one for about a month,my fav fish.; He did great ,him and my yellow tang were best budds,and he died very quick last night!!!! Was fine swimming,ate then he was layin in the rocks,barley movin,got home from work and he is dead. Trying to figure out wy now. Everything is good....
Best of luck with yours if you get one. They are great fish

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

check this thread out

 

[museumguy]

We've had ours in our 1700g mixed tank for over 3 years without issue, but I would be hesitant to add another if this one ever died.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

We've had ours in our 1700g mixed tank for over 3 years without issue, but I would be hesitant to add another if this one ever died.

why?

 

[AIR-FX]

i bought one 3 weeks ago.....he was doing great! then i added some new corals and a flame angel...........one week later i noticed ich so i fed them like crazy with pellet food soaked in food booster....powder was eating it up! then i noticed ich on my cowfish,then on flame angel.........2 days later powder blue was dead.....one day later cowfish was not acting right and completely covered in ich like ive never seen. so i pulled the dead pbt from the tank,then i had to flush my cowfish in fear of it killing everything when it died. 2 days later the flame angel is back to eating and he has very little ich left on him(and he was covered in ich) all is well in the tank,but what baffeled me was that my yellow tank.scooter blenny,2 tru perc clowns and purple pseudocromis never got ich trough all of this.........hmmmm

 

[Randrew215]

I've had my powder brown (not blue) tang for about a year and a half. He has more personality than any other fish I've owned and is easily my favorite. I don't know that he has grown very much in my care (maybe an inch?) but he eats like a machine and is very active in the tank.

 

[mike73367336]

I have had my powder blue a little over a year now hes good except hes bi-polar 1 day he loves my salfin next day he beats him up.

 

[MarkKlier]

Had one for many years. Great fish. Sometimes a little tricky to get started. Eventually likes to be the boss. Once he is established very hard to introduce other tangs, like a yellow tang that way. Certainly was one of my favorites...MK

 

[Kent E]

What DWZM said.

They need lots of room. Get a healthy one- preferably from a fellow reefkeeper.


I've had one for a while now and I got it from 450 reef who had it for a while. I'm guessing it's 3 years old?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

take into consideration

take into consideration

the fact that those who've failed with a Powder Blue Tang are highly unlikely to post here.

Polls and threads on RC only reflect the thoughts of those participating.
In reality a LOT of Powder Blues don't survive very long once caught for the marine ornamental hobby- however (IMO/IME) the species is being handled better than ever and I've seen numerous PBT's at LFS's that look really good (health wise). Another huge plus is the fact that Rochester LFS's are better than the national average at holding fish at the retail level.

IMO: search out a PBT that's been received at a LFS several weeks ago and is healthy, acclimated and eating.

 

[jfl14609]

I had one for a few years unfortunately they are very dominant and very prone to ich. after a tank move I decided to try and add a yellow tang and my powder blue together and it was too much stress for the fish and lost him unfortunately he was my favorite fish of all times. It seems like most stories of powder blues end this way. we have them for a while with great luck then one change and they die so I would say if you get one just be willing to accept it will be the last fish you can add to the system.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Jeff brings up a very good point- the success rate of adding OTHER fish to an aquarium containing an established PBT isn't good.