Those that have raised Blue Tangs (P. hepatus)

[pvtschultz]

Well, I'm not really a newbie but this is the first fish that I have purchased in a long time after having a lot of success with the ones I currently have. I have heard about some of the poor survival rates for the blue tang but I decided to try a small guy as the LFS that I normally shop had them for a dime. So I brought him home yesterday, acclimated him over a 4 hour period bringing the SG from 1.020 to the 1.025 of my tank. Once the temp and SG matched up, I set him free in my display tank (no room for a QT in this house, I know...). It was feeding time a couple hours later and to my surprise, he ate like a pig. The fuuny thing is that he thinks that he is a B/G Chromis and swims with the two that I have in my tank. I also have a Royal gramma and a now 4.5" Yellow Tang. The YT has been my success story, I got him cheap with a moderate case of HLLE. He got ich and with the help of lots of Nori, garlic, UV, and other things he has more than doubled in size over the last 18 months and is always fun to watch. Well, the YT wasn't too fond of the new guy and scratched him up a bit but nothing too serious that I can see. Now he is leaving the new guy alone and all seems well. The BT swims all over and hasn't shown a bit of stress since I have added him. I am a bit worried that he might catch Ich, the LFS is respectable but that is my only fear so far.

So, with all that blabbing. My real question is what has been the tricks that you learned along the way raising a P. hepatus surgeon and keeping them healthy. I still feed nori regularily but read they they are more omnivorous and like zooplankton. I feed a 50/50 mix of Formulas I and II sparingly daily and has kept the B/G Chromis happy, but this is a 1.5" BT and I want to make sure he gets what he needs to grow up to a nice healthy fish.

Tank Stats are:
90 gallon display
10 gallon sump
10 gallon fuge
80 lbs LR
skimmed

1-4.5" Yellow Tang
1-3" Royal Gramma
2-2" B/G Chromis
1-1.5" Blue Tang

79 deg F
1.025 SG
0 NO3
pH ~8.4

What are your comments???

 

[ERTLEY]

keep doing what your doing,i have one and its doing fine on seaweed and alge

 

[pvtschultz]

Well, it have been 3 days since I added the little guy and he amazes me every day. The first day he ate flake food (he was at the LFS for 3 weeks), the second day he recognized that the green thing hanging on the glass was an algae sheet and that it tasted good (eats it all the time now). He eats like a pig, very active swimmer, the scratches from the YT are almost healed up and things are looking very good so far. He is far from being out of the woods but is started on the right path.

 

[Paintbug]

i try to keep mine PBT's diet varied. i will put algae strips in one day, the next he may get flakes(forumula 2, and reef prime), next day he may get frozen mysis shrimp, or frozen algae mix. mine eats just about anything. he still wont eat algae strips from the red clip. but it they are on the blue or yellow clip he goes crazy. he also grazes all day on the LR. great fish!! i have had mine for about 6 months. i think i have a pic of him in my gallery. heres a short vid of him
http://www.zippyvideos.com/7261124912337356/dscf0054/