Why are powder blues considered hard to keep ?
- Thread starter lllesley
- Start date
jason2459
Well-known member
lllesley
New member
Thanks for that link. Will read through, appreciate it a lot.
Moort82
New member
My personal opinion and I'm preparing to take cover, is that they are normally kept in tanks much too small and with too many large species (normally other tangs). If they have space I don't see them as being difficult at all once properly QT'd. This is coming from someone who ran a shop and has kept many (albeit briefly). I never really had any trouble getting them to feed and maybe only lost one or two to unexplained but (probably poor shipping or acclimation). The same I think can be said about Achilles, I've always found them pretty hardy but only when treated with the respect and tank they deserve.
lllesley
New member
Thanks @Moort82 for that info, It will be with other tangs including 2 x yellow 1 x lipstick and hippo tang. Copperband and coral beauty and cleaner wrasse ?
tank is just short of 300g ?
Nanighan
New member
^^^^^Need to start with a really healthy one. You'll know it when you see one. If there is a doubt don't buy it.
I got one over this past summer that was the fattest PBT I ever saw in a LFS, as well as having beautiful colors. LFS said it was from a new shipment and not from a local reefer. It was very inquisitive and not a mark on him. Bought him on the spot, and after 3-4 weeks quaranitne (no meds or hypo) and now a few months in my tank, not once did it develop a condition. You can see him here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKYMpjh6M9I&list=UUUdOhuVN98YhcPBvr0jjkKA
I got one over this past summer that was the fattest PBT I ever saw in a LFS, as well as having beautiful colors. LFS said it was from a new shipment and not from a local reefer. It was very inquisitive and not a mark on him. Bought him on the spot, and after 3-4 weeks quaranitne (no meds or hypo) and now a few months in my tank, not once did it develop a condition. You can see him here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKYMpjh6M9I&list=UUUdOhuVN98YhcPBvr0jjkKA
Charlene
Certified Reef Fanatic
I have one in my 400 gallon tank. It gets very aggressive toward new additions but other than that it's a great fish. In a smaller tank the aggression might be a big problem. I'd add it last fwiw. I have friends who have had trouble keeping this fish. One friend who I consider an expert reefer and has many rare fish has lost 4 of these during quarantine. He finally gave up trying. His qt is more of a hospital type environment. I am lucky (and anal enough) to have separate qt and hospital tanks. These fish do seem especially prone to disease so qt is a very good idea.
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MIKE NY
Two Decade club
I've had mine over 15 years. Just know their needs and requirements just like any other fish. They are a very active fish constantly swimming all day so the need a lot of room plus the rock work to feel secure. Water quality, tank mates and especially nutrition are major requirements for them which should include meaty foods and algae. They stress out very easily when these requirements aren't met which lowers their immune systems making vulnerable to parasites like ich etc....
lllesley
New member
thank you all for your comments. I def want to get one, will research its needs @MIKE NY and do all I can to see it thrives. It will be going into a 300g system with lots of live rock and a good 7.2foot length for swim room. Thanks you have all been very helpful.
Beautiful pics by the way, he obviously eats very well @SDguy
Beautiful pics by the way, he obviously eats very well @SDguy
I know the discovery channel isn't a great source to site, but i saw something that may provide a little more insight to their behavior. They showed a clip of a huge convict tang school browsing on a reef. There were hundreds of them. They swam by a pair of powder blues who vigorously defended their spot on the reef. So, they don't typically live in large groups and they stake out a pretty large chunk of territory and defend it. Many other tang species live in large, roaming schools.it would be interesting to see if those natural behavioral differences match up with other more aggressive or passive tangs.
Keep in mind, I'm using a 2 min clip from a tv documentary for these assumptions. That's hardly solid evidence of anything
Keep in mind, I'm using a 2 min clip from a tv documentary for these assumptions. That's hardly solid evidence of anything
I love that clip too. Shows very well how they get a pale section on their body when they get mad. Mine does the same thing to the algae magnet :lol:
Nanighan
New member
doing what they do in the wild.
SoloChromis
New member
I also remember seeing that in a documentary, definitely puts things in perspective. It's almost like hearing the tragic backstory of a villain :lolspin:
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