? about Naso Tang

[jambi0n]

Hey everyone,

I'm interested in getting a naso tang in my 90 gal, but i want to do my homework first. I heard from my friend that they are pretty hardy. Cuz he use to have one in his 90 gal tank. He told me that when he got the fish at the store it had white spots while in the bag. I'm assuming thats due to the stress.
I was just wondering if these fish are really hardy and if the fish did get the stress spots, how long will it take to go away once in the tank?
As you can all tell, I would like to do the right thing and study up before I purchase a fish...
So any advice

will help.
Thanks,
J

 

[ebsochin]

Naso tangs are one of the hardier tangs. However, they need lots of swimming room. They grow very large and quite quickly. IMO a 90 gal is too small for one, but that is just my opinion. I believe that they need atleast a tank bigger than a 180 or six foot tank. I had one that was almost 11inches in my 180 and there was just not enough room for him. So I had to take him to the LFS. Beautiful fish.
They do get "the spots" on them when they get stressed but they will go away when things calm down for them. Remember these are open water swimmers. Small tanks don't work for them.

 

[jambi0n]

thanks for the reply EBS. my tank has a lot of room for him to swim in, with a lot of rock work for him to hide. i am thinking of getting one next week, when the LFS gets thier shipment. i spoke the my friend at the LFS and he said it would be fine in the tank. he was the one who had one in his 90 gal without any problems.

 

[jcrim]

The 90 gallon may be borderline but a smaller naso could probably live several years in a 90... good luck. I wouldn't suggest taking the naso the day it is shipped to the LFS. They aren't that hard to find. I'd look for one you can see eating and healthy at the LFS tank. JMO

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by jcrim
The 90 gallon may be borderline but a smaller naso could probably live several years in a 90... good luck. I wouldn't suggest taking the naso the day it is shipped to the LFS. They aren't that hard to find. I'd look for one you can see eating and healthy at the LFS tank. JMO
I would agree to this one. We have a Naso Tang, he's only about 2-3 inches. Just make sure he is eating well. With Naso Tangs (from what I've read) majority of the smaller ones wouldn't adapt well in our tanks and tend to die from not eating. The larger ones adapt better. When we first got him, got him from this site, he wouldn't eat anything for a week. We've tried everything, live brine shrimp, formula 2, green algae strips, flakes, blood worms, etc etc. Finally we bought him brown algae, he starts to eat instantly, he was starving!!!! Ever since then he eats everything we give him. His color all faded out too when we first got him, he is getting all his pretty colors back though, took him awhile. They get stressed out easily so be sure don't change anything suddenly, ex. rearrange rock work. Good Luck!!! :happyfish

 

[ebsochin]

thanks for the reply EBS. my tank has a lot of room for him to swim in, with a lot of rock work for him to hide. i am thinking of getting one next week, when the LFS gets thier shipment. i spoke the my friend at the LFS and he said it would be fine in the tank. he was the one who had one in his 90 gal without any problems.
One thing about Naso's they don't really hide as much as other species. Like I stated they are open water swimmers. Also, I fully agree with jcrim! Don't get one as soon as the LFS gets them in. Make sure to watch them for at least a week if not more. Many that arrive at the LFS develop bad ich outbreaks and get stressed really easy. This has been my experience, it might be different for you. But it is never a good idea to get a fish right when they come into a LFS. To much stress on the animal.
If you were to get a smaller naso, yeah it will be alright for a while in your tank, but how long do you plan to keep it? Me I plan to keep all my inhabitants as long as I can. Just a though.

 

[jambi0n]

i guess i'll just keep an eye out on the tang. i saw one at the lfs today, that just came in and it did have the white spots when it was in the bag, then it dissapeared when they put it in the tank. then it came back again, when i was looking at it. the size of the spots were like if you put a blotch of white out on the paper. multiple spots. is that just because it's stressing out because of it's new enviroment. do you think it will likely lead to an ich outbreak? again, can't be too cautious... want to this right and dont want to risk anything....

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by jambi0n
i guess i'll just keep an eye out on the tang. i saw one at the lfs today, that just came in and it did have the white spots when it was in the bag, then it dissapeared when they put it in the tank. then it came back again, when i was looking at it. the size of the spots were like if you put a blotch of white out on the paper. multiple spots. is that just because it's stressing out because of it's new enviroment. do you think it will likely lead to an ich outbreak? again, can't be too cautious... want to this right and dont want to risk anything....
Mine did the exact same thing, but eventually it will go away on it's own once he's adjusted to your tank. Keep your water quality high and make sure he eats well. In the wild, they're known to feed on brown algae. Your LFS can order it for you, my LFS don't keep it in stock and it's not very expensive. When the lights first comes on, they'll get those white blotches, but then it fades out. Like the previous post says, do check to make sure he eats before you bring it home. Good Luck!! :happyfish

 

[bunnyl99]

I had a naso. Awesome fish

[hr]
Loves seaweed at all times. Mine was hand fed and enjoyed either the red or brown. White spots don't last long at all & mine got them when we turned on th lights in the morning. The spots stayed for a few seconds & vanished. Awesome choice of a fish!!!

 

[jambi0n]

Mikeyjer, how long did it take for your naso to get adjusted to your tank? And you mentioned about them eating brown algae. Would it be ok to feed it the sheets from the LFS? I saw the brand seaweed select that have brown algae in a catalog, and another site advised Sea Veggies. Have you heard of these brands, and have you tried them? If not, what do you feed them. Is the brown algae from the LFS fresh algae from the ocean?

 

[gtiguy]

Have a naso right now, one of the healthiest fish i own (knock on wood) beautiful colors (blonde naso) and loves to eat all kinds of food from greens to brine etc....looks like a rock when stressed in the tank and becomes very still....white spots as well but gets very dark....personality is increcible when i bring out the green flakes he knows when he is being fed will follow me around the tank , pretty amazing if you ask me and once comfortable in the tank is pretty funny will not get nervous even to the net going into the tank actually have to move around him cause he doesnt care..... :happyfish
One of my favs now!!

 

[jambi0n]

GtiGuy, how long did it take for your Naso to get use to it's surrounding. And do you have any pics of it?

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by jambi0n
Mikeyjer, how long did it take for your naso to get adjusted to your tank? And you mentioned about them eating brown algae. Would it be ok to feed it the sheets from the LFS? I saw the brand seaweed select that have brown algae in a catalog, and another site advised Sea Veggies. Have you heard of these brands, and have you tried them? If not, what do you feed them. Is the brown algae from the LFS fresh algae from the ocean?
It took mine about 3 weeks before fully adjusted. It's brown algae, Seaweed Selects by Ocean Nutrition. I had to order it from the local LFS cause they do not carry it instock. They only carry the green ones. So yea, it's like what you've mentioned in your catalog. It's dried seaweed from the ocean. Once he started eating the brown algae, he has adjusted to eating everything I give him even the green algae. He has regain his coloring that he lost at first. He is looking very pretty too!!! Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[jambi0n]

Thanks Mikeyjer... I'm gonna go to the LFS tomorrow and check him out. I know my friend there, will tell me he's been doing pretty good... I trust him a lot... He has yet to do me wrong. Thanks for all the info everyone... And i'll post some pix when I get my tang.
SWEETTTTTTT!!!

 

[sinner's girl]

marine fishes says min tank 135gl

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by Sinner's Girl
marine fishes says min tank 135gl
Yea they will eventually need a larger living space. But what he's got would be fine for now IMO. I'll defend myself with any tang police if I have to!!!

 

[jambi0n]

How fast do those bad boys grow? I know a 90 gal will hold him for a while. Hopefully, later on upgrade to a bigger tank.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by jambi0n
How fast do those bad boys grow? I know a 90 gal will hold him for a while. Hopefully, later on upgrade to a bigger tank.
I think 14 inches? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. It will hold him for awhile. Upgrade would be great down the road. That's what we're doing in the spring with 125+ gallon, actually would like a 150 though. We would end up with wayyyyyy too many tanks around the house, nothing but tanks!!! lol....Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[jambi0n]

yeah, i want to get a bigger tank now, but i have to wait untill we get everything settled in the house, and get all the other furniture in. LOL... i set up my tank before we even got living room furniture.
well i know that i may get the tang tomorrow... again my friend told me it's doing really well... he's eating and swimming around the tank. No spots on him... if i do decide to get him tomorrow, hopefully he likes his new home, and hopefully he doesnt get those spots all over...

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by jambi0n
yeah, i want to get a bigger tank now, but i have to wait untill we get everything settled in the house, and get all the other furniture in. LOL... i set up my tank before we even got living room furniture.
well i know that i may get the tang tomorrow... again my friend told me it's doing really well... he's eating and swimming around the tank. No spots on him... if i do decide to get him tomorrow, hopefully he likes his new home, and hopefully he doesnt get those spots all over...
Most likely he will get those spots due to stress. But it will go away eventually like I've said before. They're a wonderful addition to your tank, they're powerful swimmers so watch your hands when you clean the tank, don't want to get a cut. Most likely he'll just hide when you clean, mine does anyway. Good Luck! :happyfish