no tangs

[coloradodeb]

I need help!! I have tried, unsuccesfully, to get a yellow tang to survive my 55g tank. My parameters are all within normal limits, temp is 76 -78. The tangs seem to eat rather well, fed reef prime and frozen brine plus. No live rocks or live sand however. Right now I have 4 fish alive and doing extremely well, they are: firefish goby,green chromis, yellow clown goby, and a yellow damsel. Also is a snail (unknown type) and a knobby starfish, and 2 peppermint shrimp.My tank has been up for about 4 months, but I cannot get a yellow tang to live. Any advice is more than welcome to a newbie. Thank you

 

[kevin j]

I would highly suggest some live rock I dont think your tangs are dieing because they dont have live rock but mine grazes off it all day long and LOVES to swim in and out of it.

 

[mightyoxjuice]

I second the live rock. Start with 55-75 pounds of cured live rock or get uncured, but then you have to cure it first before placing it in your tank.

 

[tangman99]

Live Rock is definitely a plus for a tang and I would definitely have some for it, but they are not dying because you don't have any. I've had a yellow tang for over 3 years now and the first 2 years he lived in a FO tank with dead decorative rock. I feed him Formula 2 and he gets roasted seaweed every other day.
What is happening when they die? Any symptoms or do you just find them dead?

 

[coloradodeb]

I guess I forgot to add, that I also feed dried algae, as well as Romaine lettuce, which they seem to enjoy. The first tang appeared to have obtained ich, when I had to be gone overnight, and the second one was eating swimming, appearing to do well, no signs of distress noted, and I got up to find it lifeless. I have several places in the tank to hide and swim in and out of. So maybe I just am not supposed to have them? Am planning a larger tamk as soon as I feel comfortable with the smaller tank. Thank you all for your comments.

 

[jumpfrog]

Try adding a cleaner shrimp and let him get comfortable. A week will do it. Then look for a healthy YT. Most recommend QT for 3-4 weeks. Watch your acclimation procedure. Slower is always better. YT's are the poodles of the salt world and get stressed easily. (no disrepect to the poodle lovers out there. You know what I mean ) After you add your YT give some time to get used to the others and avoid alot of face-to-tank time. A few days.
Hopefully that will make for a good transition and the cleaner will pick up any "new bugs" the YT may bring in.
Good Luck!