Powder Blue Tang Concerns

[tang1joe]

I have a chance of picking up a PBT at a good price but I have a Orange shoulder tang and a YT but am worried about the agressive nature of the PB and YT. The tank is 135G and I have to QT the YT when introducing the others for a week or so and has worked for the most part. I really want to PBT but I've read that they are very difficult to keep in captivity so I'm concerned. The articles I've read state that there is an extremely high mortality rate with PBT's. Also there is the Ich factor with PBT's. I don't have have any live rock at the momenet. Am I being too cautious??

 

[mr. limpid]

How long has the YT been in the tank? He would be my only concern this fish can be very aggressive, PBT is also very aggressive and should be the last tang in your tank which it is. you could add the live rock at same time you add the PBT this would change the territories of the YT. Just a suggestion QT the live rock unless you no it came from a fishless system. I also have 135 and just got PBT last night, with a chevron and hippo already in tank.

 

[tangs rule]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tang1joe http:///forum/thread/386951/powder-blue-tang-concerns#post_3401230
I have a chance of picking up a PBT at a good price but I have a Orange shoulder tang and a YT but am worried about the agressive nature of the PB and YT. The tank is 135G and I have to QT the YT when introducing the others for a week or so and has worked for the most part. I really want to PBT but I've read that they are very difficult to keep in captivity so I'm concerned. The articles I've read state that there is an extremely high mortality rate with PBT's. Also there is the Ich factor with PBT's. I don't have have any live rock at the momenet. Am I being too cautious??
Where did you read this junk? (red)
Of course - ALL tangs are quite susceptable to ich (blue)
WHAT??? no live rock? I don't think your ready to really stock a 135 tank with many fish - esp. larger ones without a complete eco-system that includes lr. (green)
PB's are quite agressive and some indivuiduals are just mean as snakes - while others are much more docile - but can still tail strike a sudden New added larger fish - esp if it's a tang. BUT in an encomplete ecosystem - espically a rockless tank - how does a fish hide in a bare tank?

 

[tang1joe]

Well I thought the article was over the top meant to scare enthusiasts. Now I am back into the hobby from about 10 years kept my 135G fish only tank for years with very little problems. I have a YT, Orange Shoulder Tang, Blue Face angel, Melanurus wrasse and a Bicolor Angel at the moment with lots of dead corals (no LR) for hiding . I am not opposed to LR just not that familiar with the maintainance of LR. I have a wet dry filters and canisters filters for biological and mechanical filtration. I will hold off on the PBT as I do want to put several more fish in tank.
Can you give me advise on buying LR for ecosystem.

 

[tangs rule]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tang1joe http:///forum/thread/386951/powder-blue-tang-concerns#post_3401883
Well I thought the article was over the top meant to scare enthusiasts. Now I am back into the hobby from about 10 years kept my 135G fish only tank for years with very little problems. I have a YT, Orange Shoulder Tang, Blue Face angel, Melanurus wrasse and a Bicolor Angel at the moment with lots of dead corals (no LR) for hiding . I am not opposed to LR just not that familiar with the maintainance of LR. I have a wet dry filters and canisters filters for biological and mechanical filtration. I will hold off on the PBT as I do want to put several more fish in tank.
Can you give me advise on buying LR for ecosystem.
Kinda seems like that - All tangs are ich magnets, and if you do not Qtine all new arrivals, fish/inverts - the bug will bite you eventually - esp if you have tangs.
I assume by "LR" you mean live rock - and since you already have an established tank with substrate and dead corals, it'd likely be best NOT to buy liverock - - some dry base rock would probably do you the best, as since you have an almost complete system - the dry base will not bring anything "bad" into it, and will become fully live wihtin 6 months or so, and be really nice in about 9-12. On a 135g system, likely ~ 100 or # of dry rock would be OK - just not added at once - -more like 2-3 "batches" of it added every couple months.....it's not good to add ALOT of anything to a tank suddenly, but say 25-30 lbs at a time, spaced 60-90 days (or more) apart....It all depends on your budget& time, but usually a pretty healthy tank (fowlr or reef) basis it's health & stability on alot of LR....again it doesn't have to be live when u get it, dry (dead) rock will become live pretty quick.....just make very sure any dry base rock you get is OK for saltwater tanks......No granite/lava type stuff!!

 

[tang1joe]

Thanks for your input. Why do you not want me to add Live Rock to the tank?? I would assume it would be beneficial to have a balance in the tank. I will order some dry rock to the tank as well. Can you also give me some advice on what is a good lighting source for fish and LR. I am thinking of getting T5 tubes to enhance the tank just didn't know the wattage for a 135G. Is there a formula to the size and depth of the tank?? I also want to set up a QT as I should be Qting my new arrivals for a couple weeks. What is a necessary treatment additive to a QT in order to clear them of any disease before entering the main tank??
Thanks for your input...

 

[mr. limpid]

Live rock is like adding spong or bio balls or and substrate that bactira can grow on, plus adds hidding places for fish. As for lighting if you have fish only tank with live rock no special lighting is required standard old light will do. I personal have 135 also FOWLR and have a 4' shop light with T8 6500K bulbs, works fine and no cyno. I change bulbs every 6 months only $12 for 2 at menards.

 

[tangs rule]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tang1joe http:///forum/thread/386951/powder-blue-tang-concerns#post_3403301
Thanks for your input. Why do you not want me to add Live Rock to the tank?? I would assume it would be beneficial to have a balance in the tank. I will order some dry rock to the tank as well. Can you also give me some advice on what is a good lighting source for fish and LR. I am thinking of getting T5 tubes to enhance the tank just didn't know the wattage for a 135G. Is there a formula to the size and depth of the tank?? I also want to set up a QT as I should be Qting my new arrivals for a couple weeks. What is a necessary treatment additive to a QT in order to clear them of any disease before entering the main tank??
Thanks for your input...
I did not say don't add more live rock - I said "I assume you already have an established tank". . . SO it'd be best NOT to buy LR because:
From a financial standpoint - - That's the most expensive rock you can buy, AND the expensive way to ship it, as 1 gal water = 8 pounds. If you buy it online, it'll have to be shipped in water- cause if it dries it dies.
Also if you have any fish in your DT already - the only live rock you can add is fully cured - ready to go lr...You cannot subject most sw fish to the massive ammonia spike adding un / or partially cured lr would cause... But another problem can arise by adding even fully cured lr to a running tank (esp. with fish), and that's parasites - Lots of bad things can come in on fully OR partial cured lr. (aiptasia, mojano, ich, bad snails/crabs, etc.) and since there's no ammonia spike - none of those bad things will be killed off.
This is why I suggested adding only dry base rock. If your DT has some LR in it already and has cycled, I'd only add dry base to it and let that stuff become live - it only takes a couple months to do so, and in a year, will look just like regular high dollar LR - without the risk of bringing in a parasite or an ammonia spike.