Powder Blue Tang

[sal t. nutz]

I need info from people who have bought a Powder Blue. I don't want to hear from anyone who put one in as their first fish or a not well established tank. I would like to hear from people who put them in a very established tank, and is either doing great, or has been disease ridden or died. I would very much like to get one in the future, but I am so scared that it will get ich and bring down my whole tank.

 

[bang guy]

My LFS had an 5" Ick ridden PB that was listlessly flapping on the surface. he was going to mercifully euthanize it so I bet him $20.00 I could nurse it back to health.
With the help of an established 155 gal reef and a pair of Skunk cleaners the Tang regained it's health in about 3 months and it went back to the store for my 20 buck reward
These fish need big tanks and a stress free environment (and a stress free reef keeper). They are high strung and freak out at any little change in the environment. Beautiful fish but definately not for a 55 gal. I do not believe my 6' long 155 gal is large enough to house a full grown PB.
Here he is, still Icky but eating well again:

 

[drew_tt]

I work at my lfs and we got two pb's in two thursdays ago... our tanks are pretty good but not good enough to quarantine a tang...
the one did pretty well but the one came down with ick and he just kinda laid there ont the bottom... so I just took him home hoping to save him... my (90 gal) tank had been up for about 8 months I think and everything was almost perfect...
in about a week his ick was no more and his colour came back...
I think a big part of the recovery was the fact that I have a macro problem with it all over my main tank... the tang grazed all day long, even in the corners when he was hiding... he picks constantly and I cant imagine him in a tank without a lot of room to graze around... he's only 3" now, but I feel bad for him, you can tell hes a real swimmer and needs a larger tank...
Drew

 

[drew_tt]

oh btw, I recently added 110 watts of PC lighting a couple days ago and my pb hid all day and he is still pretty stressed... they are very sensitive and get stressed out from almost anything...
Drew

 

[blutang]

I would say to leave the PB alone and let it go to someone who has a 75 gallon or above. IMO

 

[ddaddy]

I am somewhat of a novice fishkeeper and I do have a PBT. I have had a few problems with him and ich. He's been in a 75 gallon fish only tank and he keeps getting small outbbreaks of ich. It seems like no matter what I do I can't totally rid him of ich. I use copper in quarantine and I keep his stress down and diet high but he won't lose the stupid parasite. I think I'll just throw a bunch of cleaner shrimp and a UV sterilizer in the tank. He's actually in copper treatment in my basement right now. Hopefully that'll do something. His tank conditions are pretty optimal too. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are at 0 he has lots of swimming space and no current tankmates to harrass him.
Since I'm on the subject- Do UV sterilizers work pretty well, I'm seriously thinking about getting a double helix sterilizer?

 

[starfishjackedme]

I have a PBT in a 200gal that's been up for a year. His only large tankmate is a yellow tang. Ever since the begining he has done great and never got ich. I bought him the day after he arrived at the lfs. I've had him for 8 months now with no probs. He is the king of the tank and has a stress free environment.