Powder blue Tang!

[k4ndyk1ng]

hi im going to have a 4ft reef soon, could i have a power blue, or any other coulourful tang? :)
thanks

[insomniac2k2]

Yellow tangs are the easiest to keep in a smaller tank from what I have read. Mine seems to be quite happy in my 90g. http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/tangsurgeonfishprofiles/p/pryellowtang.htm

Im sure that site can give you the info your looking for on other tangs as well.

Found a link with many tangs: http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/tangsurgeonfishprofiles/tp/tangprofilehub.htm

Kole is also a very popular tang from what i read.

[Reefing Newbie]

A powder blue tang will not fit in a 4ft tank. They need larger aquariums that are at least 6ft long. For a 4ft aquarium look into kole tangs, tomini tangs, and mimic tangs.

[chercm]

A powder blue tang will not fit in a 4ft tank. They need larger aquariums that are at least 6ft long. For a 4ft aquarium look into kole tangs, tomini tangs, and mimic tangs.

I have a powder blue and mine is 4x2x2ft

[k4ndyk1ng]

I have a powder blue and mine is 4x2x2ft

how prone is it to white spot though

[SDguy]

My 5" powder blue has been in a 4' tank since I got him. He hasn't grown at all over 5+ years. Threads on the topic show lack of growth regardless of tank size, so I'm not sure what to think. From my personal experience, I cannot say that PBT need larger than a 4" tank.

[bLac2]

Yellow tangs are the easiest to keep in a smaller tank from what I have read. Mine seems to be quite happy in my 90g. http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/tangsurgeonfishprofiles/p/pryellowtang.htm

Im sure that site can give you the info your looking for on other tangs as well.

Found a link with many tangs: http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/tangsurgeonfishprofiles/tp/tangprofilehub.htm

Kole is also a very popular tang from what i read.

I'm not quite sure what "easiest to keep in a smaller tank" means. Maybe the context of the sentence is being lost the way I'm reading it aloud to myself. This is definately NOT the case. I would also avoid About.com, though it provides some basic information, I would do most all of your research here and at your LFS and through literature.

[Reefing Newbie]

My 5" powder blue has been in a 4' tank since I got him. He hasn't grown at all over 5+ years. Threads on the topic show lack of growth regardless of tank size, so I'm not sure what to think. From my personal experience, I cannot say that PBT need larger than a 4" tank.


I highly value your opinions, but his growth may be stunted. I have seen a 9" PBT in my LFSs display tank(now gone as they sell fish out of their DTs). The display tank is an 8' 240 and they had him since he was around 4"(before I was in the hobby). PBTs IMO are much more active than kole or tomini tangs and therefor need more space than them. PBTs pass through my mind for my 6' 125 gallon tank, and they are great fish IMO, but then I also think of the potential size.

PBTs are one of the tangs or fish that are more "prone" to ick. I personally don't think any fish are more prone to any disease, but how easily they stress is different. When a fish gets stressed their immune system goes down allowing parisites, bacteria, and viruses to infect them. PBTs are one of the fish, with other tangs, that stress easily. If you throughly QT every fish you get then you should never see one spot of ick in your DT.

[insomniac2k2]

By easier to keep, i mean to say that there is common information here and everywhere that indicates that certain tangs need certain ammount of space to swim.

What is definitely not the case? I provided the OP some links with some "colorful" tangs so that the OP can get an idea on what he/she should be looking for first.

Giving advice to talk to a LFS is like handing someone a gun with a bullet in it, and telling them that they will probably be fine.

OP: After your figure out what kind of tang meets your general requirements, and if your system is up to spec for its general requirements, I suggest that you read a lot about it on RC. You will find the information that your looking for.

I'm not quite sure what "easiest to keep in a smaller tank" means. Maybe the context of the sentence is being lost the way I'm reading it aloud to myself. This is definately NOT the case. I would also avoid About.com, though it provides some basic information, I would do most all of your research here and at your LFS and through literature.

[El richie]

id say depending on tanks footprint

[jt_milstead]

My 5" powder blue has been in a 4' tank since I got him. He hasn't grown at all over 5+ years. Threads on the topic show lack of growth regardless of tank size, so I'm not sure what to think. From my personal experience, I cannot say that PBT need larger than a 4" tank.

I've seen this tang a few times, he doesn't seem to grow, but he is the most healthy specimen I've ever seen.....

[El richie]

hows the potters doing jt

[JayinToronto]

I just added a PBT to my 6' 400g mixed reef. The purple tang has taken an immediate dislike to it and has slashed a couple welts in it's side with it's scalpel. We'll see how it fairs tomorrow. The BPT is much bigger than the purple tang, but the purple does have home ice advantage. Honestly, seeing those two great swimmers rip around my tank makes it feel like a nano. I'm not sure if it would be possible to have big enough tank to separate those 2. My convict tang doesn't notice either of them.

[SDguy]

I highly value your opinions, but his growth may be stunted.

I would agree, but considering what was posted in this thread, I have a hard time understanding it...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=19485157#post19485157

Every 9" PBT I've ever seen was captured as a 9" PBT from the wild.

[MIKE NY]

My 5" powder blue has been in a 4' tank since I got him. He hasn't grown at all over 5+ years. Threads on the topic show lack of growth regardless of tank size, so I'm not sure what to think. From my personal experience, I cannot say that PBT need larger than a 4" tank.
x2..had mine for over ten years in my 90(4ft) before I upgraded...it only got ich once in all that time...water quality and diet go a long way in fish health.