Blue tangs

[force_of_echo]

Hi team!
Just a bit of insight here!
Are blue tangs drama queens?
I bought a blue tang a few hours ago, all my water parameters are flawless! However she seems to sit inbetween rocks on her side playing dead???
I moved one rock cause I thought she was actually unwell and she darted and started swimming but again she went inbetween rocks and just relaxing there shaking her tail. Breathing looks normal!
everything looks perfect but she’s just acting like a little drama queen! Is that a normal behaviour until they get accustomed?

she came out a few times had a little nose about and then went into the rocks again?

 

[T-J]

Yes, tangs in general can be very sensitive. Also very prone to disease.
Is this the corner tank you just set up less than 3 weeks ago? How big is the Tang? They need large tanks. And a 3 week old tank may not be the best for sensitive fish such as Tangs, IMO.

 

[force_of_echo]

Hey TJ!


Yes that’s correct!

although i think it’s a little more than 3 weeks old, I have cycled it with the required dosages of the liquid that starts the tank up! And I have been monitoring it twice a day every single day All nitrites and ammonia are 0 absolutely nothing toxic in there from the tests that I have run!
The tang isn’t massive! I’d say about 3”

Once introduced I let the lights off to let her settle, but a few minutes ago they came on as they are on a timer, and she’s been running around and eating food looking normal and exploring!

the tests I do for ammonia and nitrites I will keep doing them on a daily basis for the next 2 months to ensure she’s completely happy and then once a week thereafter!

now I do understand that marine tanks have to cycle for 6 weeks etc in order for them to be fully ready, but I heard with the liquid I used apparently you can introduce fish on the same day? Although I didn’t I left it for a week before introducing and I saw the natural cycle taking place! But it’s also had 20kg live rock in there also, and this is where I saw the tank really shine! Cloudiness had cleared up and nitrites and ammonia dropped to crystal clear 0!

for the moment on she seems really happy! Are there any pointers I need to know? As usually I get information from my LFS and they are always so nice! They ask me lots of questions and get lots of answers and I’ve been going to them for 20 years now! I did tell them about my tank, how long it was set up, the actual set up, gave them a sample water as well and they seemed happy with everything! Now of course my main priority is the happiness of the fish and their health! If for ANY reason I see ANYTHING wrong. I will instantly call my friend who has a 1000L tank and bring any fish to her!

thanks you for all your help as always!

 

[adittam]

Do you have plans to upgrade to a bigger tank in the future? The blue tang will get very big eventually. Should be ok for the short term in your tank, as it is still small, and they are kept in smaller QT tanks for a couple months at a time. However, they need a tank that is at least 6 feet long for adequate swimming room long-term.

 

[reefsamurai]

So what's your nitrates and phosphate levels? You keep touting that you're monitoring the first two but not the end of the nitrogen cycle nor the other deadly sin of phosphate.

Hippo tangs are not drama queens but extremely sensitive to their parameters due to their scaling(or lack their of) and slime coating. They are sensitive to diet as well and the combined conditions and diet can lead to health detriments such as fin erosion, HLLE and abbreviated life spans. These fish have the potential to outlive their owners if properly cared for.

GL on this but I implore you to seriously consider a larger(6ft at least) so that it can also help meet it's need to swim. These are more open swimming fish and need length not height. It's one of the reasons other species of surgeons(like Achilles) do not do as well in home aquaria. The natural need to stretch those fins and fight against the current is an evolved physical condition.

 

[Afterburner]

I bought a hippo tang a few days ago and it did the exact same thing. When I was drip acclimating it, it lied on the bottom of the bucket on it's side and looked dead, then once it was in the tank it fought some chromis for a spot in my green slimmer and then lied dead there for a while. Now, a few days later it looks fine and is all over the tank eating mysis and all. My tank is a mixed reef and is uber mature, so I just think it is the personality of the fish in question.

 

[nereefpat]

The lying on their sides in the rocks is normal behavior for that species. As long as it comes out to eat, and it spends some time swimming normally, I wouldn't worry.

 

[jt8791]

The responsible action would be to just take that fish back to be completely honest. That new of a tank and being too small of a tank for it I’m just not sure it’s worth it in the long run. Might even get your money back, they aren’t the cheapest and unless you have plan on a bigger tank there’s no reason to hold onto it.

A large fish cramped into a medium sized tank is a good way to start off on the wrong foot. I’m a huge fan of tangs and all but I wouldn’t buy one until I had a tank big enough for one to thrive in. Have to stop thinking about what you enjoy watching and consider the well being of the fish, if you want a tang you need a bigger tank. Not sure the dimensions on that corner tank but it looks too small for any tang, corner tanks are an odd one to work with.

Sorry but not sorry if that came off a bit harsh but quite a few people gave you solid advice to take the fish back and you kinda just blew them off and disregarded their advice. If your lfs told you that fish would be okay in your tank I wouldn’t listen a word they say, they are out to sell fish. Seems to be a common thing these days, not right to stunt a fishes growth putting it in too small of a tank just so you can enjoy watching a fish you shouldn’t have suffer. If you want Dory that badly get a bigger tank or turn the tv on.