clown tang

mrtian97

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Reefers,

New tank setup, 120 gallon, tank is cycled, ammonia reading is 0 even with 2 fishes, 1 shrimp, 1 starfish and 3 hermit crabs.

Added small clown tang, with tank mate of yellow tang. Both are small. the yellow tang doesn't pick on the clown tang. The clown tang start eating nori right away and not even hiding.

He swims from left to right of the tank, very fast, wondering if this common for clown tang or should I worry. His breathing is normal
 

Reef Madness

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IMO, clown tangs, Achilles tang and powder blue tangs are among some of the most difficult to keep healthy and happy. Having said this, they are not impossible fish. Do you have rocks for your tang to hide in? Step one is KEEP HIM EATING. They have voracious appetites once acclimated. Second, dried seaweed should definitely be part of its diet. Mine constantly pick at seaweed and never seems to get full. If hes swimming aggressively back and forth, he may be a bit stressed. You might try turning out the lights for a bit while he gets acclimated. Buying this fish small versus large may contribute to your success too as the smaller ones sometimes seem to adjust a bit easier. One word of caution though. Mine is the smallest of the fish in my tank and is an assassin!!! Very difficult to add fish after this one, especially tangs. Good Luck!
 
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mrtian97

mrtian97

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Thanks Reef Madness, he is eating nori as soon as he is in the tank, and he also eats some of the frozen hikari food.
That's what I think that he is stressed that's why swimming back and forth. there are plenty of caves and hiding places for him in the tank so hopefully he calms down a bit.
Do you think he is more difficult to take care than filamented wrasse, I was torn in choosing between the 2 fishes last night before I decided on the clown tang.
 
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mrtian97

mrtian97

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what if their tankmates are yellowtail damsels and blue throat trigger, will these works? I also have yellow tang and plan to add firefish and filamented wrasse, will clown tang pick on them?
 

Reef Madness

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Ive never had a filamented wrasse so I couldn't make a comparison. Another tip id suggest if hes eating is soak it in garlic over night. This will help keep his immunity up. Again, they are tough but not impossible. Time will tell. They are very active fish so he may just be getting accustomed to his surroundings. Keep us posted....they are beautiful.
 

Reef Madness

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Mine is in with a clown, a yellow tang, a harlequin tusk, a huge sailfin tang, a chalklet bass, a mystery wrasse and a rabbit fish. The clown tang really picks on the rabbit fish but seems to leave others alone for now. ....
 

4FordFamily

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Clown tangs are generally very susceptible to parasites as most acanthurus tangs. They can be a difficult fish to keep.

Their cousin the sohal tang is much hardier. I wish you luck. Keep it fed but if you didn't qt and treat it and all of the other fish prior to them all going in your tank then your chances are slim. I've had one or two over the years survive without qt (I tried probably 7 over the ten years I qt'd nothing) but they seem to eventually die. One made it a year, another about two. Not a long life at all.

Yes they do grow fast! Good luck!
 

Bigevill1

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a LFS has one on the small side that I have been thinking about picking up. I would qt, but I think my 120 is probably too small even with tons of open space. There is only about 70 pounds of rock in the tank in two mounds that are hollow inside for fish hiding places.
 
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mrtian97

mrtian97

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this is how small mine is

image.jpeg
 

SchnitzelReef

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My clown tang was a strong swimmer. He constantly paced the tank, swimming back and forth. I ended up getting rid of him though. They are very pretty fish, but they get very mean. My tank was always stressed out because the clown picked on everybody. My tank is so calm now with no clown tang.
 

mobehtaReefs

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Reefers,

New tank setup, 120 gallon, tank is cycled, ammonia reading is 0 even with 2 fishes, 1 shrimp, 1 starfish and 3 hermit crabs.

Added small clown tang, with tank mate of yellow tang. Both are small. the yellow tang doesn't pick on the clown tang. The clown tang start eating nori right away and not even hiding.

He swims from left to right of the tank, very fast, wondering if this common for clown tang or should I worry. His breathing is normal
Mine is swimming up and down (vertical) and i placed a nori clip right where he swims but i dont think he has even touched it yet
 

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