Convict Tang common issues

[Reef Wizard]

Good Morning,

I am wondering what possible common issues are seen with convict tangs?

I have read that alot have internal issues

Does anyone find this to be true?

Also success stories and what worked for you would be great.

@Jay Hemdal

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good Morning,

I am wondering what possible common issues are seen with convict tangs?

I have read that have alot of internal issues

Does anyone find this to be true?

Also success stories and what worked for you would be great.

@Jay Hemdal

Thet are prone to ich, and at times liver issues in which they simply dont eat or begin to then decline. Took me Three before I got one to eat.

 

[Reef Wizard]

Thet are prone to ich, and at times liver issues in which they simply dont eat or begin to then decline. Took me Three before I got one to eat.

I really like the convict tang and my wife loves them more than I

I have my second one now and he just seems to not want to eat. He will graze and eat maybe tiny particles of food but its not enough to sustain him.

Tried
LRS herbivore
hikari marine herbivore pellet
nori
mixed seaweed flakes
omega one veggie pellets

 

[X-37B]

They need a large system. Mine outgrew my 120 in a year. I rehomed it to a 500. They are open ocean schooling fish and are constantly moving.
Many seen at the lfs are skinny. Make sure it eats before bringing it home. I have a 60×30×21 now and would not put one in it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I really like the convict tang and my wife loves them more than I

I have my second one now and he just seems to not want to eat. He will graze and eat maybe tiny particles of food but its not enough to sustain him.

Tried
LRS herbivore
hikari marine herbivore pellet
nori
mixed seaweed flakes
omega one veggie pellets

This too has been my experience. Cant beat a school of them but they pick at rocks and get thin and weak or they eat right away. Method of capture has been a suspect cause

 

[exnisstech]

My first lasted 2 years and died mysteriously over night. My current one has been with me for just over 3 years now. I do nothing special, just feed a lot. I read a while back that there may have been some issues in how they were being captured that was causing some issues but not sure if that was true or not.
Mine

 

[Largeangels]

Method of capture and length at which it isn't fed are the suspects.

Mine ate just about anything from day one and it is the first one I ever tried. Constantly grazing on the rocks. Every few weeks or months though it decides that it has to chase the powder blue around.

 

[Reef Wizard]

if this one doesnt make It i may try one from @Biota_Marine Once they are available. This one I got was pretty plump but he has quickly thinned out

 

[Biota_Marine]

if this one doesnt make It i may try one from @Biota_Marine Once they are available. This one I got was pretty plump but he has quickly thinned out

Thanks for the tag we are working on more batches of these and will keep you posted when available. The first ones we sent out have been doing great in their new homes so we should be posting some updates on social media soon.

 

[lbacha]

I have a mustard tang and all he would eat on day one was frozen mysis (this is what he was eating at the LFS as well) he wouldn’t touch nori or any pellets I tried. I started soaking pellets in with the mysis and feeding them at the same time and after a day or two he started eating the pellets. After 2-3 days the nori he was ignoring disappeared. Now 10 days in he eats everything I drop into the tank. I k ow it isn’t a convict but they come from the same area so similar collection and trip to the LFS so maybe frozen will do the trick for you

 

[exnisstech]

I really like the convict tang and my wife loves them more than I

I have my second one now and he just seems to not want to eat. He will graze and eat maybe tiny particles of food but its not enough to sustain him.

Tried
LRS herbivore
hikari marine herbivore pellet
nori
mixed seaweed flakes
omega one veggie pellets

Ive had good luck with PE mysis for new fish to get them eating. It's a staple in my regular diet. I don't expect new fish to eat pellet or flake unless they are captive bred. Some fish like my CBB won't eat anything but frozen even if I mix pellets in with it. She's been in the tank close to 2 years.

EDIT : I think the key is to find something they will eat and feed as much as they will eat and fatten them up. Then start trying other foods.

 

[Reef Wizard]

Ive had good luck with PE mysis for new fish to get them eating. It's a staple in my regular diet. I don't expect new fish to eat pellet or flake unless they are captive bred. Some fish like my CBB won't eat anything but frozen even if I mix pellets in with it. She's been in the tank close to 2 years.

I have tried PE mysis as well. He will see a piece of food swim quickly too it then swim away or he will see a piece take it then spit it out

 

[Reef Wizard]

Ive had good luck with PE mysis for new fish to get them eating. It's a staple in my regular diet. I don't expect new fish to eat pellet or flake unless they are captive bred. Some fish like my CBB won't eat anything but frozen even if I mix pellets in with it. She's been in the tank close to 2 years.

EDIT : I think the key is to find something they will eat and feed as much as they will eat and fatten them up. Then start trying other foods.

Funny enough my Copperband is now eating LRS and he will grab a piece and shake it like a dog trying to swallow it haha hes funny

I did start out with garlic guard on him maybe the same for Convicts?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a mustard tang and all he would eat on day one was frozen mysis (this is what he was eating at the LFS as well) he wouldn’t touch nori or any pellets I tried. I started soaking pellets in with the mysis and feeding them at the same time and after a day or two he started eating the pellets. After 2-3 days the nori he was ignoring disappeared. Now 10 days in he eats everything I drop into the tank. I k ow it isn’t a convict but they come from the same area so similar collection and trip to the LFS so maybe frozen will do the trick for you

These are very hardy tangs and can become temperamental with other tangs, otherwise great fish

 

[lbacha]

These are very hardy tangs and can become temperamental with other tangs, otherwise great fish

He is going into a 8’ 300g so hopefully he plays well with my other tangs. I’m considering a convict as well but have some concerns having both since they are similar and may not play well together.

 

[vetteguy53081]

He is going into a 8’ 300g so hopefully he plays well with my other tangs. I’m considering a convict as well but have some concerns having both since they are similar and may not play well together.

I find them more timid and peaceful than aggressive. Mine is the least of a problem child sharing tank with many other tangs

 

[threebuoys]

I've had a convict for 3+ years. Been great from the start. Eats pellets, algae, nori with no hesitation. Fat. He and the PBT and the sailfin tang chase each other constantly, but (fingers crossed) have not had any problems with them sharing.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Good Morning,

I am wondering what possible common issues are seen with convict tangs?

I have read that have alot of internal issues

Does anyone find this to be true?

Also success stories and what worked for you would be great.

@Jay Hemdal

I’ve always found them to be hit or miss depending on their source. Smaller ones from Hawaii used to be o.k., but long supply chain ones seem more delicate (like from Sri Lanka or Indonesia).

I suspect that this has something to do with their high oxygen, surge zone environment - they just react poorly to long shipments in low oxygen/high CO2.

In some species, collection with cyanide in SE Asia causes poor quality in fish, but to the best of my knowledge, this species is only caught by hand in barrier nets.

 

[Debramb]

I have a mustard tang and all he would eat on day one was frozen mysis (this is what he was eating at the LFS as well) he wouldn’t touch nori or any pellets I tried. I started soaking pellets in with the mysis and feeding them at the same time and after a day or two he started eating the pellets. After 2-3 days the nori he was ignoring disappeared. Now 10 days in he eats everything I drop into the tank. I k ow it isn’t a convict but they come from the same area so similar collection and trip to the LFS so maybe frozen will do the trick for you

That Tang is beautiful! Are they common? He looks so much like the Red Sea Tang, is he a cross bred? Just curious.
Debra, PS, I’ve always loved the Convict, but it’s so similar to Naso’s body shape, thought they might not fit together.