Powder Brown and Powder Blue….mistake?

TheShepherdTrio

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 1, 2021
Messages
62
Reaction score
57
Location
Wylie, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Being newish to saltwater, I’m thinking we’ve made a mistake by not doing enough research prior to getting these fish. 100% our fault and we’re definitely doing more research now before jumping the gun to any new additions from now. We recently upgraded our tank to a 210 gallon. It’s currently stocked with a yellow tang, powder brown, and a single clownfish (it’s partner died). The yellow and powder brown are pretty harmonious right now.

We are currently quarantining the next batch of fish to add. There’s 4 Bangaii Cardinals, a yellow belly hippo, one spot foxface, and a powder blue tang. They too are all getting along perfectly well.

All the fish minus the yellow tang are juveniles. After doing more research, admittedly after the fact, I’ve learned that powder browns/blues can be quite aggressive. What is the chance that we could get them to coexist in the tank? I know anything can change and that just because everyone is currently fine doesn’t mean it always is. But if it’s extremely likely for them to kill each other, I’d much rather just not even risk it. We would provide multiple algae feeding spots within the tank to attempt to alleviate a “turf war”. Between the 2, my husband would rather keep the powder blue, which means trying to catch the brown in the 210 if one needed to go.

What would you do? Try and see if it works? Or go ahead and remove the powder brown? Thanks for any advice!
8752566A-0CF4-4E7A-B77B-2349D4BD19CD.jpeg
 

btackerman

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
325
Reaction score
198
Location
Middleburg
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I had a powder blue and brown in my 400 and the only issue I had is they are ick magnets, as soon as they started picking on each other and ick outbreak will happen. I would be concerned with all the tangs you have that aggress Amongst your tangs will stress them out especially if your regal was like mine. She was 19” and the boss of my tank.
 

IKD

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Messages
3,127
Reaction score
4,513
Location
Orlando Area
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I was in your situation a few months back stocking a 350g. I opted to only keep the powder blue though based on research and experience from others.
 

Fishfreak2009

Follow Your Passions!
View Badges
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
Messages
2,123
Reaction score
5,217
Location
Mount Morris Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would attempt both if it were me. Remove the powder brown for a few weeks if you can, then add that and the powder blue at the same time to the tank. They are both gorgeous fish. Lots of nori, rearrange the rockscape, and add them in the dark. Hopefully it works, if not net out whoever is hiding in the corner in the morning. Taping a mirror to the side of the tank always helped with my tangs as well.
 

Gtinnel

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
21,074
Reaction score
29,647
Location
Charleston, WV
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Since you have already have both tangs I would probably get an acclimation box and see how it goes. You could also try the mirror trick if aggression gets too bad.
I've never kept either powder blue or brown tang so I'm not sure how much my opinion counts.
 

DaddyFish

“5 percenter”
View Badges
Joined
May 6, 2020
Messages
1,238
Reaction score
1,717
Location
Dallas NC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Definitely do the acclimation box. I would give the PBT the upper hand and let it get established, while the PBrT remains in the box for a week to 10-days. Place a mirror against one side about 1/3 up from the bottom before you release the PBrT. That may give it someone else to annoy besides chasing the blue.

And finally, don't kick yourself so hard over the research. You invested in the tank to support tangs. There are no guarantees when it comes to a community of saltwater fish. It could be a stoopid clown that upsets the balance in your tank. Tangs are tricky, tangs are unpredictable, just try not to disturb anything once you do achieve a quiet neighborhood.

Good luck!
 

LaloJ

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 28, 2021
Messages
691
Reaction score
853
Location
México
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
In my opinion, it is not a good idea to put the fish in small boxes, this brings stress especially if it is a powder blue surgeon. These subjects are quite susceptible to Cryptocarion, so do not try to stress them, neither to Pbrwn, so the best thing you could do is try to move your aquascape as much as you can, and place a division with enough space for the new fish, this will give you more space and safety between the rocks and the other fish will be able to observe it but without interacting with it, prepare with a lot of food for the new fish in quarantine, a well fed fish is a happy and resistant fish, which could better fight any disease if it is If he gets to present it, make sure you also have enough water circulation in the quarantine tank for the powder blue, the Acanthurus surgeons need it, and so do the surgeons and angels in fact, good luck.
 

IKD

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 13, 2015
Messages
3,127
Reaction score
4,513
Location
Orlando Area
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
If you go for it, make sure you have a good plan to remove one if needed. I didn’t attempt because I know any fish that goes into my tank will not be possible to remove without a tear down which I don’t have the energy for.
 

Squidward

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 15, 2019
Messages
1,131
Reaction score
1,175
Location
Bikini Bottom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If the bullying is extreme, you can always do the mirror trick. Put a mirror on one side of the tank and that'll keep the bully tang busy attacking its own reflection. And since you do qurantine, that's even better.
 

jtf74

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
640
Reaction score
493
Location
Washougal,WA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You will very likely have trouble with the two powders. The brown is likely the more docile one. Had one of these thrashed by my yellow tang. I'd probably keep the brown as its likely less of a trouble maker and rehome the blue.
 

Cjeippert

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
292
Reaction score
176
Location
Glendale, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So what happened?
Doesn’t hurt to put a uv sterilizer to help keep ich down. In my tank, new tangs sometimes get that black spot turbellaria. I usually freshwater dip if bad, then it goes away. I think a lot of tangs come with this and fish stores have it in their system due to tangs constantly coming and going.
 

Cjeippert

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
292
Reaction score
176
Location
Glendale, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Being newish to saltwater, I’m thinking we’ve made a mistake by not doing enough research prior to getting these fish. 100% our fault and we’re definitely doing more research now before jumping the gun to any new additions from now. We recently upgraded our tank to a 210 gallon. It’s currently stocked with a yellow tang, powder brown, and a single clownfish (it’s partner died). The yellow and powder brown are pretty harmonious right now.

We are currently quarantining the next batch of fish to add. There’s 4 Bangaii Cardinals, a yellow belly hippo, one spot foxface, and a powder blue tang. They too are all getting along perfectly well.

All the fish minus the yellow tang are juveniles. After doing more research, admittedly after the fact, I’ve learned that powder browns/blues can be quite aggressive. What is the chance that we could get them to coexist in the tank? I know anything can change and that just because everyone is currently fine doesn’t mean it always is. But if it’s extremely likely for them to kill each other, I’d much rather just not even risk it. We would provide multiple algae feeding spots within the tank to attempt to alleviate a “turf war”. Between the 2, my husband would rather keep the powder blue, which means trying to catch the brown in the 210 if one needed to go.

What would you do? Try and see if it works? Or go ahead and remove the powder brown? Thanks for any advice!
8752566A-0CF4-4E7A-B77B-2349D4BD19CD.jpeg
Beautiful powder brown.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top