Tang Stocking Question......again.

[Da Ghost]

Greetings,

I currently have 150g mixed reef. The tank is a little over 1 year old stocked with a Dejardini Salefine and Yellow Tang. (there are other fish but did not think it was relevant to list them, if it is please let me) My children are looking at various other tangs and I have read numerous articles and video that go against this practice and just as many that suggest ways to increase your chances of success to add additional tangs. The two tangs we currently have in the tank have been in the tank over 6 months. They were introduced as juveniles at the same time.

I am looking at adding at the least two additional tangs, possibly three, if it would increase my chances for success. If it is possible to add three of these please do let me know. If there is a fish on the list that is an absolute no please say so, I have already prepared the girls that this is NOT a good idea, but i have an older daughter capable of her own research - so we agreed to post on R2R. I have relegated the girls to completely different species so there is no other zebrasoma. However if you have other combinations you know have worked please let me know.

Here are the choices in the order they like them:

1. Powder Brown- Acanthurus Japonicas
2. Naso Tang- Naso Lituratus
3. Blue Eye- Ctecochaetus Bionotatus
4. Blue Tang - Panracanthurus Heptus

Thanks!!!

 

[nereefpat]

The blue and any of the Naso spp tangs will need a bigger tank. The blue eye would be the best on your list.

What are the dimensions of the 150?

 

[4FordFamily]

The blue and any of the Naso spp tangs will need a bigger tank. The blue eye would be the best on your list.

What are the dimensions of the 150?

Agree with this.

Have you quarantined all fish? If not, strike the acanthurus from the list, the powder brown won’t last and may take the rest of the tangs with him as a very vulnerable host allowing very fast parasite reproduction.

Naso and hippo are too large for a 150, IMO. I wouldn’t get too carried away with tangs without us knowing the stock list — they’re quite aggressive and dirty fish (albeit my favorite group of fish).

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tang-aggression-understanding-and-combating.76/

Here’s an article on mixing and adding tangs you may find useful.

 

[Da Ghost]

Tank is 6 feet long and i believe 26 high.

Thank you for reminding me about the ick issue when stressed. Completely forgot to mention that to the girls.

All fish were QT and have been in the tank for over 6 months.
There are 3 clowns, 3 lyretail anthias, 2 two spot goby, 3 dart fish, 2 mandarine, 1 lawn mower, 3 pajama cardinals, 1 tailspot, 1 Jester goby 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 urchins.

 

[4FordFamily]

Tank is 6 feet long and i believe 26 high.

Thank you for reminding me about the ick issue when stressed. Completely forgot to mention that to the girls.

All fish were QT and have been in the tank for over 6 months.
There are 3 clowns, 3 lyretail anthias, 2 two spot goby, 3 dart fish, 2 mandarine, 1 lawn mower, 3 pajama cardinals, 1 tailspot, 1 Jester goby 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 urchins.

It’s not a stress issue, stress just weakens the immune system. If the fish weren’t treated in copper or CP I’d assume that an acanthurus tang will die at best, grenade your tank at worst.

 

[Da Ghost]

The place i buy from QTs all fish but I am not sure if they use a copper based dip, Will definitely ask.
EDIT: ( I know that sounds like the typical line "we QT your fish", but this shop is more with tank maintainance as a business and fish selling is secondary. So the fish they add to the customers tanks have to be 'clean'. The QT process there is approx 6 weeks. So you can buy the fish but you don't take it home till they observe and call)

 

[4FordFamily]

The place i buy from QTs all fish but I am not sure if they use a copper based dip, Will definitely ask.

That’s definitely not a proper quarantine. Here’s an explanation of why we know that:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lfs-fish-“treatment”-the-“sudden”-need-for-quarantine.308/

 

[Da Ghost]

s

That’s definitely not a proper quarantine. Here’s an explanation of why we know that:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lfs-fish-“treatment”-the-“sudden”-need-for-quarantine.308/

see above I edited my response. This is high end service rather then a fish 'store'. All my fish are purchased from them all are still alive and we are going on a year drug and disease free. Thank you for the advice though. I do have QT tank of my own but have never had to use it for fish i use it for corals. The fish I desire I tell them and they order them and then QT and observe them for me. I have had fish die in there care and they simply apply the money onto another fish or we order another.

 

[Da Ghost]

What are the dimensions of the 150?[/QUOTE]
The Blue Eye by itself is not a good idea imo any other safe options ?? But I think the girls are starting to see what a bad idea this is....ho hum!!

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

Honestly with your current stock, I think your close if not over your capacity. I usually stock my tank based on how large they will get regardless if they ever reach it. Another issue you will run into is that fact you have a yellow tang. They will take on any new fish, there are cases that they don’t but the last one I would add is the hippo or powder Brown. The yellow tang would go after them, (not always but usually). The only success I had ever had with adding a blue hippo was when I moved from my 125 to 240. She was thee very first fish in and stayed in there a month before I added anything. She has done great and all other tangs have left her alone that I have added since.

I did have a Naso tang, which I still have in my 240 do fine in my 125. Yet, as I state this lol I only had two clowns the Naso and orange shoulder tang. As where you have quite a bit more critters than I did, the Naso would not have enough swimming room at 6 feet long once full size. My 240 is barley big enough for a full grown tang, I would probably suggest 300 or larger where the tanks are 8 feet long. M

Another thought is and it’s hard because I am guilty of it as well. My fish do amazing and I wanted to add either an Achilles tang, or maybe a power brown. But simply because my tank is sooo healthy, I just can’t risk it. The more we leave our little oceans alone the better they become.

It’s true that your new fish may have proper treatment etc,
But what’s scary is by adding those fish you cut the food supply down and this will stress the current load you have. They too I assume have been in qt, but these are living things, they are not immune to stress. When humans stress it deteriorates our health, adding stress to the fish in the tank possibly could bring out a disease that’s laying dormant.

Cheers
Sarah

 

[Da Ghost]

Hello,

Honestly with your current stock, I think your close if not over your capacity. I usually stock my tank based on how large they will get regardless if they ever reach it. Another issue you will run into is that fact you have a yellow tang. They will take on any new fish, there are cases that they don’t but the last one I would add is the hippo or powder Brown. The yellow tang would go after them, (not always but usually). The only success I had ever had with adding a blue hippo was when I moved from my 125 to 240. She was thee very first fish in and stayed in there a month before I added anything. She has done great and all other tangs have left her alone that I have added since.

I did have a Naso tang, which I still have in my 240 do fine in my 125. Yet, as I state this lol I only had two clowns the Naso and orange shoulder tang. As where you have quite a bit more critters than I did, the Naso would not have enough swimming room at 6 feet long once full size. My 240 is barley big enough for a full grown tang, I would probably suggest 300 or larger where the tanks are 8 feet long. M

Another thought is and it’s hard because I am guilty of it as well. My fish do amazing and I wanted to add either an Achilles tang, or maybe a power brown. But simply because my tank is sooo healthy, I just can’t risk it. The more we leave our little oceans alone the better they become.

It’s true that your new fish may have proper treatment etc,
But what’s scary is by adding those fish you cut the food supply down and this will stress the current load you have. They too I assume have been in qt, but these are living things, they are not immune to stress. When humans stress it deteriorates our health, adding stress to the fish in the tank possibly could bring out a disease that’s laying dormant.

Cheers
Sarah

thank you Sarah...we have all agreed this is not a good idea and my older daughter has yielded or simply got bored and needed to text her friends. either way this is done.

 

[4FordFamily]

s

see above I edited my response. This is high end service rather then a fish 'store'. All my fish are purchased from them all are still alive and we are going on a year drug and disease free. Thank you for the advice though. I do have QT tank of my own but have never had to use it for fish i use it for corals. The fish I desire I tell them and they order them and then QT and observe them for me. I have had fish die in there care and they simply apply the money onto another fish or we order another.

If this service isn’t at least half the cost of the fish I’d not take it to the bank, IMO

 

[Antics]

If this service isn’t at least half the cost of the fish I’d not take it to the bank, IMO

Agreed. I'd expect at minimum a 1.5x markup on such a service if not more.

 

[Mr. Limpid]

I had a 135gal 6' long where three tangs lived for several years, 10" Hippo, 6" Chevron and 6" Powder Blue. They where introduced in that order 1 year a part. Its all about the order they are introduced and they temperament of the individual fish. If you keep fish for any length of time you will find out they are all different.
Antics love your avatar, Desjardini that will be the next tang into my new system.

 

[Da Ghost]

Agreed. I'd expect at minimum a 1.5x markup on such a service if not more.

lol so let’s see if I can put this in perspective. If I were to buy a fish from an online service for say 50 the company i use charges roughly 120 for that same fish. Again I assume no risk. They QT feed and in some case train the fish to eat my food. They did this with one of my Mandarin the other refused or pellets. They offered to get another or keep him longer But he was QT and i haven pods in my tank so it was not an issue. The MAIN business of this company is tank design and maintenance. So they are focused on maintaining your tank long term. Average contract is one year. They do not maintain my tank, so sadly I pay a premium on QT. IF I allowed them to maintain my system then the fish would actually cost me the 50. But again I do not use them for maintenance. I have been in this hobby since the early 90s stepped away and now I am back. A lot has definitely changed in our hobby including ‘services’ people will pay for. Qt ing a fish especially larger fish is one I will pay for I just hate to see larger fish in a 2og qt tank. Thank you again for the sound advice on QT procedures but I think we are good.

 

[Da Ghost]

Thanks

I had a 135gal 6' long where three tangs lived for several years, 10" Hippo, 6" Chevron and 6" Powder Blue. They where introduced in that order 1 year a part. Its all about the order they are introduced and they temperament of the individual fish. If you keep fish for any length of time you will find out they are all different.
Antics love your avatar, Desjardini that will be the next tang into my new system.

Thanks for the reply. I had very low interest in adding additional tangs to my tank. While I like them I think they require too much maintenance (constant food supply ). The real reason for posting was to allow the girls to see that adding tangs is a risky proposition. My younger daughter believed me straight away my older daughter was using google to find articles that ONLY support her position. So I figured by using r2r she would get a glimpse of what users believe versus sellers. Suffice to say she did a quick google on ick and quickly changed her mind. I had completely forgotten about ick since I do not QT anymore. Lol. So the idea of adding more tangs is over. . My tank is safe.......oops I mean our tank is safe

 

[Mr. Limpid]

Sorry to contradict you that tangs are risky additions. They are actual no more risky then any other fish. If you properly QT them, use ICK meds if you see ICK during QT. And feed nori which is cheap if you buy the none seasoned sushi wraps from an Asian supper market. The only expense is that they require a 6' long tank to live in and actually the Kole and bristle tooth tangs can live in a 90gal tank.

 

[redpine42]

The place i buy from QTs all fish but I am not sure if they use a copper based dip, Will definitely ask.
EDIT: ( I know that sounds like the typical line "we QT your fish", but this shop is more with tank maintainance as a business and fish selling is secondary. So the fish they add to the customers tanks have to be 'clean'. The QT process there is approx 6 weeks. So you can buy the fish but you don't take it home till they observe and call)

Reef eScape? They do medicate with copper and other stuff. I buy from them too and just do acclimation before putting in the DT. Excellent quality fish.

 

[redpine42]

That’s definitely not a proper quarantine. Here’s an explanation of why we know that:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lfs-fish-“treatment”-the-“sudden”-need-for-quarantine.308/

If it's Reef eScape it is a proper quarantine. Licensed vet beats out anything I'd do. Their prices are a little bit higher than typical LFS.

 

[redpine42]

Agreed. I'd expect at minimum a 1.5x markup on such a service if not more.

Yep. Picked up a yellow tang for $79 from them. I think I've seen them elsewhere for about $45 to $50. Excellent fish! That and the fox face are happy healthy and eating all my algae.