Thoughts on why Tangs are ich magnets.

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HuduVudu

HuduVudu

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What I’m more curious to know is why are certain species like the Powder Blue, Brown, White Cheek, Clown, Achilles, maybe a couple others especially known to be ich magnets over the Zebrasoma and maybe some select Acanthurus species? Not sure about Naso.
That was what my post is about.

I have a Pakastani butterfly that has many of the behavioral patterns that I have seen with Powder Blue/Powder Brown tangs. Once I was able to correct the problem of the fish sleeping my Pakastani started to recover. Maybe it is that these fish are more prone to this behavior because of their collection origins or because of their species. Maybe something else is at play, I don't know. I do know one thing the ocean is a mighty dark place at night. There is a reason night diving is advanced and that you carry a back up flashlight when you do it.
 

Rickybobby

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Ok so my qt tank had a few fish. All looked fine. Added a young blue tang. It started flashing the day after and ich showed the day after that. I haven’t seen ich in along time. But you never know what your getting from the lfs. There was 15 blue tangs in the tank all looked fine. It’s all good. She has beaten it with copper and we live on
 

Zionas

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Yes that’s interesting. I also wonder whether it’s because some species are more pelagic swimmers than others, which stick closer to the reef and swim between the rockwork, hence why some exhibit more fast paced and stressful behaviors in our tanks?

Not sure about all species but if I’m not wrong I often see the more difficult Acanthurus species travel in larger groups, above the reef while Zebrasomas I don’t think I’ve really seen them swim in open water as in far above the reef.
 

mort

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What I’m more curious to know is why are certain species like the Powder Blue, Brown, White Cheek, Clown, Achilles, maybe a couple others especially known to be ich magnets over the Zebrasoma and maybe some select Acanthurus species? Not sure about Naso.

The species you mention are found in high energy areas of the reef, where they experience strong currents and high oxygen. The achilles is quite famous in needing a high oxygen environment to thrive. They also tend to be aggressive as they have to defend their grazing spots from marauding groups of other tangs.
I believe the conditions in the average shipping chain effect these fish to a higher degree and we all know stress supresses the immune system and coupling this with mixing these fish with others from all around the world doesn't help. Other species of tang seem better suited to shipping because they come in smaller or just aren't as sensitive to the acclimation process.
It's true tangs have less protection compared to other fish families but ich isn't really an issue in the wild, only in a closed box where it can proliferate in a confined space.
 

Zionas

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Ahhh ok that’s good to know. So it all comes down to the fact that Zebrasomas and a couple of Acanthurus species, maybe some Naso species too come in smaller and are better suited to being shipped, not because they’re inherently more resistant to diseases?
 

mort

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Ahhh ok that’s good to know. So it all comes down to the fact that Zebrasomas and a couple of Acanthurus species, maybe some Naso species too come in smaller and are better suited to being shipped, not because they’re inherently more resistant to diseases?

The tangs you mentioned earlier (achilles etc) are certainly more sensitive fish than the average yellow tang for instance but they can become quite hardy if they acclimate to our tanks. I know of several people that have almost bombproof powder blues but a lot comes down to their fish husbandry.
I wouldn't say zebrasoma, naso or some acanthurus are inheritantly more resistant to disease as they can still be very susceptible, it's more along the lines of them being slightly easier to ship and perhaps settle, meaning we can feed and boost their immune system. Naso certainly aren't an easy fish which is why you'll find lots of people that randomly lose them.
 

Zionas

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I think many Nasos aren’t suitable for our systems as their requirement for space, for food etc. bars them from thriving in 90% of our tanks. Some say the Unicorn Tangs are easier to keep but yeah they still get over a foot (though I wouldn’t expect them to reach the maximum sizes listed online) and are perhaps among the most pelagic of all.

It seems that some of the smaller ones (Zebrasoma, some Acanthurus) are as you said, it’s easier to condition them and boost their immune systems. Would you say any Tang is truly ‘beginner friendly’ though?
 

mort

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Would you say any Tang is truly ‘beginner friendly’ though?

Depends on the beginner. Some people research and plan for every problem, others just walk into a shop and come out with one.
I don't think something like a yellow tang is overly difficult.
 

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