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naesco · #2 01-24-2010, 01:54 AM

The powder blue tang is a very difficult tang to keep.
Just as your did it simply dies within a few days or weeks or a few months often taking several of its tank mates with it.

If you have a tank large enough to accommodate a tang, 6 feet minimum, consider a poweder brown tang, a. japonicus which is the one with the orange on it.

RIPTANK · #3 01-24-2010, 02:08 AM

blueyota · #4 01-24-2010, 02:34 AM

iv had PB (thats his name to ) for just about a month now ...not very long but when i got him he was kinda skinny but is now a porker and king of the tank !!
very beautiful fish .....

naesco · #5 01-24-2010, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIPTANK

I've seen the powder brown tang and it's a spectacular fish indeed. I was very tempted to buy one but from my research, they're even more difficult to keep and very sensitive to ick. Either way, powder blue or brown they're two of the most beautiful tangs.

blueyota: How long have you had your PB for?

You have to be careful as the powder brown is often misnamed.
The one with the orange on it is a.japonicus is fairly easy to keep
The one without orange on it is a.nigricans and it is almost impossible to keep.

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #6 01-24-2010, 05:05 AM

I have both the Powder Blue & Powder Brown/Goldrim tangs. Other than being ick magnets, not too bad. Mine usually eat, as long as the other tangs leave them alone.

Eat mysis, bloodworms, nori, pellets.

Anthony

kien · #7 01-24-2010, 05:11 AM

When I first got my powder blue he was in not so great shape. Got ich like crazy and wouldn't eat for a bit. No one picked on him but he wouldn't eat. I was sure he was a goner. He turned the corner when I decided to dramatically increase the variety and frequency of feeds. One in the morning, one right when I got home from work, and one right before lights out, sometimes a little bit of food after lights out and even a sheet of nori every day. There was a lot of food in that tank! Everything from dried flakes, pellets to my homemade fishfood blend. He soon learned that everything I was putting in the tank was good and edible. He ate at a different schedule from everyone else. I think he started eating at night, then earlier, then eventually ate when everyone else ate and when that happened I cut the feedings back to normal (just twice a day). He is plump now, completely ick free and eats anything I throw in the tank. Be prepared to do more frequent water changes if you try this!

As Naesco says, they are very hard to keep fish! You have to put a lot of extra work and effort in if you want to maintain a healthy one. Another thing that helps (although a little late for you but might be helpful for others), is that I introduced him at night when everyone was well asleep. I actually do this for all my fish. I have moon lights on and when I did this he had a chance to explore the tank without being raked over the coals as they say. He'd swim along, explore a cave and then quickly realize there was someone sleeping in there! The other benefit I noticed was that the next morning, the other tangs would swim up to him and be like, "Whoa.. WTF, have you always been in this tank??? I guess so, just keep on swiming". The established tangs never bothered him and all 4 get along really well. It is odd because with 6' by 2' of swimming room, they seem to like swimming together in a pack.

Oh, and I soak everything in garlic extract. I have 6 cleaner shrimp and they help too. He loves to park himself in front of them. Although I have not seen any ich on him in a long time. I think he just likes to be tickled.

blueyota · #8 01-24-2010, 02:01 AM

my PB wouldnt eat anything at first still wont go near any color of nori ...but i caught him chewing on some brine one night ...so i have been since mixing brine in with mysis and flake soaked in garlic now he speeds around the tank trying to eat every thing in sight ...brine shrimp are now treats again