powder blue tangs

[Paaty]

Powder blues are my favorite fish although I have yet to have success keeping one long term. The longest I have been able to keep one is about a year. I am almost ready to give up trying to keep one, although would like get some advise from people who have had success keeping one long term ( at least one year).

I have been able to keep other tangs with great success (5+ years).

My current tank is 150g aga mixed reef with a 40g.

Please let me know what you have done to help your success, like tank size, what you feed and how often, frequency of water changes, tank mates, do you use a uv sterilizer, etc.

Thanks in advance looking forward to the replies.

[JENnKerry]

Getting a good healthy one to start with is important, along with proper feedings of nori, other greens and a good variety of frozen foods.

[am3gross]

i think that the other tankmates is important too. depending on what other fish you have in your 150 i might think that the 150 would be small... what other fish do you have in there? any other tangs?

[DrBegalke]

They need very clean, well-oxgenated water with lot's of flow and plenty of room to swim.

What's the dimensions of a 150g? 72" long?

and I agree, those and Sohal tangs are two of my favorites.

[Paaty]

yes my 150g is 72'' long

current fish are hippo tang, flame angel, cleaner wrasse, sixline wrasse, mated pair false percs

I have high flow about 80x

I feed a mixture of frozen mysis and formula 1&2 flakes

[DrBegalke]

I think it would be OK with that live stock..

12,000 gph of flow sounds fine.

I would recommend nori or similar algae sheets, soaked in Selcon/Zoecon. Only ocassional mysys/forumula 1 flakes.

What does your NO3/NO2 test at?

Possibly improve the skimming/add ozone/add UV but its hard to say, you might be fine in regards to water quality.

I kept a 4" PBT in a 120 for about two and half years until I traded him in due to relocating. Now I have a sohal in a 180.

[xenon]

Wow, I could not imagine not feeding my PBT noori.

[SDguy]

Mine never gets nori...doesn't really care for it. My tank gets lots of food though.

[cyberdude47]

I have a powder blue who is doing great he usually has slight signs of ick but it doesnt seem to ever have effect on him i dont have to agressive of tankmates a pacific yellow tang and a variety of clowns but i also have a 500 gallon tank

[DrBegalke]

All of my tangs get algae sheets to eat as well as New Life Spectrum pellets and the occasional frozen herbivore food/Rod's food.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tangfeedingfaqs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tngfdgfaq2.htm

Also, they seem to prefer warm water, in the low 80's.

[Paaty]

My nitrate has been historically a little high between 25-50.

I also ordered a 36w uv that just arrived today, hopefully will help.

I think my skimmer may be a little under sized, I have a asm g4(mesh mod, gate valve mod).

I too have not had much success with my tangs eating nori.

[DrBegalke]

Originally posted by Paaty
My nitrate has been historically a little high between 25-50.

Powder blue's are very sensitive to high nitrate.
This level needs to be <10ppm and the closer to zero the better.

From Bob Fenner:
"Organics should not be allowed to accumulate in this fish’s tank. Amongst reef fishes that "show" signs of nitrate et. al. concentration, Powder Blues rate up near the top. Oversized filtration, circulation, aeration and skimming, along with the use of quality salt-mix (e.g. Instant Ocean, Reef Crystals, Tropic Marin) and regular water changes are necessary. Nitrates should not exceed any more than 10 ppm; pH should not be allowed to drop below 8.2."