CA2OR Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I know the "Tang Police" are going to have something to say about this but I am going to ask anyway. I am considering adding a powder blue tang to my current tank. Before I catch too much slack let me say I plan to upgrade tanks in the next 6 months. I currently have a 36g with a mimic yellow tang. Are there any issues between these 2 fish that I need to take into consideration? Will it pick at any of my corals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 2 words. Slow Down. Let your tank mature and enjoy the fish you have. Your reef will reward you in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 I agree, however this powder blue is very small. Don't see them this small very often, just thought it was ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralreefaquarist Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 powder blue is a finicky fish if i recall correctly.i would wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thank you for the advice. Can I get a second to that notion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I, as a responsible reefer would not add that fish to a 36 gallon tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonH Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Powder Blues are very susceptible to disease - including lateral line and hole in the head. A 36g is too small for a yellow tang (as long as we're on the subject) - and way too small for a powder blue. The crampt quarters will increase the stress and make the fish more prone to disease. I know it seems like an unusual opportunity, but trust me, another one will come along closer to (and hopefully after) you upgrade. Fight the urge. Your tank will be healthier, too. Tangs are pretty dirty fish. With two in a 36g tank, you'd be fighting nitrates constantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 got it. Thank you. Just a question for you though. Does a cleaner shrimp assist at all with those issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 not always with the cleaner shrimp. They will eat external parasites, but lateral line and hole in the head disease are controlled by cleaner shrimp. And sometimes tangs don't like cleaner shrimp. I had a blue tang that wouldn't let cleaners anywhere near it. It is better you let someone with the right tank buy that fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonH Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Not really, cleaner shrip will eat the parasites from fish in the wild - good for ich type things. But they don't help rid the tank of nitrates - they don't improve water quality. And they don't help diseases. If you see fish approach "cleaner" shrimp, they will often change color (generally lighten) to help the shrimp see parasites against their skin. In a home aquarium, they're really 90% decorational. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 I have noticed that my Mimic yellow and cleaner shrimp seem to have a little crush on eachother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanmike01 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Wee woo wee woo wee woo, as noted allready i would not put that fish in a tank that small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wegotjs Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I also agree , they need the room . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgreenthumb Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 DO NOT DO IT!!!!! I would not put a powder blue in any tank!!! They need to be left in the ocean!!!!!! 1 out of 10 makes it to LA, then out of those that make it, 1 out of 10 make it to the retail store, then out of those, maybe if your lucky 1 out of 5 make it in your home aquarium, and thats with ideal conditions(ie 300 gallon long with proper flow and water quality). Do you really want to support the killing of 19 powder blues just so you can say I have a powder blue? There are plenty of other beautiful tangs that are much more suited to life in a box aka aquarium. It really kills me that these beautiful fish are even being exported from their homes, when they have such a horrible survival rate. Some things are just best left in the ocean, and POWDER BLUE TANGS ARE DEFINITELY ONE OF THEM!!! I know someone is going to come on here or maybe just think to themself I have a powder blue and it is doing just fine........COOL, good for you, but I bet if you actually saw how many of them died just so you could have that 1, you probably would look at it a bit differently. It kills me to walk into a store and see a powder blue for sale, and believe me I let the store owner know as well(even though they already know). If we keep buying them though, they will bring them in, as they are trying to run a business and put food on the table, and know that if they don't bring it in the customer will go somewhere else that will. If we all stop asking for them, then they will stop bringing them in, then they will stop transshipping them! I feel this way about a lot of other fish as well, having worked in the industry for the short time that I did, I saw a lot of DEATH that really saddened me. It gets worse, I bet every store in town takes a loss on fish every year when all is said and done. Think about it, they bring fish in to bring us in, then they loose money on the fish, and have to make it up in other areas....get what i'm saying?? On average you loose 15% of the fish before you even open the box they came in....thats not even taking into account all the fish that died in holding tanks before they are exported, died while they were being captured and transported to holding tanks, died while being trans shipped, and finally died in holding tanks waiting to be shipped to the retailers. OK right I get it, I have fish in my tank, I am a contributor just like the rest of us, but I must say that I was ignorant and didn't do my research before purchasing said fish, nor was I aware of the astronomical amount of fish that die just to make it to my tank. Having learned this, I am making every effort to purchase fish that were caught and shipped in a sustainable fashion, and if at all possible, I will always go with the captive bread version. Now you know!!! So you have no excuse if you are contributing to the demise of our beloved saltwater creatures. If I could get you(those who are reading this) to take anything at all out of what I am saying, take this: DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BUY, BUY ONLY THOSE FISH THAT WERE CAPTURED AND SHIPPED IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER("MAC" CERTIFIED IS GOOD STARTING POINT), ALWAYS OPT FOR THE CAPTIVE BREAD, DON'T BUY FISH THAT HAVE A HORRIBLE TRACK RECORD IN CAPTIVITY, JUST BECAUSE A RETAILER HAS IT AND SELLS IT AND TELLS YOU IT WILL BE FINE, DOESN'T MEAN THAT ITS A GOOD IDEA!!!! Whew!! I will step down of my pile of soapboxes now haha. Its just I am very passionate about this hobby, and the beautiful fish and corals that we are so blessed to be able to enjoy, and I want my kids, and their kids, and their kids, to all be able to enjoy them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Matt, take a deep breath man. Just kidding, really good speech, and I couldn't agree with you more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgreenthumb Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 haha i know bob, but i almost forgot, CA2OR get the mimic tang out of that tiny tank, then once you get a big tank then you can get that mimic tang. How would you like it if i put you in a little 5x5 studio and said you just have to stay there until I get you a bigger place, maybe in 6 months if your lucky. How would your quality of life be?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanmike01 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Well spoken matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadReefer Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Good point. Buy my fish for sale; All but my tang has been tank raised. My tang would not be happy in less than 60 gallons but more is even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benny503 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 thanks Mrgreenthumb, this was never in my mind. Now it does, thank you very much for your info, this is great information that I will pass along to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 ok ok I am not getting that fish. However the request to remove the mimic is kind of hard to accomidate. You see my wife picked that fish, that is the only fish, or anything else for that matter, in the tank. I did see a pretty big one the other day and it made me realize that I am going to have to upgrade tanks here shorter than I was hoping. So a tank upgrade is in my future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanmike01 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Come on eric, you should'ent let that fish suffer just because your wife picked it.Let her pick something else that is suitable, even if it will be pink!(laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I agree with everyone else FWIW. Powder blues belong in the ocean. I think you are fine with the mimic tang for now, especially if you are upgrading and the fish is healthy and still small. I have never ever had a cleaner shrimp do anything worthwhile. They steal food from corals when you feed them. They do taste good with butter and garlic though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 I have found that all my cleaner shrimp does now is run.....the mimic constantly harrases him for cleanings. It is actually quite funny. As for the mimic suffering, I do not believe he is. If he was I would most definatelly get him into a bigger and more suitable home until I did upgrade. I am not one who punishes anything, especially animals. After all I got rid of my wifes first fav when I made the move. We had a manderin that was doing great in our tank, however when I upgraded to the new tank I was a little uncertain about my pod count so I found him a nice, pod infested, home. He seems pretty happy now as well. But if I lose wife's interest completely, the outcome is a lost tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonH Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Wow - I never knew that Powder Blues had such a poor survival rate. I'm planning an upgrade and was mentally debating whether I wanted a Powder Blue or a Purple tang. So, Matt, if nothing else, you'll be happy to hear that you've influenced me to get the Purple tang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 Yeah...me too. I no longer even want a powder blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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