How Do I Keep A Tang Alive

[billyboy61]

Lost another 1 today. No real warning signs . Eats consistently, very active , then gone. In the 12-15 months I have tried 2 Powder browns, a powder Blue, 2 White cheek, 2 Atlantic Blue and an orange shoulder tang. All healthy?, active ,eating well etc. No signs of ich or other issues that I could tell. The powder Browns and Blue could have been harassed by the Melanurus wrasse I used to have, but it has been rehomed. All these fish looked good when I purchased them and even when they crapped out. All I can seem to get is 6-8 week lifespan on them. Is this something others are experiencing or am I seriously messing up on something? When my tank was new I had a yellow tang. Lived 3 years and doubled in size. Any thoughts or insights welcomed. Thanks

 

[yveterinarian]

Are you quarantining them when you first get them? If so, does the problem happen in quarantine or once you put them in the main tank? Is there anything else in the main tank (fish-wise)? If so, have they been lasting well? What are your water parameters? Just throwing out a few questions I can think of at the moment.

 

[TORX]

First off, sorry to hear you have gone through so much trouble. It is always hard when you loose a fish. Especially costly ones.

The tangs you are buying are probably committing suicide. There is no nice way to say it. You are purchasing tangs that should be in at least a 200 gallon with lots of swimming space and are also notoriously difficult to keep in general. Yellow tangs tend to survive in smaller tanks, although they should be in a larger one as well. Much like leaving a race horse locked in a stall every day, eventually they just will an end. Try smaller tank tangs such as another Yellow, scopa or kole tang.

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[billyboy61]

Tank is a 90. Have a pair of black and white clowns, a blue green chromis for 5 years, pair of lyretail anthias for 3 years and 2 different fairy wrasses for at least a year. Not sure if that would be considered overstocking , All the tangs purchased have been 3 " or less. Ya 200 gal would be cool but $$$. even more than I dropped on the fish. Sorry, no quarantine tank.

 

[billyboy61]

Isn't there a member that keeps like 5 tangs in a 120 or something like that?

 

[TORX]

Yes, me. I had several tangs in a 120 peninsula Tank, so twice as much swimming room. The fish do large laps around and through the rock work. I have lost my yellow tang, a scopa tang, my hippo went rogue and started eating corals. One of my rabbit fish decided he was king and took out the other then a few months later died of old age.

I do have a powder blue and a hippo now, but they have a lot more swimming room the a 90

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[billyboy61]

Ok. Thanks. I will stay away from Tangs unless I get a larger tank.

 

[TORX]

I could be wrong. That is just my 0.05$

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[AdInfinitum]

Unless you are buying huge specimens, it would normally take a couple of years for tangs like that to reach the point that they were seriously stressed in a 90....where I agree that you should stay away from fish that will outgrow your system, you definitely have other issues that need to be solved. Assuming water conditions are reasonable...(if you are keeping corals successfully then water should be fine for fish)...how often and what do you feed? If you wish to keep tangs and many other marine species, feeding should be small amounts several times per day. Tangs generally demand high oxygen levels and decent flow as well as some calmer areas to relax in. Pellets a couple times a day..some Nori and some frozen meaty food would make a nice daily buffet for most tangs and your tank should have some nice flora and fauna for them to graze on by this point....

I have a purple (a smaller more tolerant type like a yellow that has been living happily in my 25-30ish gallon frag tank for over a year with no issues...(bear in mind that he could move into my 200 when he gets bigger) so there is another issue that you need to solve...tell us more about the system overall and perhaps we can help...

 

[billyboy61]

All you have mentioned are pretty good guidelines and my train of thought also. 2-3 " specimens, No Unicorn tangs or panther groupers. Water is fine. As mentioned previously I still have some of the first fish I tried 5 years ago. Mixed reef All corals doing fine Softies to Sps. Always fed, try to buy good or better quality foods and lots of algae. sheet or natural. I will probably stay away from any more for a while. Its like trying to keep a Copperband or Moorish idol . Thanks for your input. Bill