POWDER BLUE TANG TOO BIG?

[Lil' RegalReefster]

Hi, I currently have a 120 g, 5 foot long mixed reef tank. I wanted to get another tang, specifically the powder blue, but I am worried that it may be too big for my current stocking since it gets up to 9 inches. Does anybody know if I can add this fish to my tank? Here is the current stocking list.

1 Bluethroat trigger 9"
1 Regal Angelfish 9"
1 Kole tang 6"
1 ornate leopard wrasse
1 Pair of clowns
4 Dartfish
3 Bartletts anthias
2 orchid Dotty backs
2 kauderns cardinalfish
2 two spot goby
1 yellow head jawfish

 

[Oicskies]

Are you trying to sale anything?

 

[Cassian]

I would say they are a very active swimming fish and need a larger (specifically longer) tank than that. As another option you could get a small one and trade it later.

 

[S2G]

I don't think it would be a good move for you. Tangs can be some grade A jerks as well.

 

[fishMAYOnnaise04]

My first response that popped into my head was, "if you have to ask the answer is probably, no."
Quite the stock list! Kudos. My second thought was to look at it from a filtration and tank turnover stand point as well. How is your tank doing in the areas of problematic algae and bacteria?

 

[OrionN]

You got some bid fish in your tank. I have a fat PBT that I had for about 3 years. He is about shy of 6 inches. I don’t think he will grow much larger than that in my 320 gal tank.

 

[bwomac44]

I have a 4x2x2 and my only big fish is a PBT. I keep it that way to minimize stress on him. This is so that he doesn't feel crowded, can eat all the nori I put in (Leopard wrasses actually eat a lot though haha), etc.
Designed the rock work to give him lots of swimming room too.
At this point mine would likely kill any tang I introduce. So it's just Blue and will remain that way unless the tank grows out too much and he is cramped. Then I will have to see about finding him a larger home potentially.

 

[Aswswild]

I just put 1 in my 30 an he is doing surprisingly well eating anything I give him an when I set my dream tank up he will go there

 

[OrionN]

I am sorry, I got my PBT 2 years ago. Emaciated and full of ich, at about 2 inches. 2 years later he is the king of my tank at 6 inches.

 

[S2G]

Really is a nice looking fish

 

[Bruce17]

I am sorry, I got my PBT 2 years ago. Emaciated and full of ich, at about 2 inches. 2 years later he is the king of my tank at 6 inches.

Have you ever had an Achilles tang? If so, how do you find it compared to the powder blue? I love both fish however I’m leaning towards the Achilles over the powder blue

 

[Dragon52]

With the 3 big fish you already have I would definitely say no. You have a good amount of fish in the tank now, unless you are planning on getting a bigger tank in the near future you should go with what you have. I know that's not what you want to hear.

 

[OrionN]

Are your fish that big or you just stated the max size of the fish you have?

 

[Aswswild]

I am sorry, I got my PBT 2 years ago. Emaciated and full of ich, at about 2 inches. 2 years later he is the king of my tank at 6 inches.

What is his diet to make him so thick

 

[adtravels]

I love my hybrid pbt

 

[OrionN]

Have you ever had an Achilles tang? If so, how do you find it compared to the powder blue? I love both fish however I’m leaning towards the Achilles over the powder blue

I love to have an Achilles tang. Too expensive for me right now. I will be in the dog house if I get one. This is hard because mu dogs are all less than 20 lbs. I wont have much room.

What is his diet to make him so thick

The three tangs, and all the other fishes, in my tank consume on sheet of Nori a day (in two stations) I place in the tank in AM, plus about 1/4 cubic inch mysis with a teaspoon of flakes combination (feed in AM) and 8 feeding of pellets though out the day by automate feeder.

I love my hybrid pbt

You need to provide better pictures so we all can admire your fish. I, for one, would love to see it a non top-down picture of your fish. While the hybrid is much rarer and more expensive, I always prefer the brighter coloration of a pure PBT. I would love to see a healthy, established Hybrid PBT and see if the coloration is much better than stressed tang for sale. PBT look a lot better once they acclimated and get use to captivity. I think the same should be true for a hybrid tang, and would love to see your tang, helthy in captivity.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

I just put 1 in my 30 an he is doing surprisingly well eating anything I give him an when I set my dream tank up he will go there

30 gallons is way too small for this fish.

 

[nereefpat]

Somewhere in the standard 180 range is, IMO, a minimum tank size for life. I kept a powder brown in my 6' 125 for about 2 years. It was a bit of a rescue from a service tank being taken down. The fish "paced."

 

[Aswswild]

30 gallons is way too small for this fish.

I know -you must have missed the part that said move to a bigger tank.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

I know -you must have missed the part that said move to a bigger tank.

I didn't, you stated 'dream tank' that is currently not setup. The tank that it actually is in is way too small. Even if your dream tank is double the size of your current one, it is still not appropriate for this fish. Reefing is marathon not a sprint. Typically stocking fish in an environment that is not suitable will lead to challenges for you and the fish.