Tips on how to keep acanthurus tang alive

[big man]

Does any have some good tips for keeping acanthurus tangs alive because whenever I buy an acanthurus tang they always die either within 1 week to one month. Ive had 2 mimic tangs die,lavender tang just now my new lieutenant all die. The only time I had success was with a 1 inch hippo I've had her for 2 months now and is in perfect health. So I really need to know what I'm doing wrong. Because I never failed with any other species of tang just acanthurus

 

[blaxsun]

Details on your tank, wildlife and water parameters might help.

 

[Chrisv.]

And hippos are Paracanthurus!

My best luck was with a 3 inch fish that started healthy and had a copper qt. Had a powder blue for like 8 years and gave him away. Mean SOB.

 

[big man]

Details on your tank, wildlife and water parameters might help.

They all died in my 10 gallon quarantine which the water I used was from my tank bur I have a yellow tang and a kole tank for 9 months now and I did the same quarantine procedure yet acanthurus tangs always die the parameters are ph 8.2 nitrate 0. 2 nitrit shows 0 ammonia shows 0

 

[blaxsun]

They all died in my 10 gallon quarantine which the water I used was from my tank bur I have a yellow tang and a kole tank for 9 months now and I did the same quarantine procedure yet acanthurus tangs always die the parameters are ph 8.2 nitrate 0. 2 nitrit shows 0 ammonia shows 0

Your quarantine tank is too small, for starters.

 

[big man]

And hippos are Paracanthurus!

My best luck was with a 3 inch fish that started healthy and had a copper qt. Had a powder blue for like 8 years and gave him away. Mean SOB.

I know hippos acanthurus but no matter what i have no success with any of even though i do the same way for all the fish.

 

[big man]

Your quarantine tank is too small, for starters.

I used it for my yellow and my kole and my hippo and it worked theyre thriving in my tank

 

[blaxsun]

I used it for my yellow and my kole and my hippo and it worked theyre thriving in my tank

You indicated mortality of a week to a month, so was that in quarantine or your display?

 

[big man]

You indicated mortality of a week to a month, so was that in quarantine or your display?

In my quarantine they died I never got a chance to add them to my display

 

[blaxsun]

In my quarantine they died I never got a chance to add them to my display

Stress from shipping (to you or your LFS) combined with a small QT and then the treatment itself.

 

[Dave1993]

Buy a QT 1 so you can add straight to tank i have a powder blue for just over 1 year now didn't QT went straight into tank along with all my other fish

 

[Squidward]

Buy a QT 1 so you can add straight to tank i have a powder blue for just over 1 year now didn't QT went straight into tank along with all my other fish

And risk infecting the display tank with disease. Bad advice.

The tangs I've had most trouble getting through qurantine were Convicts and Lavendars. I took a good 4th and 5th tries to have success. Just keep trying, don't take shortcuts and unnecessary risks. You'll eventually get a healthy one to make it.

 

[LiamPM]

I dont think its a case of the Acanthurus genus being difficult to quarantine - I think you need to look at your QT procedure to see where an issue lies.

If you are putting them into a small, unmedicated tank capable of processing their waste and they are dieing before you are even medicating it then something is a miss with your procedure.

Could they be sick before being added in - Maybe - but as youve quarantined before id expect you to know the visual signs of a parasitic infection at least - So assume it cannot be that.

 

[polyppal]

If you have such poor success rates with QT yourself, perhaps your husbandry skills aren’t up to par for those difficult fish. If you intend to keep more difficult species, perhaps you should look into pre- QTd fish

 

[Dave1993]

And risk infecting the display tank with disease. Bad advice.

The tangs I've had most trouble getting through qurantine were Convicts and Lavendars. I took a good 4th and 5th tries to have success. Just keep trying, don't take shortcuts and unnecessary risks. You'll eventually get a healthy one to make it.

how does it risk infection the tank if you buy a QT 1 ? not bad advise to buy a pre QT 1 what's pretty sad though is you killing 4-5 fish when you could have just had professionals QT for you

 

[Squidward]

how does it risk infection the tank if you buy a QT 1 ? not bad advise to buy a pre QT 1 what's pretty sad though is you killing 4-5 fish when you could have just had professionals QT for you

My mistake I didn't realize you meant buying a qurantined* fish. Well I like to personally qurantine and do it myself. That way I know for sure what the fish is going through. Sad, but at least I eventually succeeded.

 

[big man]

If you have such poor success rates with QT yourself, perhaps your husbandry skills aren’t up to par for those difficult fish. If you intend to keep more difficult species, perhaps you should look into pre- QTd fish

I'll probably do that if I ever want to get an acanthurus tang again. Also I think that's why my 1 inch hippo is doing so great because the lfs I got her from quarantine all fish for atleast one month.

 

[DavidinGA]

Perhaps your killing them WITH your qt procedure....

In the past 6 months I've ordered 4 tangs online and they all came in the mail and after a 4 week observation period in a 29g tank they are all thriving in my dt.

I only treat if symptoms are seen, otherwise I 100% prefer observation only.

 

[big man]

Perhaps your killing them WITH your qt procedure....

In the past 6 months I've ordered 4 tangs online and they all came in the mail and after a 4 week observation period in a 29g tank they are all thriving in my dt.

I only treat if symptoms are seen, otherwise I 100% prefer observation only.

I think also think so but, I've done that same procedure for most of my fish including my yellow tang, hawkfish,hippo, kole tang and they're all doing fine. its just with acanthurus tangs I have a problem with no other species died on me in my qt.