# Something killing tangs



## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

Hey guys haven't been on in awhile, been busy with school and work. 

So a few months back i upgraded my 40g breeder reef to a 90g, well I moved all my fish over:2 yellow watch mans (breeding pair), a coral beauty, yellow coris wrasse, chalk basslet, 2 clowns, and a scissor tail goby.

Bought rock beforehand had it cure in the 90, once everything was good I moved em over. After 3 weeks I decided to try a tang. 

*no tang police please* 

I bought a powder blue from a fellow reefer, did fine ate like a horse, a week or two later I bought a yellow tang, two days later both died, no ich just a pale white. Waited a week and got a long nose hawk, doing great. Then bought a yellow eye kole and a purple tang another week later, next day both dead with the same milky white fading. Was really close to giving up when a friend of mine decided to tear his tank down and gave me his largish hippo tang (5in) and a lavender tang, hippo died 3 days later of same thing, became lethargic, stopped eating and died, lavender did fine until today, found him stuck to a power head dying, same dull pale patches and breathing heavy. No signs of ich on any of them. Lost my coral beauty and some swallowtails to the same thing. 

Anyone know what this is, I'll put pics of the lavender before he kicked the bucket

All my other fish are doing great

Parameters:
Salinity 1.026 (higher than normal I know)
Ammonia and nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10
Calcium 460
Ph 8.4


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

I've been feeding mixed algae sheets (green,purple,red,brown) and vita chem and garlic infused frozen mysis with some flakes every other day.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

All my coral and inverts are doing awesome, I lost a cleaner shrimp to a rock slide but that's fixed now.

110lbs of lr
80lbs live sand


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Sounds like oodinium/brook... more than likely due to infighting and stress in a small tank.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

A 90 is small?


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

And death within a day?


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

Does that mean that my lfs that has 9 yellow tangs in a 55g is losing them too?


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

Here's the lavender


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

And the coral beauty tail is eaten bc after he died my coral banded decided to snack on him









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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

Fishfirst said:


> Sounds like oodinium/brook... more than likely due to infighting and stress in a small tank.


Wouldn't this cause my other fish to die too?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Not necessarily. Tangs are called "ick magnets" for a reason. They are highly susceptible to infestation and rapid death from ciliated gill parasites.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Hmm.. check your water. The pictures indicate the symptoms of toxic shock. Your old fish might be used to something that kills new fish. That would perfectly explain what is happening.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

I thought that too, I bought a target Madarin and he's doing awesome, same with a fairy wrasse, funny thing is I never saw ich 


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

How do I avoid it?


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Did you QT your new fish? If not, then there's your answer.

Now on to the reality of learning to be a responsible reef aquarist. Tangs are the race horse of the saltwater fish species and don't belong in tanks smaller than 125 gallons with the exception of smaller tangs (Kole, Lemon and Bristletooth) - those do fine in 90 gallons.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

Yes I work at a fish store I know the process, and I know what belongs in what, to be honest I've seen tangs in 29 bio cubes, and nano reefs before, the store I work at we have a 300g display with 30+ tangs in it. I've seen wrasse in 2g tanks too. Don't tell me it was my tank size 


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

My boss has a hippo/regal and a yellow tang in something smaller than a 55g had them both for over 5 years now


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Well, I guess you've got it all figured out, then. Change 1/3 of your water before trying again. It might help.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

I've decided to just avoid tangs, I bought a fairy wrasse that's doing awesome and even a firefish, something with the tangs from my store I guess. I read somewhere that open water fish (tangs, angels, butterflies) have a different slime coat composition to that of reef fish (anthias, gobies, Blennys) I'm just not gonna try anymore im gonna save up to get some hellfirichi firefish


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

e048 said:


> Yes I work at a fish store I know the process, and I know what belongs in what, to be honest I've seen tangs in 29 bio cubes, and nano reefs before, the store I work at we have a 300g display with 30+ tangs in it. I've seen wrasse in 2g tanks too. Don't tell me it was my tank size
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


And the following comments is why I and others want to self regulate this industry like diving. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing... 

I've been in the hobby 24 years, in the industry for 10 years, and in public aquaria for a year now. I worked for the largest online retailer in the country and have bred 4 species of saltwater fish. What your store is going is unethical and I'd suggest finding a new store that has a better clue as to what is responsible and what is not.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

The SCUBA model would be perfect.


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

I am 100% agreement with FishFirst. Obviously it came to a point that he cannot keep tangs alive for some "unknown reason." Consider it a hard lesson learned and accept the fact that tangs DO NOT belong in tanks smaller than 150 gallons with the exceptions of Kole and Bristletooth tangs. 

As FF mentioned - find another LFS because the one you're giving the business to is clueless about being a responsible reef aquarist.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

AMEN FF and TOS...i am with you 100%....thank you.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

That being said how many people out tangs in 55g? How many people put goldfish in bowls? I would much rather see a tang in a 90 than a 14 biocube


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## TheJakeM (May 11, 2013)

http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/caresheets/caresheet.php?caresheetID=43

http://piratefx.hubpages.com/hub/Yellow-Tang

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/Surgeonfish/Powder-Blue-Tang.php

According to these sites, along with others not cited, the minimum tank size for almost all tangs is 100 gallons. I am not here for an argument, I am here to state facts. So please don't attempt to argue with me.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

e048 said:


> That being said how many people out tangs in 55g? How many people put goldfish in bowls? I would much rather see a tang in a 90 than a 14 biocube
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


It certainly can be done, however, is it frequently done with success is the right question? I think you have your answer due to your own experiences... thinking critically is probably one of the most useful skills in this hobby...


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Look in Liveaquaria website. They even tell you what size tanks certain tangs/surgeonfish require. Just click on the different species of tangs and read the minimum tank size recommendations. There are only 2 types of tangs that will do fine in 70 gallon tanks - Kole and Bristletooth.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+43


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

e048 said:


> That being said how many people out tangs in 55g? How many people put goldfish in bowls? I would much rather see a tang in a 90 than a 14 biocube
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Then those folks are suckered into buying these fish because the LFS owners only cares about making the almighty dollar rather than giving a d*** about educating a novice / responsible SW aquarist. 

Heck when I was a kid during the 70s, we all had goldfish in bowls. The hobby and technology of fishkeeping has changed since then.

Again...it's your money, your tank, do whatever tickles your fancy. But do LEARN how to be a responsible marine aquarist than listening to ill informed LFS owners. Pick up any Marine fish species book. Every single one of them will state the recommended tanks size a certain fish do best in. 

I've seen far too many folks like yourself come off of being arrogant and a know-it-all thinking a tang will do fine in small tanks and they've all failed - you included.

Know the fish and the tank size they require before you buy. How hard it is to do?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

hmmmmmm....how many people beat their dogs ? does that make it ok ?
i know a whole lot of people that work in fish stores and even a couple that owned fish stores that really know very little about fish.
how long have you worked in the store ? do you have an aquatics related degree ?you have been talking to a couple of experts in here.....it is good to pay attention and learn..it is always good to know who you are dealing with and respect their knowledge and experience..

i rarely post in the saltwater section because i don't keep saltwater fish.it's not that i don't know anything about them or that i don't have any experience with them;it is just that i prefer to let folks with real knowledge give answers so that i can learn more.


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