Who here has had success with a Powder Blue Tang?

Hi All,

My oldest girl loves her Dori, (Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)), but I was trying to figure out something a little smaller so started looking at the Powder Blue Tang but have been seeing a bunch of mixed reviews and wanted to know your thoughts?

This will be in a 180gal fish only with 60gal sump and a skimmer rated for 400gal. Other fish will be mainly butterflyfish and a few angels, (both large and small).

Anyone have luck or am I just asking for trouble?

And if the Powder Blue is a bad choice thoughts on a Purple Tang?

Powder blue is better choice

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/Eh2Fo7MrNKc

Thanks, I think I've put together my list then:

List A
Yellow Belly Regal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)
Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
Harlequin Tusk (Choerodon fasciatus)
Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
Blue Girdled Angelfish (Pomacanthus navarchus)
Red Sea Eritrean Butterflyfish (Chaetodon paucifasciatus)
Coral Beauty Angelfish (Centropyge bispinosa)
Pakistan Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)
Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loricula)
Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)
Saddle Valentini Puffer (Canthigaster valentini)
Yellow Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) - Already Have
Niger Triggerfish (Odonus niger)
Pinkface Wrasse (Thalassoma quinquevittatum)
Blue Spotted Puffer (Canthigaster solandri)
Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris) - Already Have
2X Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) - Already Have
2X Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) - Already Have
3X Blue Damselfish (Chrysiptera cyanea) - Already Have

Or if everyone thinks that list is too much I can shrink it to:

List B
Yellow Belly Regal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)
Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
Blue Girdled Angelfish (Pomacanthus navarchus)
Red Sea Eritrean Butterflyfish (Chaetodon paucifasciatus)
Pakistan Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)
Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loricula)
Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)
Yellow Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) - Already Have
Niger Triggerfish (Odonus niger)
Pinkface Wrasse (Thalassoma quinquevittatum)
Blue Spotted Puffer (Canthigaster solandri)
Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris) - Already Have
2X Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) - Already Have
2X Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) - Already Have
3X Blue Damselfish (Chrysiptera cyanea) - Already Have

I always admire your list making, Jeff. Haha I usually just throw fish in I like and hope for the best. =X

You do seem to have the best of luck with fish Damian, I wish I had the same luck lol

That's why I am trying to put a little more thought into it this round

Powder blues can be extremely mean and territorial. Also prone to ich. I have one that I've had for years. You need to consider adding it at or near the end of fish introductions otherwise it will punk and probably kill some fish that are added after it. Stunningly beautiful fish and one of my favorites

Love my powder blue......he use to eat out if my hand. Just got a new one as my other died....had him for years. Soo much character

they are tough to get through qt and ready to go but once they are settled and you water temp doesn't swing then its usually fine. If your daughter loves nemo just get her a Dori, you can get them so so small takes a while to get super big plus they are super easy compared to a pbt

Thanks for the feed back!

I just went fish only and sold most my corals and any left over went to my buddy's house which I'll be selling as well. He had a battle of ich so while he is doing is tank upgrade I am baby sitting all his fish and treating them in my tank so I have a full house right now. Between the two of us we have a few tangs in there and I think looking at them I'm liking the color of the PBT over the normal blue. Also have adjusted my wish list again to the following:

Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator)
Yellow Belly Regal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)
Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
Pakistan Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)
One Spot Foxface (Siganus unimaculatus)
Pinkface Wrasse (Thalassoma quinquevittatum)
Pearlscale Butterflyfish (Chaetodon xanthurus)
Blue Spotted Puffer (Canthigaster solandri)
Yellow Angelfish (Centropyge heraldi)
Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loricula)
Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor)
Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris)
Yellow Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)
Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)
Purple Firefish (Nemateleotris decora)
Blue Damselfish (Chrysiptera cyanea)

thats quite a list! i love it, i just addes a 14 buck pipefish and he is my fave thing to watch right now! Also a trigger such as a sargassum, bluethroat really has diff. shape behavior and swimming patters. Look into it its really my fave type of fish!

Aren't pipefish hard to keep?

^^^^^^what [MENTION=3886]watchguy123[/MENTION] said. Can be kind of a d!ck fish, but best when added last.. Very active and really pretty

They like to eat all of the time So don't get one if you do not feed often or at least lots of grazing material. They also do not like any other fish eating off the glass or rocks that will set them off even a glass cleaner. I have mine for 7 years or so about the size of my hand and as thick.

[MENTION=6904]Zoarder[/MENTION] has good luck with them to bad he doesnt ever come on the forum anymore hes to busy chasing tail! Lmao

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Yeah... this is an old post! Imma be selling my PBT soon. Gonna keep only one tank for now...

What's a thread without at least one picture (I think he has his "scalpel" locked and loaded--look just anterior to his tail)

I had mine for about a year, still pretty shy, gave him to a friend. Feed them lots of algae.