PBT experiences

qasimja

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What has you guys experience been adding a powder blue tang into a tank with established tangs I do have a sailfin that's in the same genus as the PBT and they are about the same size all others are of a different genus
 
PBT should have been added 1ST. I'm sure you know most all tang aggression comes from two things, food & bedding spots. Both are where the territory is set up. The only hope would be to pull the Sailfin and a few others, rearrange the rock work and add a PBT. Then after a month or so add the others back. If you're not willing to do all that, pass on the idea.

I think I read somewhere you already have like 6 tangs. I don't remember how big your tank is but unless it's 7 or 8 feet long and 36 to 48 wide you'd have to be feeding enough to keep them all fat and happy to have more than the the 6. If they're already getting along fine it might not be wise to add any more.
 
PBT should have been added 1ST. I'm sure you know most all tang aggression comes from two things, food & bedding spots. Both are where the territory is set up. The only hope would be to pull the Sailfin and a few others, rearrange the rock work and add a PBT. Then after a month or so add the others back. If you're not willing to do all that, pass on the idea.

I think I read somewhere you already have like 6 tangs. I don't remember how big your tank is but unless it's 7 or 8 feet long and 36 to 48 wide you'd have to be feeding enough to keep them all fat and happy to have more than the the 6. If they're already getting along fine it might not be wise to add any more.
1st? I was always told to be added last due to its aggression. Is there a reason why you say 1st tho?
 
PBT should have been added 1ST. I'm sure you know most all tang aggression comes from two things, food & bedding spots. Both are where the territory is set up. The only hope would be to pull the Sailfin and a few others, rearrange the rock work and add a PBT. Then after a month or so add the others back. If you're not willing to do all that, pass on the idea.

I think I read somewhere you already have like 6 tangs. I don't remember how big your tank is but unless it's 7 or 8 feet long and 36 to 48 wide you'd have to be feeding enough to keep them all fat and happy to have more than the the 6. If they're already getting along fine it might not be wise to add any more.
yea it was just a thought all my tangs get along fine with no aggression but i have this powder blue really nice for like the last 2 months sitting in a holding tank and hes begging me to keep him im actually upgrading my tank in the next 6 months i have an 8 foot tank in my garage waiting i just have to nail down how im gonna transfer everything over i know its gonna be a lot of work lol
 
1st? I was always told to be added last due to its aggression. Is there a reason why you say 1st tho?
While PBT's can be aggressive they are also very prone to aggression. This is why the success rate with them is lower than other tangs. Maybe a month separation is a little long but a week or two anyway. The problem with adding one now is catching the other fish if it gets picked on, unless you were to add a full grown PBT that can fend for itself. A juvenile isn't going to be aggressive and will likely get pestered to death if you just drop it in an established Tang population. The rearraigning of the rock work is the key, that is what's going to reset the territories back to square one. Then it's feeding nori in multiple locations around the tank.
 
yea it was just a thought all my tangs get along fine with no aggression but i have this powder blue really nice for like the last 2 months sitting in a holding tank and hes begging me to keep him im actually upgrading my tank in the next 6 months i have an 8 foot tank in my garage waiting i just have to nail down how im gonna transfer everything over i know its gonna be a lot of work lol
That would be the answer right there. An 8' tank with plenty of escape routes. In that case I'd wait till you have it up and running, no sense rearraigning the rocks now if you're going to be upgrading soon.

**Edit** How much do you want for the PBT??? ;)
 
That would be the answer right there. An 8' tank with plenty of escape routes. In that case I'd wait till you have it up and running, no sense rearraigning the rocks now if you're going to be upgrading soon.

**Edit** How much do you want for the PBT??? ;)
lol i wanted 80 for it i posted it on the facebook page but nobody was really interested i had him in the tank with a chocolate tang but hes long gone so hes been in the tank by himself for about 2 months
 
lol i wanted 80 for it i posted it on the facebook page but nobody was really interested i had him in the tank with a chocolate tang but hes long gone so hes been in the tank by himself for about 2 months
I'll take it. I can get it next week. I'll have a 60B up and running over the weekend.
 
While PBT's can be aggressive they are also very prone to aggression. This is why the success rate with them is lower than other tangs. Maybe a month separation is a little long but a week or two anyway. The problem with adding one now is catching the other fish if it gets picked on, unless you were to add a full grown PBT that can fend for itself. A juvenile isn't going to be aggressive and will likely get pestered to death if you just drop it in an established Tang population. The rearraigning of the rock work is the key, that is what's going to reset the territories back to square one. Then it's feeding nori in multiple locations around the tank.
ahh ok. Yeah, this one is no juvenile. It's about 4.5" and will be the same size as the other tangs. Maybe I'll introduce them all together then.
 
ahh ok. Yeah, this one is no juvenile. It's about 4.5" and will be the same size as the other tangs. Maybe I'll introduce them all together then.
When ever possible add them all together, it's easier said than done most of the time though. Unless you have a very large tank you have to take precautions adding a new tang to an established population. Even more so when having the same genus.
 
When ever possible add them all together, it's easier said than done most of the time though. Unless you have a very large tank you have to take precautions adding a new tang to an established population. Even more so when having the same genus.
got it... I always thought you add the most aggressive last. Then again, that's always hard to determine. My purple seems to be a total a-hole. LOL.
 
ok np just message me when your ready
You got anything else you're looking to sell?

got it... I always thought you add the most aggressive last. Then again, that's always hard to determine. My purple seems to be a total a-hole. LOL.
That's the general rule, yes, but there are exceptions. Juvi fish that are known Ich magnets would be one exception. In this case PBT's are Ich magnets. If there are no alternatives then a mirror is your best friend. Keeps the aggressors occupied attacking their reflection.
 
You got anything else you're looking to sell?


That's the general rule, yes, but there are exceptions. Juvi fish that are known Ich magnets would be one exception. In this case PBT's are Ich magnets. If there are no alternatives then a mirror is your best friend. Keeps the aggressors occupied attacking their reflection.
no that was the last fish in my tanks the others are already gone i do have a male swallowtail but im keeping that one lol
 
I have a purple tang, powder blue and orange shoulder. I used to have a clown tang, but it got way too aggressive and had to leave. PBT is actually a sweetheart to the other two tangs, and it was probably introduced in the middle. But when I added a copperband butterfly a few months ago, the PBT went bananas on it. The other two tangs ignored. I think it depends on the tang, on the genus and the phase of the moon.
 
I added one with a yellow tang that was pretty well established and it infected my tank as well. It then decided to jump out, the biggest jumper I have ever had in my short time In the hobby.
 
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