blue tang

[Elivia]

how do blue tangs do with nitrates? i can never get my nitrates down past 40-30! i have a 240 litre tank with a canister filter. i really want to get a blue tang but dont want to kill it with nitrates. will this fish do ok with nitrates so high? i do a 20% water change weekly. all other water parameters are perfect. i have been told that canister filters are a nitrate factory! i tried cleaning it once and that blew amonia and nitrites sky high. will never clean it again. i have live rock as well. do you think its wise me getting a blue tang. hope this is enough info. oh and i also have a pair of clowns, a damsel and 3 x mushroom morphs

 

[grassi]

What kind of media do you have in the filter?

 

[leebca]

That level of nitrates will not be a problem for marine fishes, including the Tangs.

It seems your canister filter is acting as a biological filter. If this was your intention, then okay. But if you have live rock, substrate, decorations, enough surface area, enough circulation, and the bio-load is not high, then the canister should not be your biological filter.

You can and should clean such filters, but only clean half of it, OR never clean it in anything but saltwater. Never do anything to kill the bacteria (like hot water, soapy water, distilled water, etc. cleanings).

The Tangs, when they are 4" long, need a 6 foot (min) long tank. That gets into the 125 to 180 gallon size. Can't say if getting this Tang is a good idea or not without more information about the size and layout of your system. As time goes by and if the Tang is fed properly and cared for properly, it will need a 300+ gallon tank.

You'll find more info on stocking limits here: Fish Stocking Limit – for FO and FOWLR.

Since you do have some water quality concerns, this is a very good read and something to pay close attention to with regards to sizing and the right kinds of equipment and the controls for water quality: What is Water Quality

Good luck!

 

[Chichas01]

Your nitrates are to high and need to brought down and a 63 gallon tank is on the small side long term for a tang.

 

[Emerald525]

Tangs do not do well with nitrates. Have you thought about switching over to a sump with a refugium and possibly adding a phosban reactor? Tangs are also ich magnets so if your parameters are not perfect and they are stressed out they can tend to get ich and spread it to the rest of your fish.

I agree they like a lot of room too. I have 2 blue hippo tangs in a 150 gallon reef.

 

[baseballkid5]

I dont believe tangs can just all of the sudden get ich? Maybe im Wrong ive never seen it though? Can come in with other Fish and such. Tangs need room to swim agreed i have 2 of them in my 90 gallon and they Have been in my tank for a few years and havent grown a whole lot. But they constantly are swimming. When my Purple tang got to big i sold him to N2WCA..

 

[Emerald525]

I dont believe tangs can just all of the sudden get ich? Maybe im Wrong ive never seen it though? Can come in with other Fish and such. Tangs need room to swim agreed i have 2 of them in my 90 gallon and they Have been in my tank for a few years and havent grown a whole lot. But they constantly are swimming. When my Purple tang got to big i sold him to N2WCA..

Tangs are more prone to ich. I had them in quarantine when they were babies and they were initially in a 55 gallon tank until we upgraded to the 150 gallon and periodically they would get white spots. None of the other fish got it fortunately and we were able to treat with reef safe method. They kept getting rid of it and it kept coming back but we finally got rid of it.

 

[Faciosity]

I dont believe tangs can just all of the sudden get ich? Maybe im Wrong ive never seen it though? Can come in with other Fish and such. Tangs need room to swim agreed i have 2 of them in my 90 gallon and they Have been in my tank for a few years and havent grown a whole lot. But they constantly are swimming. When my Purple tang got to big i sold him to N2WCA..

Many people believe that ich can be present at all times, but only durring times of stress or in unhealthy specimens will it affect the fish.

 

[Elivia]

What kind of media do you have in the filter?

i have bio balls, ceramic tubes and white filter sponge. i am just about to put in some phospate remover for a 2 week cycle