How to Take Care of a Yellow Tang In a Reef Aquarium

Posted on October 16, 2011 by admin

Yellow Tang

Yellow Tangs are one of the five most popular fish in the marine hobby along with the Percula Clownfish, Blue Tang, Flame Angelfish and Royal Gramma.

They are the most common Surgeonfish along with the blue tang. Their bright, vibrant color makes an excellent addition to any reef aquarium and frequently used in advertisements and marketing in the aquarium industry.

Their bright yellow color is second to none and they possess no other markings except for a small white blade on its dorsal fin which is only used during fighting.

The yellow tang is prevalent in Hawaii and surrounding islands and swim in huge shoals. Divers who dive in the area regularly witnesses their schooling behavior and marvel at their beauty.

In the tank, Yellow tangs are prone to marine ich and lateral line erosion. Marine ich can be treated with various Aquarium Pharmaceutical products, hyposalinity and other methods. The price of these fish are relatively cheaper than hard-to-find tangs such as the Sohal or Achilles Tang. Usually Yellow tangs sell for between $60 and $80 per fish.

In regards to temperament, the yellow tank is a peaceful fish and can coexist with other species of fish. However, they may get aggressive with other types of surgeonfish, especially with other yellow tangs. These hostilities will be eradicated if these fish are houses in an aquarium which is large enough.

Yellow tangs like to form shoals and play ‘follow the leader, so if you are planning to keep more than one yellow tang, ensure that you introduce them at the same time.

Yellow tangs reach up to 8 inches and require a 100 gallon tank (minimum) if you are to keep them to adulthood

A Yellow tang’s diet includes a combination of algae, krill, Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, pellets or marine food. Although herbivores in the wild, tangs will eat a combination of algae and meat matter. Being completely safe for reefs, they are safe to keep with your corals. It is noted that you should never feed Tangs lettuce, as it does not provide any nutrition to the fish.

Since Yellow tangs consume a large amount of algae in the wild, it is crucial that these fish get an adequate diet of algae. Algae can be given as part of a flake, frozen food or as pellets. There are many reputable brands which sell these food, along with trace minerals and nutrients which are found in the wild.

Halimeda

Posted on December 28, 2009 by admin

Halimeda which is sometimes referred to as the cactus algae is generally an accepted macro algae for reef aquariums. While this type of slow growing aquatic plant is often sought after for its growth rate, ease of pruning and aesthetic looks it also serves as a nutrient export for the reef aquarium.

A couple of months ago I have noticed some new growth in my reef aquarium that I have not noticed before in the four or five years that I have owned this aquarium. Keep in mind that I built this mini ecosystem from scratch collecting rocks from the Caribbean to Fiji. I noticed that new plant life was developing, this new plant life which I now know as Halimeda opuntia. At first I was pleasantly surprised that I acquired this sought after reef aquarium macro algae even though I did not deliberately purchase or trade for it, It just showed up. I usually show most uninvited guests the door as soon as I find out that they have shown up but this wasn’t the case with Halimeda. Halimeda is a flat leaved marine plant that is build on calcium. It is a good sign for reef aquariums because it is a indicator of proper alkalinity and calcium levels. I have pruned my Halimeda a couple of times since it has shown up and It has a very firm grip on the live rocks it is growing out of. This Macro algae will turn white (due to its calcium carbonate skeleton) when it is dying or after it has been pruned.

Reef Aquarium Aquascaping

Posted on April 14, 2009 by admin

Out of all the difficult choices a reef aquarist has to endure when setting up a Reef Aquarium is deciding on what their aquarium will look like. Reef aquarium aquascaping is a pleasure to some and a pain to others, for me its a little bit of both. I have changed the look of my aquarium several (dozen?) times over the last five years and endured the pleasure and pain of the aquascaping experience.

If I had to tell a new reef aquarium hobbyist how to plan and change there reef aquascaping I probably couldn’t, after all beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I could, however, give some pointers on what should be done to provide a safe living environment for the new owners livestock.

First, Consider your coral and fish’s water flow needs, so that you can get a better understanding on how your live rock placement will effect your reef tank’s water movement. Live rock comes in all different shapes and sizes and if you are fortunate enough to live near a good fish store then you can usually hand pick the pieces that you want. But before you do all the live rock picking, you should come up with a plan for your rock placement. Live Rock should not be obtrusive in that it will block water movement but should be placed so that it will assist it, creating canyons, slopes, valleys and pillars will help assist this. To assist holding your live rock in place it is recommended that you superglue, putty (aquarium safe) or drill in PVC or plastic dowels into your rock work. While this is recommended by many reefers it is somewhat permanent and not necessary in most cases.

Keep in mind that certain corals have specific requirements that have to be met for the welfare of the coral, this usually include height and substrate placement. Also if you are going to have corals with sweeping tentacles then its important that they can not reach other corals. Always research your corals and make sure that they will fit your reef environment.

Here are a few examples of reef aquarium aquascaping.