powder blue or powder brown??

castroantonio · #1 11/30/2007, 01:37 AM

What is Hardier??
Powder Blue tang or Powder Brown tang??
I want to know because I have seen, that brown is hardier than blue! is true??
Thank you

jda · #2 11/30/2007, 10:28 AM

I think that they are equal.

IPowderBlueTang · #3 11/30/2007, 09:49 PM

I have had both and I have to agree with jda comment. The trick to keep them alive is to get a healthy specimen from the start and the fish has a better survival rate in our reefs!

JamesJR · #4 12/01/2007, 03:09 PM

I personally feel that powderblues are a little bit hardier.

JamesJR · #5 12/01/2007, 03:10 PM

calling either of these fish "hardy" is a bit of a stretch though. These are not easy fish to keep.

mwood · #6 12/01/2007, 04:09 PM

Depends on which Powder Brown you are talking about. If you mean the whiteface (all white nose with a orange/red strip on the dorsal fine), they are similar to a powder blue. If you mean the whitecheek (white cheek with no red), they are more similar to an achilles tang (much harder to keep).

fastfish · #7 12/01/2007, 06:03 PM

I have both in my tank. From my experience, the powder brown is relatively hardier than the powder blue.

gunslinger · #8 12/01/2007, 09:41 PM

how hard to keep are the power blue

mwood · #9 12/01/2007, 10:36 PM

Given a large stable tank, good feeding habits, low aggression, and patience... they do well. I wouldn't make the PBT your first "hard" fish to keep.

SDguy · #10 12/01/2007, 10:53 PM

They require the same care, QT, and conditions, IMO/E.

mattsilvester · #11 12/02/2007, 05:52 PM

Interesting thread - often thought of the brown myself (A. japonicas).

As far as the powder blue - hoping to give my wife the money for my baby girl to buy me one for xmas

I am a little bit anxious about q-tine though...... I have a 48"x12"x12" q-tine tank set up, with a mature internal power filter..... and an old skimmer....... but it just seems so "bare"...... for such a touchy fish?!?!?!?

LukFox · #12 12/02/2007, 06:48 PM

I've heard different opinions, but I would just say if you can care for one, you should be able to care for the other. Neither are easy fish. Also, to note from a thread a while back, apparently powder blues from the Maldives go through a much easier transportation process than those from other areas, and you'd have the best luck to get one from there. I usually hear the blues are harder to care for than browns, but some of that could actually be from the collection issue.

On the QT tank, how about adding some sort of structure like PVC or even a hollow castle? Just to give it a place to sleep or hide in/behind.

weaselslucks · #13 12/02/2007, 07:08 PM

i just put a deposit down on a powder blue that is healthy and eating well. I think it depends on the fish(all fish should have a stable environment to live in) If you have a fish that is spazzing out everytime you glance at it and refuses food then he will be harder to keep healthy. I would look for a fish that has nice fins and body shape and is eating.