tangs...shrimp...& puffers

[jon1985]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am posting this here because tangs are kept in both reef and non reef tanks and more people will see it here.

I am in the process of stocking my 220 fish only and have a question. I was planning to stock tangs, angels, butterflies and a puffer and fully open to not keeping cleaner shrimp. However after talking to a some people they say the health of tangs may suffer without a cleaner shrimp.

Is this true?

[NjOyRiD]

never heard of that, i dont have any cleaner shrimps with my tangs

[Greatwhite]

I wouldn't keep a tang without cleaner shrimp, myself...  In my experience with yellow tangs (as that's all I've kept), they almost always come with parasites (mainly ich) from the stress of the trip.  AND then, when they are in your tank initially, they are stressed and that increases their discomfort.

My tangs have ALWAYS made regular trips to the cleaner shrimp, and sometimes my shrimp would just hang on and go for a ride while cleaning.

I'm not saying that you can't keep tangs without cleaner shrimp... I am just saying that *I* wouldn't...  Njoyrid has had luck with a "no shrimp" system...

With a long enough quarantine, and perhaps a little preventative medication, you can treat the parasites yourself.

(I also really like shrimp, and would keep the cleaner shrimp even if I didn't have fish that visited them)

[NjOyRiD]

I wouldn't keep a tang without cleaner shrimp, myself...  In my experience with yellow tangs (as that's all I've kept), they almost always come with parasites (mainly ich) from the stress of the trip.  AND then, when they are in your tank initially, they are stressed and that increases their discomfort.

My tangs have ALWAYS made regular trips to the cleaner shrimp, and sometimes my shrimp would just hang on and go for a ride while cleaning.

I'm not saying that you can't keep tangs without cleaner shrimp... I am just saying that *I* wouldn't...  Njoyrid has had luck with a "no shrimp" system...

With a long enough quarantine, and perhaps a little preventative medication, you can treat the parasites yourself.

(I also really like shrimp, and would keep the cleaner shrimp even if I didn't have fish that visited them)

I have a trigger, just dont want to take the gamble and one day, bom hes hungry for cleaners lol
i have 6 tangs, never had a prob except of the blue tang at the begening..

[Severum]

If your fish are healthy and happy they will be fine without cleaner shrimp.

[Hookup]

never been an issue here.. I do have blood shrimp which are a type of cleaner shrimp, and the tangs do head there not very often so I cannot see it being a "must have"

[az]

I noticed from personal experience that if you have an established tank and the cleaner shrimp dies all of a sudden then its not too bad, as long tank is moderately stocked and fish are happy and you dont keep adding new fish.

you can maybe try a cleaner wrasse? some of them are ok but some will kill fish from overcleaning.

whatever you decide to do Jon, plz post updates 6 month/1yr from now...it would be very helpful.

[Greatwhite]

If you get a tang and thing that you need something to clean him, you can always try a cleaner wrasse.. I have a Neon Blue Goby who picks at my clowns on occasion too.

[jon1985]

well I currently have a cleaner in with a small trigger.  Right now the trigger seems to enjoy being cleaned as he parks himself in front of the shrimp regularly.  I know at some point the trigger may eat my shrimp, and if that happens and the tangs stay healthy and happy, I will rethink about the puffer.