Achiles tang difficult to keep?

[cwegescheide]

I saw this Achiles tang (black with orange spot) a gorgeous fish... The owner of the lfs in Tampa told me that its a difficult fish to keep. Is this true? Anybody had one for a while?

Thanks,
Chris

[joejoe1055]

i heard they are about a medium on the hard to keep level
i know they get ich easy
i personal love those fish

[PIECEOFTHEREEF]

If acclimated properly and is in good health to begin with, you should not have any problems. Make sure that he is not threatened by any other tank mates and you should be good to go. They do like alot of swimming room so I hope your tank is 100+ gallons.

[PIECEOFTHEREEF]

BTW- I strongly recommend one or more cleaner shrimp.

[Tyrosinase]

If the fish is eating at the store, then I say give it the fish a try. Mine has been doing fine since I got it, about seven months ago. Joejoe is right, they get ich pretty easily. If you get the fish I would recommend you soak your food in garlic to help the fish fight off ich.

[raddogz]

So far every post I have ever read where someone has successfully kept an Achilles Tang was a tank that was more than 180+. These fish get big and really need the swimming room.

If I thought that my 120g was big enough I'd have jumped all over and added this tang as my first fish to my 120g.

[Gundo5000]

So far every post I have ever read where someone has successfully kept an Achilles Tang was a tank that was more than 180+. These fish get big and really need the swimming room.

I have heard the exact same thing.:rollface:

[DrBegalke]

Not a fish for someone who has to ask if its a difficult fish, IMO.

[nwrogers]

They are not a good aquarium fish. Do yourself a favor and avoid the temptation. I wish I had :(

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Yes, they are difficult. Most don't last long in captivity. They need a large tank [6 '] with LOTS of flow. They are VERY susceptible to ich and other parasites. I wouldn't attempt one:)

[thor32766]

i love tangs to death and wouldnt attempt it either.

[luk64]

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8412685#post8412685 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luk64




A man of many words:rolleyes:

Trying to up your post count? hmmmmmm??

[pk1]

I have had mine for over a year-he is mean, extremely active and always hungry. If you put it in a 6x2 tank minimum, lots of flow for exercise-and QUARENTINE, I say go for it. If you have good reef husbandry, and feed a lot, and can get a nice healthy specimen, they are a great fish-mine eats from my hand. If you are not going to q-tine the fish I would not bother buying it--almost certain to get ich.

Patrick

[triggerfish1976]

This is just one of those fish that most people who have been able maintain for long periods of time are both highly experienced and more important lucky. They fall in the same catagory as Morish Idols, Regal Angels, and Potters Angels. Most specimans just do not adapt to captivity no matter what we do to.
You could do a seach on this forum and maybe find a dozen people who have been able to maintain this fish for any reasonable amount of time.

[Charlie97L]

they are also very susceptible to low oxygen levels... often, once you catch on to a low O2 level, it's too late. i wouldn't recommend.

[zemuron114]

if you can get a healthy one and have adequate space they will last forever. Once established they are very healthy and hardy. Its getting over that initial hump that kills most of them. If you have the space and can care and give it extra care in the beginning i would say go for it. Give it lots of algae to start to fatten him up then try offering meaty foods to add some mass to him. Beautiful fish. I would consider them in the same category as a powder brown.

[bkbailes07]

i wouldnt not try one. the need very long tanks with tons of room to swim. they also get ich very often which means that you need to soak the food in vitamins which does help but not always a cure once the ich get bad. not a good aquarium fish at all

[zemuron114]

if you have the space they can be a very a good aquarium fish, but very aggressive. They need extra care like many other fish in this hobby.

[mile sq. reefer]

I would take out the 175 bowfront and set it up to properly maintain this beauty. Needs room to swim. Make sure it is healthy ,eating and fat especially behind the eyes. Also make sure there are no visible signs of parasitic infestations. Many LFS run copper in their systems to keep parasitic outbreaks minimal. This can hurt the microfauna that live in the tangs digestive tract. If you can aquire a healthy specimen, set up a quarantine that has identical parameters to the display system, keep an eye on it, and in a few (4) weeks add it to the display.

[zemuron114]

only high doses of copper will effect internal organs. I run a faint trace (1/8th recommended dose) in my holding system. All achilles do great.

[jdieck]

I have had mine for over four years now. He got ich a couple of times but garlic and UV sterilization plus cleaner shrimp helped fight it off.
As mentioned he never stops swiming, even over night while the other Tangs hide in the rockworks he keeps on swiming around.
He eats very well so I think that helps I soak the nori in vitamins and garlic. He shares the tank with a yellow Tang and a Chevron Tang, Two lineatus Wrasses and Two False Perculas.
The tank is a 225 gal (72L"x24W"x30"H)

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/523/18470Aquiles_Tang.jpg

Back Off Chevron!

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/523/18470AchillesS.jpg

[Waxxiemann]

nice pics

[prugs]

I have an achilles that i got from a reefer shutting down his tank. He insisted that I take the fish. It didn't have a mark on him.
My 210gal tank was cycling some new liverock. A friend was good enough to hold him for 4 weeks, while my tank cycled. The achilles started getting spots within a few days of going into my friends 100gal prop tank. So on went the 25watt UV sterilizer.
When I went to get my achilles, it didn't have a mark on him. Moved him into the 210gal, & within 3 days the ich was there. On went 50watts of UV sterilization, for 3 months. The achilles was free & clear of all spots for 6+ weeks, so I removed the UV. 3 days later the ich was back. I now have decided to run the UV 24/7 till I need to replace the lamps. If the ich comes back I'll turn it on again.

From my experience: Don't even consider an achilles tang without a properly sized UV sterilizer.

[George Gouveia]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8415187#post8415187 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bkbailes07
i wouldnt not try one. the need very long tanks with tons of room to swim. they also get ich very often which means that you need to soak the food in vitamins which does help but not always a cure once the ich get bad. not a good aquarium fish at all

actually, everyone should soak their fish food in vitamins even if they're fish aren't sick. vitamins are the basis for the imune system. IMO.

[M.R Cowfish]

There are tons of fish that are hard to keep. This does not stop people from buying them, like a longhorn cowfish, they are very difficult to keep. As a few members said if you get them in healthy condition and your tank is in good shape, there should be nothing to worrie about. Research what they like to eat and suitable tank mates, and you have a qt, there should be nothing to worrie about. Just dont add any untreated fish after getting the tang, there should be no problem. The lfs wich I shop at has one as the store pet. I want one aswell but I already have alot of fish. When I get my 600 built I can add one. Anyways good luck with the fish if you buy him.

[thor32766]

Very true what was said about adding vitamins all the time. I soak my foods daily in them.

[CaptNemo]

sighhhhh... i don't think it is hard to keep at all. So many people with little knowledge, little patient, tiny tank and poor equiment just buy the fish and toss it in there with so many mean fish. Then the Tang dies and what do we have? A Horrible, horrible story about how they die so easily and so hard to keep them.. I dont' think they are difficult to keep at all, given you pick a healthy and eating fish to start with. Oh yeah, do the fish and everyone else a favor =====>>> tangs swim alot.. so have a big tank before buy one.

[jdieck]

If I have to compare difficulty and requirements I would say that it's needs and care is no different that the needs of a powder blue.

[deansreef]

Will a 180 work for an Achilles?

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8464537#post8464537 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by deansreef
Will a 180 work for an Achilles?

That is a great size for this fish:)

[BTTRFLYGRL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8446054#post8446054 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CaptNemo
sighhhhh... i don't think it is hard to keep at all. So many people with little knowledge, little patient, tiny tank and poor equiment just buy the fish and toss it in there with so many mean fish. Then the Tang dies and what do we have? A Horrible, horrible story about how they die so easily and so hard to keep them.. I dont' think they are difficult to keep at all, given you pick a healthy and eating fish to start with. Oh yeah, do the fish and everyone else a favor =====>>> tangs swim alot.. so have a big tank before buy one.




They should only be kept by experienced aquarist...People who have the time, the patience and the know how to treat these fish if they have ich, or velvet or another disease or infection. This Genius of Tang is very susceptible to disease.
And many fish just DO NOT handle the stress of capture, handling and shipping well .. some species are known to die for no apparent reason...This fish is one of them..That is fact..Again, I say these fish are difficult
How's that?:rolleyes:

[Gundo5000]

Check out the livestock selling forum a guy has one for sale $100 I think, and there is a picture.

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8464660#post8464660 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
And many fish just DO NOT handle the stress of capture, handling and shipping well .. some species are known to die for no apparent reason...This fish is one of them..That is fact..Again, I say these fish are difficult
How's that?:rolleyes:

I think Captnemo's point here (and he can correct me if I'm wrong) is that we shouldn't apply a blanket statement to this fish of "it doesn't live in captivity don't get one." Lots of folks say that about powder blues (wetWebMedia has a whole article about it) but plenty of RC folks have one. Proper husbandry, a large tank, with excellent equipment, patience, and experience (with tangs and disease treatment) are good things to have if you want success with this fish.

Plenty of critters do deserve blanket statements - ribbon eels, ornate butterflies, pinnatus bats....the list goes on.

[Terence Trent]

IMO...

I have never presonally tried one...but the shop I work at on occasion has tried several. Its amazing how frantic swimmers these guys are...almost a tang on crack. I really think massive amounts of water movement are key for this species...think 20x turnover minimum.

t

[zemuron114]

they are found in the surge zones in the wild. You need a TON of water movement to make them happy. I would say a surge device would be the number 1 option for flow. I would guarentee they will sit in front of the output alll day. lol Thinks 30-50x turnover....

beautiful fish though. LFS cant keep them alive because they cram a ton of fish into 55/75 gallon tanks with little flow and only feed brine shrimp. then they slap a 150$ price tag on it and no one buys it so they end up holding onto it for 2-5 months and then it dies... proper care is key with this guy!

[Bebo77]

wow really? i have heard about people having a hard time but i did not know that they are that difficult to keep. i have an achilles and have never had a problem.. although my tank is 300 (98x30x26T)gallons and i run Zeo.. i do have 2 6200 streams and a wave box running full spead (in addition to 2,00 gph from the sump) but i got to tell you he has never caused me any problems or headaches.. love the fish.. and he has lots of tankmates... here is a pic
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/4575/pescade002largeka4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[MoCha920]

Those tangs looks very very healthy:rollface:

[Gundo5000]

Love the crosshatch pair......or are they bluejaws......kinda hard to tell

[Bebo77]

thanks guys.. all the fish are pigs.. lol

yeah they are crosshatches.... under my T5 they arent that yellow... better color under Mh's

[cwegescheide]

Well Ive got good news!! Cindy and I are about to bid on our first house so if we get it you know what that means :D Yeah you guessed it... A BIG REEF!! Woo hoo :lol: When we were looking at houses (I know this is a little retarded) but my main motivation was so I could have a bigger tank.. I'm starting to plan a ~400 gallon tank 86x32x25 eurobraced acrylic I think. I'm starting to price equipment and OH MY!! Actually I have about 1/2 of it already I think. My 90 has quite a bit of rocks and really not that much room to swim.

So.... I think I am going to wait before I try to add one so they have plenty of room to swim. I am soooo stoked!! Its gonna be awesome. I think setting a tank up is soo much fun. I think Cindy is going to have a heart attack though if she see's any receipts lying around LOL

[prugs]

You can't go wrong with a 8' long tank.
My achilles swims like a mad man also.

[zemuron114]

ah a 400 gallon tank... i can only dream! my 180 will have to do for now until i buy my own house (long while away.. lol)

achilles is def on my "going to have" list.

that is a very nice CH pair! musta been a pretty penny!