Achilles Tang????

[revoohc]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking into possible getting an achilles tang. I know that they are considered difficult fish to keep, so I am looking for ideas on keeping them.

Those who keep this beautiful fish, what are some secrets to success you can pass on.

Thanks,

revoohc

 

[Brian J]

I dont have one,but I do know that they need a very large tank.

 

[NoriMuncher]

I had one for about a week and a half when I was starting out in this hobby(dumb LFS bastard told me it was easy to keep and would be happy in my 55 gallon with a yellow tang!). Yellow tang fought it constantly, it got ich (I think). I tried to treat him in a quaranteen tank, seemingly successfully, but it reappeared in a hurry. Be sure to quaranteen, be ready for disease.

 

[dendronepthya]

They need a LOT of swimming room. I would not go any smaller than a 180, and preferably no smaller than an 8' tank(225 or larger). They grow very large, very quickly, and do not play well with others.

I do not quaranteen large fish like this because I have noticed that putting them in a small aquarium makes them break out with ich or other nasties. If you added it directly to the tank they are much less stressed, and it's less likely for them to have a breakout.

 

[revoohc]

^

 

[naesco]

I also have a very large tank and keep several tangs with success.
I have not been sucessful in keeping the achilles tang for more than a year. It just seems to get sick and die for no reason.
From what I have read others have had the same problem and so I choose not to try again.
If you are experienced with tangs and have a very large tank and are going to try anyway, I would recomend a very varied diet including sponge and fresh seafood like clams etc. nori, lots of selcon and very aggitated water. (use a large powerhead near the surface of the water to really aggitate the water with a lot of oxygen.
I would not even consider a tank under 100 gallons or conditions (other tangs) which would stress the fish.