Achilles Tang

[MimicOcto8]

This is my favorite of all tangs and I'm just curious as to how many of you out there have one and what tips you can give me on choosing the right one to buy, types of food you feed yours, how often and any other helpful info. thanks in advance... picture of one I had very long time ago when I was a new to this hobby.

 

[m and m]

It's a amazing fish, How bog is your tank i think a key to keeping one is a large tank. I would make sure it has a wide food choose and also garlic.

 

[btkrausen]

Probably one of the most difficult fish to keep from my own experience. Very susceptible to ich

 

[MimicOcto8]

Thanks M and M. I have a 90gallon tall. Right now I do feed my fish a wide variety of foods but i will need to look into getting garlic

 

[aalvarado87]

awesome one of my favorite fish. I always try and feed quite a bit when i first get my fish to get him eating well then i cut back. I use frozen mysis with garlic added to them to entice the eating I also feed a diy food that seems to make the fish go nuts. I also try and provide algae strips once a week

 

[MimicOcto8]

good info guys thanks

 

[m and m]

Thanks M and M. I have a 90gallon tall. Right now I do feed my fish a wide variety of foods but i will need to look into getting garlic

A 90 tall is not long they need long so they can swimm back and forth, when these fish cant swim they die. They are a very hard fish to keep and need ALLOT of swimming room or its about a 99% death rate. i wouldnt even think about it in less then a 60 inch more 72 i would feel safe.

 

[btkrausen]

Yup, you are better off getting something else besides an achilles with that tank.

 

[raymond]

i think you will need at least a 120 or bigger and if you buy one of these, might be a good idea to know how to deal with ick because these are the king of ick, getting one home with no ick is near impossible

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

I dont know if I would say these guys were more susceptible to ich than any other tang.

All tangs are ich magnets, I just think its more apparent on these guys because they are predominantly black.

I would have no qualms with keeping one aside from aggression, and the usual factors that should keep most people away from tangs...tank size (I think at this point I dont recommend anything less than a 125g for any tang. 75's and 90's possible for scopas or yellow), water quality (needs to be pristine...otherwise you will get ich anyways), and nutrition...see previous point.

I also think it is important that they be able to graze. This is 90% of their life in the wild, and tangs that are not given some sort of algae clip (nutritionally you should probably be able to get away just feeding NLS) fair poorly compared to those who are allowed to pick at something as they wish to naturally do in nature. (Naturally in nature. )

 

[MimicOcto8]

wow i'm sure glad i asked before bought. thanks fellas

 

[Michael7979]

Achilles are great looking tangs no doubt!
But they are a very hard fish to keep. If you are not really good with caring for fish or you are newer to SW I would suggest you pass on it and try a hardy tang.

I agree all tangs seem to be ich magnets.

 

[m and m]

Im not trying to be mean here but if you get a 90 tall one of two things are going to happen. One its gonna die in under three weeks and your out of maybe 200, or it will kill a few fish then die. I mean these fish need long legnth of swimming room with ALOT of flow.

 

[MimicOcto8]

Im not trying to be mean here but if you get a 90 tall one of two things are going to happen. One its gonna die in under three weeks and your out of maybe 200, or it will kill a few fish then die. I mean these fish need long legnth of swimming room with ALOT of flow.

my feelings dont get hurt that easily bud so no worries. The achilles in the picture I had for 3 months and it ate every day twice a day and never harmed another fish. Also the LFS was selling it for $65 and I was there when it came in the bag. Sure wish I knew then what i know now.

So does anyone on here have one???

 

[m and m]

Yea there are a few that have them Benny Z use to have one then he got out and now he is back. Rev has one currently in like week one, and a few others who I’m not as friendly and don’t know their names but i have seen them on here. Now for the people who have had one pass on here? A few in this thread i think Rev said he went through 2, troylee went through one or three forget what he said, those people are not your average reefers either. I would trust rev and Troy with whatever info they give me, both very knowledgeable people.

 

[Troylee]

Ya I have went through 3 of them..... My all time favorite fish but I can't punish them anymore...
The only one I know of in captivity that has made it
Longer than 6 months is in a 1000gal sps tank.... My 220 didn't cut it.... My last one I just
Lost like a month ago was perfectly healthy and ate
Like a pig and after being in my tank for a month he got very aggressive and took my blue hippo out and started on my yellow before he stressed him self out so bad he got ich and dissapeared..... good luck with him man......

 

[m and m]

Troylee where you feeding him any garlic foods, doesnt galic help with the provenshion of ich? Have you tried any as juv's?

 

[MimicOcto8]

thanks for the info M and troy

 

[Troylee]

Ya I use garlic, vit c, and selecon occasionally.... I think this
Last one would have made it if he was the only fish in the tank.... From what I have learned from the 3 I had is they don't play well with others.... sucks man there such a gorgeous fish!!!!! My Lfs had like a 8" one just jet black with the brightest orange colors ever seen it had to be the healthiest fish I have ever saw but the guy wouldn't stand a chance in something less than 750gal IMHO....