Should I try an Achilles tang?

[SCH14]

Have a 310 gallon 96 x 31 x 25

Current stock is 4x reef chomis

I’d like to hear stories of everyone keeping their Achilles tangs. I’ve read tons of posts/articles and watched hours of videos and talked to a few LFS. Can’t decide if I want to take my chances- seems even the most expert level hobbyists have a hard time with this fish.

Plan:
White tail
Blue hippo
Naso w streamers
XL blue spine unicorn
*Achilles
Purple/black tang and or gem- Most likely 1-2 of them (not all 3)

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

I think part of this is where Achilles tangs are commonly found on the reef ime, which is reef crest areas with extremely high flow and oxygenation. When I lived in Hawaii I would see them them frequently but always in less than 2 feet of water with raves breaking right over the reef. Very different from where you would see the zebrasomas and nasos.

 

[i cant think]

I think part of this is where Achilles tangs are commonly found on the reef ime, which is reef crest areas with extremely high flow and oxygenation. When I lived in Hawaii I would see them them frequently but always in less than 2 feet of water with raves breaking right over the reef. Very different from where you would see the zebrasomas and nasos.

+1 to this;
Mimicking their natural habitat is the key to success with these long term, actually mimicking it is a PITA. Many of our reef fish we keep are found deeper down where flow levels are lower. So actually getting the high flow in the tank can be hard to balance with some of our weaker species.

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

+1 to this;
Mimicking their natural habitat is the key to success with these long term, actually mimicking it is a PITA. Many of our reef fish we keep are found deeper down where flow levels are lower. So actually getting the high flow in the tank can be hard to balance with some of our weaker species.

I think the other part of this equation is likely food. Those are powerful fish that are very active. Swimming and being in that kind of environment is very energy intensive and thus they're going to require a lot more food than a fish in calmer water that doesn't expend that kind of energy. If you're doing a lot of strenuous physical activity, a "normal" amount of food just isn't enough. I've been backcountry backpacking in the mountains where we were eating 4k+ calories a day and still lost weight. Snorkeling, one of the first things you notice is how much fatter the fish are than you see in aquaria. What looks normal to us in a tank might be them slowly starving to death, even though it appears to us that they're eating fine.

 

[melhe]

Off your list . Please add Achilles last . They are very active and fast swimmer . They are very aggressive toward newcomers. My Achilles is psycho . He killed new powder blue in 2 days which was twice his size . The powder blue came together with sohal tang . But Achilles didn’t bother sohal , only went after powder blue

 

[littlefoxx]

They live in surge zones. Lots of flow, more than most people have for tanks. This is one of my dream fish but youve got to build the tank around them not the other way around. Theres other beautiful powder tangs with less specific requirements! But if you do get one, re design your whole tank for them!

 

[i cant think]

Off your list . Please add Achilles last . They are very active and fast swimmer . They are very aggressive toward newcomers. My Achilles is psycho . He killed new powder blue in 2 days which was twice his size . The powder blue came together with sohal tang . But Achilles didn’t bother sohal , only went after powder blue

That makes sense - Achilles and Powder Blues are in the same complex and so are very closely related. A sohal however is much less related than a Powder Blue is.

 

[littlefoxx]

That makes sense - Achilles and Powder Blues are in the same complex and so are very closely related. A sohal however is much less related than a Powder Blue is.

Agree 100%. Suprised it wasnt the other around with how pbt is

 

[i cant think]

Agree 100%. Suprised it wasnt the other around with how pbt is

Honestly, I’m also surprised but I guess it’s whoever is established first gets the kill.

 

[RockBox13]

I feel like the size of a Tang relative to the other dominant fish in the tank and the order they are introduced makes a big difference. I have kept small Achilles that were very shy at first and needed another active fish that could help draw them out and make them feel safe. There’s something about other Tangs that little Achilles seem to like and they buddy up a lot of times. I’ve seen the same thing out of Purple Tangs as well. Now, an Achilles that’s bigger than the size of your palm who has been plucked off the reef, shipped in darkness, and then kept with 20 other Achilles for a few days, packed up and shipped again to be put into a box at your LFS all by themselves for however long, then they enter your crowded classroom? That recipe occasionally results in an Achilles that decides to themselves, “When I get to prison, I’m shanking everyone.”
If you get to observe the Achilles or any other fish you want, take the time to check out their temperament. Are they overly skittish or hide and won’t come out? You should see there’s a natural curiosity from them. They’re not dogs, but there’s an intelligence and individual personality Tangs have. They insist that you notice them. They react differently to different people. They know when you’re mad at them. An Achilles isn’t as personable as a Desjardini or how a Vlamingii can be as adorable as a puppy, but If you have excellent water quality and the kind of flow in areas where you can see they have to work that tail to get around and graze, you can do it and in a tank that size, it should be just fine. You could also take a look at a Gold Rim which is one of my favorite Tangs and usually well behaved. I don’t remember ever hearing Gold Rim horror story.
My worthless opinion is: I say skip the Unicorn, Black Tangs are awesome, pretty peaceful and should be added early. Gems are cool but a Purple Tang, Dussumier or Maculiceps are prettier, Naso always seem to be pretty stable and should be added early. Just be prepared and have a plan to trap a problem fish in place before there’s possibly one who is picked on or a bully that needs a timeout.

 

[littlefoxx]

I feel like the size of a Tang relative to the other dominant fish in the tank and the order they are introduced makes a big difference. I have kept small Achilles that were very shy at first and needed another active fish that could help draw them out and make them feel safe. There’s something about other Tangs that little Achilles seem to like and they buddy up a lot of times. I’ve seen the same thing out of Purple Tangs as well. Now, an Achilles that’s bigger than the size of your palm who has been plucked off the reef, shipped in darkness, and then kept with 20 other Achilles for a few days, packed up and shipped again to be put into a box at your LFS all by themselves for however long, then they enter your crowded classroom? That recipe occasionally results in an Achilles that decides to themselves, “When I get to prison, I’m shanking everyone.”
If you get to observe the Achilles or any other fish you want, take the time to check out their temperament. Are they overly skittish or hide and won’t come out? You should see there’s a natural curiosity from them. They’re not dogs, but there’s an intelligence and individual personality Tangs have. They insist that you notice them. They react differently to different people. They know when you’re mad at them. An Achilles isn’t as personable as a Desjardini or how a Vlamingii can be as adorable as a puppy, but If you have excellent water quality and the kind of flow in areas where you can see they have to work that tail to get around and graze, you can do it and in a tank that size, it should be just fine. You could also take a look at a Gold Rim which is one of my favorite Tangs and usually well behaved. I don’t remember ever hearing Gold Rim horror story.
My worthless opinion is: I say skip the Unicorn, Black Tangs are awesome, pretty peaceful and should be added early. Gems are cool but a Purple Tang, Dussumier or Maculiceps are prettier, Naso always seem to be pretty stable and should be added early. Just be prepared and have a plan to trap a problem fish in place before there’s possibly one who is picked on or a bully that needs a timeout.

I love your achilles! Dream fish for sure but gotta wait until I can get a new tank and build it around them! And their price tag is too much lol

 

[Dorking It]

I have an Achilles and he is by far my favorite. He is always swimming with my mp60s. I have a pair facing eachother pushing about 6k gallons an hr each. He seems happy and is healthy " lol big boned" he's about 2 years old. Less aggressive e then my golden rim to new fish but the king of the tank. I feel he is a must have.

 

[RockBox13]

I have an Achilles and he is by far my favorite. He is always swimming with my mp60s. I have a pair facing eachother pushing about 6k gallons an hr each. He seems happy and is healthy " lol big boned" he's about 2 years old. Less aggressive e then my golden rim to new fish but the king of the tank. I feel he is a must have.

That’s a pretty healthy looking Purple Tang too!

 

[Dorking It]

I've been very lucky with my tangs. All 4 are very healthy

 

[melhe]

Honestly, I’m also surprised but I guess it’s whoever is established first gets the kill.

I was surprised too . Because pb was twice the size of Achilles. Achilles ripped off pbs fins . Push him into corner wouldn’t let him to come out . Pd died very quickly .