Acanthurus Fowleri or Not?

ChadRaay86

ChadRaay86

New member
My LFS recently got a nice (NICE) Acanthurus Fowleri in and I'm taking serious look at getting him :)

My informant at the fish store told me he was a nice healty specimen that layed on its side at first (when he came in), but was now eating everything. I saw him eat noori today and think that he would love my nice big tank (300 gallons). I know my inner tang police would say that might not work out well, but I do have a bigger home for him and would much rather he went into my tank vs some newbies 90 gallon :(

I guess my main question directed toward everyone that has had one in the past. What are your experiences with them and what should I be aware of before throwing him in. Oh, and I currently have a Sailfin, Kole Tang, lyretail Angelfish, Starry Blenny, Some Ancient Chromis, Blue Throat Trigger and a few random shrimp.

He'd be the biggest fish in the pond by far at this point...

Thanks for the help!
 
bullitr said:
It will be a big fish
Very nice and hardier than Naso
Click to expand...

Thanks!

Thats good to know. I had seen somewhere on the forum that they were finnicky, but they seem like a really easy going fish and luckily none of my fish are very aggresive at the moment. Well except my darn Sailfin, he needs to be taken down a notch.

I like how rare these are, as you can see with my fish selection (angel, trigger), I like to put more than just the usual in my tank :) This guy is only $56.00 as well at 4-4.5 inches, can't beat that!
 
jjk_reef00 said:
Only $56? Make sure it is fowleri, usually they sell for much more than that.
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Haha, thats what I asked. These guys are the fish experts in town. They can tell the difference between different types of scorpionfish which is no small task lol. It looks like all the pictures I've seen, but at the same time, this fish "should" cost upwards of $400.00...

I'll reconfirm with them tomorrow, but if it is its a hell of a deal :D The only reason I didn't jump on it today is because I always like to do thorough research on all of my fish to ensure tank "peace" is maintained to some degree ;)
 
300DD is really too small for the big acanthurus like fowleri. These guys need a minimum of 8' length, preferrably 10'. I have seen a full grown dussumieri (around 15") and it looked humongous even in its 1,200g tank (10'x4'x4'). It's hard to imagine how big and thick these guys get unless you see one in person.
 
Fishbase lists fowleri the same max length as nasos... Dussi's get even bigger.

I've also read on posts here that fowleris are quite mellow. Not sure if this is true...
 
I could only wish for a LFS to ever get something sweet like this in let alone for the price! I would pass on him or buy and resell but a 8ft tank minimum for sure and bigger is ALWAYS better
 
I think the fowleri can stay in your tank until about 10". Then it will definitely need more length.

My bariene tang (similar to fowleri) is around 8" long now and is the most active fish in my tank, apart from my powder blue. It used to be in my 6' 225g (6'x2'x2.5') until I recently upgraded to the current 375g (8'x2.5'x2.5'). In all honesty, I felt that the 6' length was a major constraint to him, as he loved to swim fast from one side to the other. The 8' length feels more right now but I have a feeling that when he gets to 15", this tank will be too small again...
 
I love my Fowler's. I've had it for almost 1.5 years and it is one of my favorites! My desjardini rules the tank and every now and then the two of them will flare their fins at each other and usually that's it. The fowleri spends most of the day in the front 1/4 of the tank grazing off algae on the bare bottom, but cruises the entire length of the tank. It enjoys swimming in front of a MP60 too. I've never seen my other acanthurus bother it either, although they are smaller (achilles, powder blue and convict).

You might be okay in a 6' 300 for a while, but once it gets bigger, it will likely need a longer tank.
 
I missed that it was going into a 300DD. I would pass on this fish because it will grow very quickly if fed properly and will probably be 9-10" in a year. My old yellowfin tang grew from 4" to a very thick 12" in under a year and he made my standard 8' long 300 gallon look extremely small. He was very mellow to start but once he approched 9" he became very agressive (likely due to a lack of swimming space).
 
Thanks for all the replies :D I'm leaning towards getting him tomorrow and rehoming him at the local aquarium when he does get to 9-10". I like the idea of being able to go see him in a really big tank and that I'm helping out the aquarium. I guess thats what makes living here in Florida so cool ;)

I've also read on posts here that fowleris are quite mellow. Not sure if this is true...[/QUOTE]

Thats what I'm hoping, I don't like aggression in my reef tank. I've had enough of that with my cichlids :furious:

Dmorty217 said:
I could only wish for a LFS to ever get something sweet like this in let alone for the price! I would pass on him or buy and resell but a 8ft tank minimum for sure and bigger is ALWAYS better
Click to expand...

Haha, yeah we're pretty lucky here in Tampa. Seagrest Farms and ORA are pretty close to us and the LFS guys always jump on a great fish!

sandwi54 said:
I think the fowleri can stay in your tank until about 10". Then it will definitely need more length.

Sadly I'm learning this more and more know regarding the tank length :( Eventually I'll probably get a 10ft tank (if I move) and build it into the wall with a fish room other than my garage. For now anyways, I'll just rehome him :D

My bariene tang (similar to fowleri) is around 8" long now and is the most active fish in my tank, apart from my powder blue. It used to be in my 6' 225g (6'x2'x2.5') until I recently upgraded to the current 375g (8'x2.5'x2.5'). In all honesty, I felt that the 6' length was a major constraint to him, as he loved to swim fast from one side to the other. The 8' length feels more right now but I have a feeling that when he gets to 15", this tank will be too small again...
Click to expand...

I agree, I won't keep him past his comfort level but for now it seems like he'd be more than happy to graze on all of my algae...

Haffs09 said:
I love my Fowler's. I've had it for almost 1.5 years and it is one of my favorites! My desjardini rules the tank and every now and then the two of them will flare their fins at each other and usually that's it. The fowleri spends most of the day in the front 1/4 of the tank grazing off algae on the bare bottom, but cruises the entire length of the tank. It enjoys swimming in front of a MP60 too. I've never seen my other acanthurus bother it either, although they are smaller (achilles, powder blue and convict).


You might be okay in a 6' 300 for a while, but once it gets bigger, it will likely need a longer tank.
Click to expand...

haha, my sailfin is the same way and definitely rules the roost lol

jjk_reef00 said:
I missed that it was going into a 300DD. I would pass on this fish because it will grow very quickly if fed properly and will probably be 9-10" in a year. My old yellowfin tang grew from 4" to a very thick 12" in under a year and he made my standard 8' long 300 gallon look extremely small. He was very mellow to start but once he approched 9" he became very agressive (likely due to a lack of swimming space).
Click to expand...

I'm going to take a chance (finger crossed) with the intention of rehoming him within a year or hopefully two. Or I might use it as an excuse to go bigger. I can always find a new place for the wife's piano ;)
 
ChadRaay86 said:
I'm going to take a chance (finger crossed) with the intention of rehoming him within a year or hopefully two. Or I might use it as an excuse to go bigger. I can always find a new place for the wife's piano ;)
Click to expand...

I'll be very interested to hear about the growth rate of this fish. Hope you keep the thread updated.
 
Got him, he acclimated well even though he wasn't happy about being moved. My sailfin went straight to "introducing" him to the tank so I had to black everything out, so I'll have pics tomorrow. It's a great looking fish and I watched him eat flake, frozen, pellets and nori before I would get him, so he's a pig :D
 
QT'd at the LFS for 6 weeks. He came in looking a bit stressed so they ran the gambit on him and I got him out of their QT system. I have a QT setup, but since I know all the procedures at the LFS match mine, I didn't think there was any point in stressing him out again...
 
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