yellojello
New member
Spooky looks great!
Just be careful if he shows any signs of scratching against rocks, diving into sand.
Just be careful if he shows any signs of scratching against rocks, diving into sand.
Achilles Tang Primer
- Thread starter BrianD
- Start date
Tracey2
New member
Eho72, I love your little goldflake, hows the achillies doing?
Yellowjello, did you remove the fish from the DT, how your guy doing? I'm wishing you some luck.
I have read this thread a few times but could someone direct me to a page with advice re adding fish after an achillies or could someone share this experience, what fish were added and how and of course the reaction from the achillies, thanks.
Yellowjello, did you remove the fish from the DT, how your guy doing? I'm wishing you some luck.
I have read this thread a few times but could someone direct me to a page with advice re adding fish after an achillies or could someone share this experience, what fish were added and how and of course the reaction from the achillies, thanks.
Tracey2
New member
reefslugs, how can you tell thats velvet and not ich?
It's been a week since I have added the Spooky. He's been eating nori and mysis soaked in garlic but have not touched the New Life Spectrum pellets. I have seen him flash against the sand a couple of time, but it's rare to see that happen. There are a couple of white spots on his fins but nowhere else. I am vigilant and look closely everyday for any sign of sickness. Spooky is swimming and eating actively so I have no cause for concern so far.
yellojello
New member
My Achilles passed away last night. I waited to long to QT him. I JUST setup my QT too, but he was already swimless at the bottom of the sand, and I put him in the QT before I went to bed.
Apparently, he was pretty strong staying alive for 2 1/2 months, but I guess he got too weak PLUS the Yellow Tang (about half his size) was picking on him, and put a pretty big gash in the Achilles' tail... which was probably the reason he died real fast.
eho72, I would QT him asap. At the LFS where I bought him, he looked super clean with no white spots, but did flash in the sand, which I thought was just normal behavior. When I brought him home, he was ok for a few days, than some white spots, then the white spots went away, then next week, came back even more white spots. I thought he would "fight" it off and had "no cause for concern" every week that passed by, because he has been alive for over 2 1/2 months, but apparently, the Ich is just reproducing itself more and more each week. Now a lot of my other fish have Ich, which they probably could fight off, but since keeping the Achilles in there with tons of Ich, it is just too much Ich for them to handle.
A few people in my area have had success without QT, feed garlic soaked food, water change twice a week Plus vacuuming the top layer of sand each time. But QT is a sure way to be safe.
Apparently, he was pretty strong staying alive for 2 1/2 months, but I guess he got too weak PLUS the Yellow Tang (about half his size) was picking on him, and put a pretty big gash in the Achilles' tail... which was probably the reason he died real fast.
eho72, I would QT him asap. At the LFS where I bought him, he looked super clean with no white spots, but did flash in the sand, which I thought was just normal behavior. When I brought him home, he was ok for a few days, than some white spots, then the white spots went away, then next week, came back even more white spots. I thought he would "fight" it off and had "no cause for concern" every week that passed by, because he has been alive for over 2 1/2 months, but apparently, the Ich is just reproducing itself more and more each week. Now a lot of my other fish have Ich, which they probably could fight off, but since keeping the Achilles in there with tons of Ich, it is just too much Ich for them to handle.
A few people in my area have had success without QT, feed garlic soaked food, water change twice a week Plus vacuuming the top layer of sand each time. But QT is a sure way to be safe.
For the past few days, I do not see the AT flashing against the sand anymore. The spots on the fins have subsided. I do have a 30g QT that has been up and running for the past 3 months. There are some barlett anthias in there that I have been quaranteening the past few weeks. If need be, I could move the bartlett to the DT and get the AT into QT and treat him with cupramine. I know you are suggesting I should do it now, but I am still hesitant since many people had their AT died after moving to QT. If the spots do come back and he's flashing against the rock and sand again, I will go ahead and start the move to the QT tank.
jjk_reef00
New member
My LFS just got a fat 3" Achilles 3 or 4 days ago but it is only picking at small pieces of rods right now. It is also scratching a little but not too bad. What do you guys think? I have a 55 qt cycled and ready for him and I've had some experience getting finicky angels to eat.
ryshark
Active member
I think this is a bad idea! Keep him healthy and eating in the main tank. "some spots and flashing" is not that big of a deal. If he is completely covered in Ich thats a different story. In my opinion there is a good chance that it will not go well. Even if he does survive the Curpramine QT and the ich is gone. Once you put him back into the display it is going to come right back.
Akrite
New member
I hope you had a established dirty QT, dirty meaning some algae growth and not a squeaky clean tank. I treated my AT with Cupramine for 6 weeks and did a 50% water change at weeks 2 and 4 with a filter rated 3 times the size of my tank.
ryshark; said:
I have to disagree with this statement only if you are treating all of your fish and not just your AT. If your Achilles has ich then everyone has ich and they all must be treated or he will just get it again when reintroduced back to the DT. I lost all my fish to a velvet outbreak and since then I treat all my new fish with Cupramine and have never lost a fish or had any signs of ich in me display tank since. Good luck with your trreatment and your AT.
Tracey2
New member
Any updates, how is your guy doing?
Update on the achilles tang that has been moved to QT. He started eating after about 3 days. I was really worried and thought about moving him back to the DT. I've been treating for about 5 days now with cupramine. The white spots are gone. I am waiting to complete the 14 days cupramine treatment then back into the DT. I opened another thread on the general reef fish forum to ask about how long the fish can go without eating. Got into some discussion about ich and whether it does any good to just treat the AT for ich, but no other fish in the DT. I realize that once I put the AT back in the display, ich could come back again. However, I have no regret about moving the fish to QT and treating him with copper. Next time, I will let the AT fight the ich on his own.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1876024
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1876024
yellojello
New member
Good to hear your AT is doing good and hopefully he'll be stronger the next time he is in the DT. I think a lot of people only feed their fish once a week. Some people 2-3 times a day. But yea, I think fish can last for a while without eating, but I'm probably comfortable two times per week at least. I still try to feed a little every day.
I don't know why people don't seem to get this...ACHILLES DON'T TOLERATE ICH WELL. Make sure:
1) Your Achilles is ich free
2) Your tank is ich free
Or don't get one!
I stuck a 4" achilles in a 10g for 8 weeks with no problem while I medicated the dickens out of him. I do this with all my fish, 0 losses so far since this procedure.
It sickens me every time I see an achilles "died of ich." It is completely avoidable with patience and forethought. Pretend your fish are puppies and see how casually you treat their deaths. If your puppy was sick, would you "see if he can fight it off" or would you go to the vet? These are living creatures!!!
1) Your Achilles is ich free
2) Your tank is ich free
Or don't get one!
I stuck a 4" achilles in a 10g for 8 weeks with no problem while I medicated the dickens out of him. I do this with all my fish, 0 losses so far since this procedure.
It sickens me every time I see an achilles "died of ich." It is completely avoidable with patience and forethought. Pretend your fish are puppies and see how casually you treat their deaths. If your puppy was sick, would you "see if he can fight it off" or would you go to the vet? These are living creatures!!!
Akrite
New member
i agree!!!
Ug, me too. I read through the primer and it seems the majority thinks that the achilles tang is a special case that should go directly to DT. After going through this, I have to say that you should definitely QT the achilles tang. It's not worth risking all of your livestocks.
