Achilles Tang Primer

Be patient with the feeding, mine took over a year to eat anything other then nori. I also took care of Achilles in a surge zone exhibit in Baltimore, many times some of our new arrivals would be stuck on only eating one thing for the longest time. Most important part is they're eating something ;-)

Thanks, that's good advice! It's funny, my AT goes bonkers for spirulina brine, samples nori, occasionally tries mega marine, but completely ignores anything else. You are right, though, at least it is eating something! I think I will keep it in my intro tank for a while so it can slowly fatten up.
 
Maybe I'm lucky, but my new guy is doing a good job eating flakes, Rod's and starting to sample Nori soaked in Selcon. Had him a little under a month. I'm feeding a little twice a day. He seems to be fattening up a lot compared to what he looked like when he arrived.
 
In the last two years mine has grown from 4" to 7", first year he would only eat nori...finally during the second year he decided he loves NLS pellets. I'm hoping in year #3 he'll decide he likes something else ;-) But even in the first year when only eating nori, he was healthy as can be and was about 3 inches thick (I like obese fish). Some people are very lucky and their AT eat everything right away, but I've also seen many, even at Baltimore that we couldn't get to eat anything. Post some pics ;-)
 
Not the easiest fish to take a picture of - always on the move!



Eyes are still slightly cloudy, but much better than they were. Spots are on glass not fish :)
 
In the last two years mine has grown from 4" to 7", first year he would only eat nori...finally during the second year he decided he loves NLS pellets. I'm hoping in year #3 he'll decide he likes something else ;-) But even in the first year when only eating nori, he was healthy as can be and was about 3 inches thick (I like obese fish). Some people are very lucky and their AT eat everything right away, but I've also seen many, even at Baltimore that we couldn't get to eat anything. Post some pics ;-)

Post a picture of your Achilles!
Wanna see this fat boys...it is your avatar ?
David
 
In the last two years mine has grown from 4" to 7", first year he would only eat nori...finally during the second year he decided he loves NLS pellets. I'm hoping in year #3 he'll decide he likes something else ;-) But even in the first year when only eating nori, he was healthy as can be and was about 3 inches thick (I like obese fish). Some people are very lucky and their AT eat everything right away, but I've also seen many, even at Baltimore that we couldn't get to eat anything. Post some pics ;-)

Holsteiner
what size tank is your AT in? can you please post a pic as would to see this AT. I had mine for 6 months now. he's about 31/2-4". He loves purple seaweed, mysis, LRS and just started to eat NLS pellets. Cant wait till he gets bigger and fattens up.
 
I posted some pics but they are probably a few pages back, here they are again. He's currently in a 6 ft 150, but we just ordered a custom acrylic 8 ft 300 to upgrade to...wasn't expecting him to grow quite this fast ;-)
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We've had him about two years now and the only things he will eat at this point are nori and NLS pellets. Each year he seems to add one more thing to his diet ;-) Continually trying Rod's and mysis. The purple tang he's with eats everything, so I was hoping he would catch on...but not so.
 
We've had him about two years now and the only things he will eat at this point are nori and NLS pellets. Each year he seems to add one more thing to his diet ;-) Continually trying Rod's and mysis. The purple tang he's with eats everything, so I was hoping he would catch on...but not so.

Your AT looks amazing...mine is eating well so hopefully he will look like that soon! Btw i have a blond naso that is huge..his fav food is nls pellets and nori.!
 
Thanks, that's good advice! It's funny, my AT goes bonkers for spirulina brine, samples nori, occasionally tries mega marine, but completely ignores anything else. You are right, though, at least it is eating something! I think I will keep it in my intro tank for a while so it can slowly fatten up.

How much are you feeding him? I have one in QT right now also that is eating pretty much only spiriluna brine. He gets a cube a day. I wet and mush up 4 kinds of nori with it and he gets some of that while eating the brine but will not take it as straight nori.
 
How much are you feeding him? I have one in QT right now also that is eating pretty much only spiriluna brine. He gets a cube a day. I wet and mush up 4 kinds of nori with it and he gets some of that while eating the brine but will not take it as straight nori.

I use QT as much for fattening up a new fish as for disease prevention. Since I don't worry all that much about water quality (other than ammonia), I basically feed fish in my QT multiple times per day - 10 would not be unusual. With the AT, I am probably giving it at least a cube of brine per day, maybe more.
 
He's cute as can be ca1ore! He'll grow fast and can't wait to see pics as he gets bigger ;-) I'll be curious to see when he starts eating more variety for you.
 
Holsteiner, that first shot of your AT always gives me a good laugh - so chubby and the front on shot almost makes it look like a bird.
 
You're not the first to say that ;-) He looks like he has a huge beak in that pic. I had to video him and then break it down slide by slide to get that shot, nobody ever believed how obese he was... LOL
 
Probably pulling the trigger on one this week, whats a good QT regiment for them? Any sensitivity to copper or prazi, etc? Will go into my 40b QT with a juvi emperor, darwin clown, and my girlfriends tibicen angel...
 
Happy to report that my AT now has clear eyes - no more cloudiness. Not entirely sure what it was. Still cannot get the darn thing to eat anything other than spirulina brine (which it eats voraciously). Hopefully it will cotton on to nori when I eventually get it into the main display.
 
Happy to report that my AT now has clear eyes - no more cloudiness. Not entirely sure what it was. Still cannot get the darn thing to eat anything other than spirulina brine (which it eats voraciously). Hopefully it will cotton on to nori when I eventually get it into the main display.

Have you tried soaking the Nori in Selcon. Mine loves it and it's healthy for them.
 
Have you tried soaking the Nori in Selcon. Mine loves it and it's healthy for them.

Yip, have tried everything I can think of. I don't think there's a frozen food made that I don't have at this point :) Good news is AT is fattening up OK on just spiru brine.
 
I posted some pics but they are probably a few pages back, here they are again. He's currently in a 6 ft 150, but we just ordered a custom acrylic 8 ft 300 to upgrade to...wasn't expecting him to grow quite this fast ;-)
1488255_10151852823928831_823110817_n.jpg

9a018baaf4a4df651548644c484ba727.jpg

I love this fish...bold black...With a contrasting red teardrop and a tint of purple...mines doing well after one yr...
 
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