dotcommer
Active member
In my opinion it's amazing and works incredibly well. dose it once and your done. No more crazy Testing like you do with copper.
A lot of info here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2136214
Achilles Tang Primer
- Thread starter BrianD
- Start date
In my opinion it's amazing and works incredibly well. dose it once and your done. No more crazy Testing like you do with copper.
A lot of info here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2136214
Been seeing a lot of Tangs on the thin side like this. My current convict tang, that I have had for 4 months is still thin - eats continuously, but doesn't seem to be able to gain weight.
Totally agree. Don't seem to recall anyone saying one shouldn't QT an Achilles Tang - at least, not anyone that knows what they are talking about
Cannot actually think of another fish that cries out for QT more than this one. Mine spent the better part of 5 months in various stages of QT. As much about getting it eating and to a healthy weight as managing diseases.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
Totally agree. Don't seem to recall anyone saying one shouldn't QT an Achilles Tang - at least, not anyone that knows what they are talking about
I think it was the previous page someone said they were told to put the AT straight into the DT or maybe it was up further on this page. I totally agree QT is a great time to get a fish fat and healthy where it doesn't have to compete with others for food. At the same time you can treat for disease or observe for disease whichever your preference is. I personally proactively treat for ich and internals
dotcommer
Active member
dotcommer
Active member
My display tank has Ich, the only two fish that have gotten have been my two Hippo tangs. A few spots that appear every now and then. None of the other fish have gotten it. I feed very heavily, a lot of different frozen foods and live clams. I also dose my food with selecon, and other various vitamins. I have a lot of fat fish
While I had my Achilles in QT, i did water changes with water from my display tank to expose him to water with Itch. This way if way if he would of had a breakout I could have treated him. Everything we can do to keep this fish alive should be done. This is an expert level fish and for good reason. It's very seldom you see this fish thriving in most reef tanks. This is a great thread and should be read by anyone looking to purchase this fish.
jbvdhp
Active member
My display tank has Ich, the only two fish that have gotten have been my two Hippo tangs. A few spots that appear every now and then. None of the other fish have gotten it. I feed very heavily, a lot of different frozen foods and live clams. I also dose my food with selecon, and other various vitamins. I have a lot of fat fish
While I had my Achilles in QT, i did water changes with water from my display tank to expose him to water with Itch. This way if way if he would of had a breakout I could have treated him. Everything we can do to keep this fish alive should be done. This is an expert level fish and for good reason. It's very seldom you see this fish thriving in most reef tanks. This is a great thread and should be read by anyone looking to purchase this fish.
I see your reasoning, but why would you expose a fish that doesn't have ich with water that has it? Seems counterproductive, although I see what you're trying to accomplish.
dotcommer
Active member
My reason was very simple. I purchased the Achilles to be placed into my Display tank as the last tang. I knew the tank had ICH since I had seen a few spots come and go on my two Hippo tangs. I QT'd my Achilles for 6 months and on several occasions did water changes from my Display Tank to expose the Achilles to the water with ICH. I also fed him a lot to build up his immune system and he had no competition for food. That's another reason for QT'ing fish. Think about what stress the fish just went though before getting to your home in such a short time. Capture, bagged, trip to holding facility, bagged again, shipped on a plane, to wholesaler, exposed to copper etc.. bagged again, shipped on a plane to your LFS, bagged again and brought home. Then you throw him into an established tank where all the other fish have staked their territory and don't like any new additions.
I would rather have him break out with Ich in a controlled environment when exposed to the DT tank water this way I could treat him. If I would have placed him into my DT without exposing him to that water and if he would of had a breakout of ICH, it would have been a nightmare trying to catch him in my 300 Gallon and exposing him to more stress during an outbreak by trying to catch him.
If he would have broken out with ICH every time I did a water transfer I wouldn't have placed him in my DT since that would have been a death sentence.
79chopperdr
I killed ALL that Coral!
I use similar tactics as dotcommer. I've had great results.
jbvdhp
Active member
Gotcha!
But if the Achilles was treated for ich completely in qt, and your DT was not ( I am assuming wasnt) how did the Achilles fare when you introduced it back into an infected DT? Or did I miss that the DT was fallow after exposing the Achilles and before introduction into the DT?
dotcommer
Active member
Gotcha!
But if the Achilles was treated for ich completely in qt, and your DT was not ( I am assuming wasnt) how did the Achilles fare when you introduced it back into an infected DT? Or did I miss that the DT was fallow after exposing the Achilles and before introduction into the DT?
My DT has over 40 fish and it hasn't gone fallow and still has ICH in it. Even though all of my fish are doing great, and I haven't seen the the Hippos with any spots in months, but there is still ICH in the tank. That is why I transferred water from my DT to the QT system, this way the Achilles could have the same water as the DT with ICH. If the Achilles would have broke out with ICH because of the water coming into the QT from the DT, I could have treated him in QT.
By the time I transferred the Achilles into the DT it was living in the same water from the DT and he was healthy and without ICH.
If there is any fish that will catch ICH, its the Achilles. However, a very healthy and stress free Achilles has a much better chance of not catching ICH than a newly acquired Achilles that hasn't gone through QT and dropped directly into a DT.
I have a good friend who has had an Achilles in a 180 Gallon QT tank for almost two years (of which is now the Achilles tank). Every time he tried to bring water from his 900 Gallon DT into the Achilles QT, his super fat and very healthy Achilles was covered in ICH within a few days. Even though not one fish in his 900 Gallon reef has shown any signs of ICH, the Achilles came down with it in a few days. We have discussed this and believe that their are different levels or strains of ICH, some stronger than others. Over the last two years he has done this twice and the same results both times. He immediately treated the QT tank with Cholorquine Phosphate and within a few days the Achilles was back to normal again.
Before I purchased my Achilles, he was going to give me his because there was no way for him get it into the DT and live. Plus in a 900 Gallon, good luck trying to catch him.
He had him ready to bring to my house and decided against it, because of a few very valid reasons. 1. The Achilles was doing great and super healthy in his 180 Gallon and he would hate to see it come into my DT, get ICH and possible die. 2. He would feel horrible if I put the Achilles in my DT tank and the outbreak could possible create a chain reaction and wipe out all of my fish. 3. Every time he went into the fish room, the Achilles had become this amazing pet that would greet him and get all excited to see him.
After the great results I have had, He may try it one more time with the hope the his Achilles may have built up some type of resistance to the strain of ICH in his DT tank. Time will tell, and maybe he will be in this chat with an Achilles success story.
jbvdhp
Active member
So you guys are building immunity for them then. Interesting concept. It's almost like a vaccine, but not really.
rishu_pepper
New member
I am in a dilemma and I was hoping to get experienced reefers' opinions on this situation.
My 8' tank is being delivered in less than 2 weeks. Basically the tank is built around an Achilles, which is available at my LFS (they have two, around 3"). They don't get them much, this is the first time I've seen them in 6 months. It is a reputable LFS and they have generally very healthy fish. At the moment I have put one on hold.
I have a 30g tank just holding live rocks that I was planning to set up as my future QT, but I had not anticipated this sudden appearance of the Achilles at the LFS. Being a long cycled tank with stable parameters, I can simply remove the rocks, save one or two, and use it as QT.
My dilemma is, if I begin the QT'ing process now, eventually I will want to add more fish into the new DT, but judging from all the experience I've heard/read, the Achilles should go in last, but I have planned several other fishes to go into this new DT. Some
Can I keep it in QT for 3+ months? Set up two different QTs perhaps? Or just stay patient and pass on the Achilles at the store until another time? I'm leaning towards passing because I want the best situation/environment for my showpiece fish, but if the majority thinks it's viable to keep it now in QT for a few months, then I am willing to consider it.
My 8' tank is being delivered in less than 2 weeks. Basically the tank is built around an Achilles, which is available at my LFS (they have two, around 3"). They don't get them much, this is the first time I've seen them in 6 months. It is a reputable LFS and they have generally very healthy fish. At the moment I have put one on hold.
I have a 30g tank just holding live rocks that I was planning to set up as my future QT, but I had not anticipated this sudden appearance of the Achilles at the LFS. Being a long cycled tank with stable parameters, I can simply remove the rocks, save one or two, and use it as QT.
My dilemma is, if I begin the QT'ing process now, eventually I will want to add more fish into the new DT, but judging from all the experience I've heard/read, the Achilles should go in last, but I have planned several other fishes to go into this new DT. Some
Can I keep it in QT for 3+ months? Set up two different QTs perhaps? Or just stay patient and pass on the Achilles at the store until another time? I'm leaning towards passing because I want the best situation/environment for my showpiece fish, but if the majority thinks it's viable to keep it now in QT for a few months, then I am willing to consider it.
Just put it in. In my experience, there is never a "last" fish. You will need to learn how to deal with the aggression when adding a new fish, but that is not too difficult. Acclimitization boxes, the mirror trick and re-arranging the rock work all help with that.
rishu_pepper
New member
Hmm I hadn't thought of that point. I guess there'll always be new/more fish that I/wife want eventually.
I plan to QT maybe 2-3 months with no medication, just observation, unless symptoms show. Will that be alright?
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
Within 40 days max you would see disease if the fish had it or signs of disease anyway. In systems that run a low dose of copper the disease will be masked for 30 days or so
The whole 'last fish' thing is one of those pieces of advice that gets regularly trotted out that makes perfect sense ..... until you actually think about it Ok, there may be a few extreme cases where it applies (Sohal) but for the most part it's just not practical. I did QT on my AT in a 30L for almost four months. Just put in a lot of flow.
Ok, there may be a few extreme cases where it applies (Sohal) but for the most part it's just not practical. I did QT on my AT in a 30L for almost four months. Just put in a lot of flow.
rishu_pepper
New member
Thank you for the insight.
Is there a particular problem to keep it in QT for an extended period of time?
If/when I add other fishes after the Achilles enters the DT, what are some good methods to avoid aggression? Acclimation box? Mirror? FWIW I don't plan to add any more tangs after this guy.
I saw the fish at the LFS yesterday and it already seemed pretty actively chasing other fish. I guess it's a good thing it's active but the aggressiveness is unwelcome.
Current stock list:
3" hippo tang
2x yellow tang, 3" and 5"
5" purple tang
2x Onyx clowns
starry blenny
2x chromis
3" melanurus wrasse
lyretail anthias
Future additions:
Achilles tang
one pair of fairy wrasses (flame, labouti, Naoko, haven't decided)
yellow jawfish
3-5 more anthias
one or pair triggerfish (bluethroat, sargassum, crosshatch, w/e)
flame angel
