agreeive?fish
New member
iam using the achillies to convince my wife to let me get a 1000g but iam failing at this point
Achilles Tang
- Thread starter garyw68
- Start date
SlowCobra
New member
Though I am a hypocrite, Achilles are truly better left in the ocean. It has an extremely abysmal survival rate in captivity. Yes it is a beautiful fish. Yes I have one. I did a TON of research into what actually gives you the best chance of having one survive LONG term.
Achilles come from areas that have constant crashing waves over tons of rock. To keep them in captivity it requires at minimum 40-50 times turnover inside the tank. They require a ton of rocks with lots of cave like areas to swim in and out of. They also require a LOT of algae throughout the day in addition to regular food at least 2 times a day.
They are swimmers and need a LARGE tank with lots of open swim space in the front and the back. Yes some people think a 90 is large. It isn't. I use a 90 as a QT tank. I have had mine for about a year. I received him and immediately upon acclimation to my QT tank he already started to break out in ich. Unfortunately due to laziness on my part about 9 months or so later I added some fish without QTing them. Another ICH outbreak. I mention this because if you even partially suspect your tank has ich. Put everything through a hypo treatment and leave the tank fallow for at least 6 weeks. QT the Achilles at the same time then re-introduce everything to a clean tank. It is easier to be pro-active than reactive when it comes to the Achilles.
Achilles come from areas that have constant crashing waves over tons of rock. To keep them in captivity it requires at minimum 40-50 times turnover inside the tank. They require a ton of rocks with lots of cave like areas to swim in and out of. They also require a LOT of algae throughout the day in addition to regular food at least 2 times a day.
They are swimmers and need a LARGE tank with lots of open swim space in the front and the back. Yes some people think a 90 is large. It isn't. I use a 90 as a QT tank. I have had mine for about a year. I received him and immediately upon acclimation to my QT tank he already started to break out in ich. Unfortunately due to laziness on my part about 9 months or so later I added some fish without QTing them. Another ICH outbreak. I mention this because if you even partially suspect your tank has ich. Put everything through a hypo treatment and leave the tank fallow for at least 6 weeks. QT the Achilles at the same time then re-introduce everything to a clean tank. It is easier to be pro-active than reactive when it comes to the Achilles.
tangers
New member
very well said!
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13271675#post13271675 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SlowCobra
Though I am a hypocrite, Achilles are truly better left in the ocean. It has an extremely abysmal survival rate in captivity. Yes it is a beautiful fish. Yes I have one. I did a TON of research into what actually gives you the best chance of having one survive LONG term.
Achilles come from areas that have constant crashing waves over tons of rock. To keep them in captivity it requires at minimum 40-50 times turnover inside the tank. They require a ton of rocks with lots of cave like areas to swim in and out of. They also require a LOT of algae throughout the day in addition to regular food at least 2 times a day.
They are swimmers and need a LARGE tank with lots of open swim space in the front and the back. Yes some people think a 90 is large. It isn't. I use a 90 as a QT tank. I have had mine for about a year. I received him and immediately upon acclimation to my QT tank he already started to break out in ich. Unfortunately due to laziness on my part about 9 months or so later I added some fish without QTing them. Another ICH outbreak. I mention this because if you even partially suspect your tank has ich. Put everything through a hypo treatment and leave the tank fallow for at least 6 weeks. QT the Achilles at the same time then re-introduce everything to a clean tank. It is easier to be pro-active than reactive when it comes to the Achilles.
tangers
New member
(4x1200)+(2x295)+750 (750 for the return-you have to take into account head pressure). that all equals approx 6140 gph. then you divide that by the number of gallons in tank- 6140/180=34.1 times turnover. I would say you need more. I have about 56 times turnover in my 160 (super dart closed loop, snapper return, 2x koralia 4's) and I would want more to step into an achilles.
SlowCobra
New member
If that is the flow you have in a 180, no you do not have enough flow to keep an Achilles happy. Having used the K4's I do not think they provide anywhere near enough flow from them, especially in a 6 ft tank. In a 4ft tank they are decent at best. Right now mathematically you have about 33 times turnover. That is with figuring about 700gph from the return factoring in head loss and all 6 of your powerheads at peak flow. Realistically you have probably 28-30 times turnover. My current turnover rate is about 65 times turnover. I have 4 Tunze 6000's, with the ability to turn 2 of them into 6100's if needed. I also have a Panworld PS200 for the return pump.
Achilles essentially need the same tank environment as a stable WELL ESTABLISHED HEALTHY SPS tank. See what I put as the requirements in my earlier post.
Unfortunately too many people take the "it's such a pretty fish" approach with them and don't even come close to having the requirements to keep it long term.
Due to spinal surgery I was forced to downsize my tank from a 210 to a 125. I know full well the 125 is a bit too small for the Achilles however I did my best to make it do for the next year until I can upgrade to an 8ft tank. I eliminated half of my livestock during the downgrade. I also, instead of using my 90, bought a 6ft tank just to give the Achilles swimming room. Yes I configured an entire tank around 1 single fish.
Achilles essentially need the same tank environment as a stable WELL ESTABLISHED HEALTHY SPS tank. See what I put as the requirements in my earlier post.
Unfortunately too many people take the "it's such a pretty fish" approach with them and don't even come close to having the requirements to keep it long term.
Due to spinal surgery I was forced to downsize my tank from a 210 to a 125. I know full well the 125 is a bit too small for the Achilles however I did my best to make it do for the next year until I can upgrade to an 8ft tank. I eliminated half of my livestock during the downgrade. I also, instead of using my 90, bought a 6ft tank just to give the Achilles swimming room. Yes I configured an entire tank around 1 single fish.
SlowCobra
New member
You will want to get the controllable Tunze. Do it once and do it right. 6101's are the smallest one you can buy new. It has a switchable transformer to act as either a 6000 (18xxgph)or a 6100(31xxgph). In my 210 I used 2 6000's in the center and 2 6100's at the ends. Anything more than that and it was a constant sand storm.
SlowCobra
New member
Yes you will be good. Hopefully you got them with the controller. Or look in the Selling forum to get a used one. Also you may have to change the Voltage chip from 24 to 15 on 2 of them. I could not run 4 6100's in my 210 which is the same length and width of your 180. It constantly beat the sand out of the center of the tank.
garyw68
New member
why would I need to change the chip in two of them? cant I just reduce the flow in them? also... i did not order an controller. is it necessary that I have one? sorry for the newby questions but I am just not familer with these pump...up until now...it was always mjets and koralia's
SlowCobra
New member
The controller helps to simulate a natural ocean environment much much much easier. The closer you can get to the natural environment the healthier the tank is. The chips come with the powerheads. The middle 2 end up putting out way too much flow, at least if you like having sand in the middle of the tank, so it is easier to slide a chip out of the power transformer. You don't want to just turn the flow all the way down on them. It completely defeats the purpose of buying them. They truly are meant to have a controller behind them. I love having both an Aqua Controller and the ability to control my powerheads. I change the flow of the powerheads every other day or every third day. The ocean isn't constant in it's flow and I feel a tank shouldn't be either.
kirkaz
Jade
Thought I would throw in my 2 cents about the Achilles, I had one for 5+ years, in fact he was in the tank for an additional 2 years as well before I got him (the tank came with the home we bought). This was the first SW fish I owned (along with the Huma that came with the tank as well) I find this fish very very hardy once established he survived many screw ups made by me as a beginner, again this is once they get established, that's the key. I only had about 15X turnover in my FO tank, but I agree they would prefer more. If your PH dips, this fish will let you know in a hurry, mine was not bothered much by nitrates, I had a wet dry and they were regularly around 80+ ppm. This is the most aggressive fish toward new fish I have ever owned, and you can see in my profile I currently have some bruisers. This is also hands down my all-time favorite fish I have ever owned, loads of personality, stunningly beautiful, and in constant motion.
Good Luck with yours.
Good Luck with yours.
BigJay
New member
I thought that 7 years is a good lifespan for a marine fish no?
I have a pair of vortechs running full reefcrest random mode, and a dart plumbed into a pair of eductor returns for flow on a six-foot 180 gallon.
I've been considering an achilles as my "one and only" centerpiece tang. Would he have enough flow to be somewhat satisfied?
I have a pair of vortechs running full reefcrest random mode, and a dart plumbed into a pair of eductor returns for flow on a six-foot 180 gallon.
I've been considering an achilles as my "one and only" centerpiece tang. Would he have enough flow to be somewhat satisfied?
