Attemping an Achilles tang

[quikenuff]

Hi all,
I’m going to attempt keeping an Achilles tang. I’ve been preparing for this fish for a couple of months. My display tank is 155 gal bow front mixed reef that has been set up for about 2 years. In preparation for the Achilles I removed many of my fish from the display which now only houses a blond naso, green mandarin, maroon clown and a pacific blue tang.
I set up 29gal bio cube for a quarantine tank that has been running for about 2 months with live rock sand and water all coming from my display. Water parameters all test well. Even put a few hard and soft corals in it just to be sure. They have been in there for over a month.
My questions are:
Is a 29gal large enough for a QT for an Achilles tang?
If it is large enough what is an acceptable quarantine period? I don’t want to leave him in there any longer than I have to.
For those that have Achilles tangs what kind of special attention do you use and did you quarantine yours?

Thanks in advance,
Quik

 

[Untamed12]

I have an Achilles in my 400 gallon. I did not QT. I suspect the Achilles will be challenged by your Pacific Blue Tang, so watch that. The Naso is no concern.

I would be concerned that your 29 gallon cube will be VERY hard on the Achilles. If you feel that you must QT then I would do so for the minimum time possible.

As you clearly know, the Achilles is a very active fish that requires a lot of space. It is also an ich magnet. Honestly, I hope your 155 has a lot of free swimming space and is not full of rock.

Good luck.

 

[forddna]

Just FYI, your QT shouldn't have live rock or sand. I was told any illness your fish may bring it will live in the rock and sand and your next healthy fish may contract them.

 

[kirkaz]

I would agree with untamed...I had an Achilles in a 135 for 7 years (5 with me, 2 with tanks previous owner). Tank was maybe a bit small, but had a lot of swimming room. I hate to advise it, but I would forego the QT in a 29 and put him in the DT, maybe I was lucky, but mine never got sick in spite of my "beginnerness" when I first had him. I also would worry about being with an Atlantic Blue Tang, Acanthurus Tangs do not tolerate each other very well in "smaller" tanks, I would rate the Achilles as one of the most aggressive Tangs there is.

Plenty of swimming space, good flow, and a balanced diet including "greens".

 

[quikenuff]

When I set up the tank initiallly I had the Achillies in mind. Should be enough swim space. The Pac Blue tang is small, not much bigger than my maroon clown. I don't suspect much trouble out of him, but you never know, will watch for it.

My display tank has been ich free since it was set up. I am deathly afraid of introducing ich via the achillies.

The 29gal QT is about the size or larger than most fish shops would kep the tang in presale. What do you guys think of a 2 week QT, should be enough time for the Ich to develope it's cystic state. but if the fish has ich the length of time it would take to cure the ich would probably stress the fish to much in such a small tank.

Man this is a lot of worry over 1 fish, but I want one bad enough to go through the trouble.

Quik

 

[nycreef]

NO QT in a 29! Straight to the display for him if you want to be safe.

 

[kirkaz]

Sorry, I miss-read and thought I saw Atlantic Blue, I would say Pacific Blue is a better combo (Paracanthurus genus) but still a bit iffy. I would just hate to see a $100ish fish die in QT when there is a perfectly stable 6 foot established tank waiting...Of course you would be cursing us if he did have ick.

Beautiful looking tank.

Achilles is worth the effort, my favorite fish I have ever owned, and once established I think very hardy.

BTW, this is what Mark Martin at Blue Zoo Aquatics writes in the description for the Achilles....I think he has the best descriptions out there.

"This attractive fish is considered a nervous swimmer as it frequently paces back and forth. Not providing a large enough space for this nervous fish to move around in will likely see a very short life span. Prefers turbulent water flow and a large open water column with unobstructed swimming space. Will frequently attack and harass other members of the acanthurid family â€"œ especially other Acanthurus tangs. It is best kept as the only tang (and possibly only large) species in your fish only or reef aquarium. Beneficial in helping pick at hair algae, Tangs will spend their day picking at rockwork in search for hair algae and other marine algaes to eat."

 

[Untamed12]

You've got a very tough choice because I'm sure that the Achilles will be carrying ich when you get him. As I said, they are just prone to it. (Mine has always had it off and on...whether this is a serious problem is a separate discussion)

I suppose you could give the QT a shot, but be prepared to cut that QT short and live with ich if the fish starts to decline in QT.

 

[forddna]

FWIW, two of my tangs showed ich right after going into my DT, and I treated the whole tank for two days and it was gone.

I think they would have shown ich if I had put them in QT, and possibly again when being moved to the DT. Stress is stress..

 

[jnc914]

I have had my Achilles in a 40 gallon breeder QT for the last month. Two days after I got him from Diver's Den, he got ich. I have had him in hypo ever since. I do weekly water changes religously and provide alot of flow for it to swim in. Also I keep it highly oxygenated. I have had no issues as of yet. 29 Gallons might be a bit cramped. Bottom line is you have to QT to be successful with this fish long term.

 

[mrwilson]

On somewhat of a separate note, what kind of flow do you have going in your display (or the proposed 29g QT, for that matter)? Looks like a couple of Hydor Koralias (4s?), plus your returns?

 

[quikenuff]

On somewhat of a separate note, what kind of flow do you have going in your display (or the proposed 29g QT, for that matter)? Looks like a couple of Hydor Koralias (4s?), plus your returns?

Yes, for the main tank return and flow. The QT tank only has the stock return pump and a hydor FLO on the output end. I had planned on adding a Hydor Koralia Nano to increase the water movement when if/when actually get the fish. Seems to be taking my LFS a long time to find a healthy one.

Quik

 

[twon8]

i would put more flow in the dt before i added an achilles. they come from surge areas on the reef and will benefit from chaotic water movement

 

[Untamed12]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12904170#post12904170 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by twon8
i would put more flow in the dt before i added an achilles. they come from surge areas on the reef and will benefit from chaotic water movement

Mine plays in front of my CL output. That's a 1" outlet directly connected to a Dart pump!

 

[jjjimmy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12904170#post12904170 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by twon8
i would put more flow in the dt before i added an achilles. they come from surge areas on the reef and will benefit from chaotic water movement

+1

Also, the Achillies is considered a very poor shipper. You would do best to find one at your LFS and have them put it on hold for you for a week or 2 if possible. This is one fish that I would never buy "sight unseen".

 

[quikenuff]

Agree as far as the poor shipper goes. My LFS picks the fish up from multiple local wholesale distibutors. They do weekly pick ups from the wholsalers and know what I am looking for as far as the health of the fish is concerned. They have been looking for a healthy Achillies from the distibutor for over a month. They have seen a couple there during the month but none healthy enough to sell me. I'm glad I started this thread as turbulence and "chaotic" flow are relitive terms. I'm getting good input here as it seems I will need to increase the flow/water movement in both tanks if I want the fish to be healthy for the long term.

My intent is to get the fish straight from the distributor via the LFS meaning I don't want them to house the fish in their system, as I suspect, do to the size of there containment tanks, and that I have seen ich on fish they have for sale although far and few inbetween, it would most likely get infected there with prolonged exposure to their system. I am also hoping that removing 1 more stressfull tank change from reef to tank will be benificial.

My LFS isn't really set up for exotic and delicate fish and are on the hunt for one as a favor for me.

Quik

 

[chrissreef]

i have an achilles in a 55g QT now. he's doing fine so far but LOVES to swim

1. remove LR/sand from QT tank and disconnect from main tank. You will likely need to hypo it or copper it with seachem cupramin (sp?). Sand will allow ich to reproduce in the sandbed - and both it and the rock absorb the copper which will make it next to impossible to maintain a consistent level.

2. 29g? no no no, he needs to swim. It's not a "would like to" - it's mandatory. My 55g isn't big enough to QT with imo but it's all I have. they aren't much but if you want the fish, you'll have much better success than a 29g

3. current current current - i added 2 maxijet 1200's into the 55g QT just to keep him happy. This is in addition to 3 emperor 400's

4. since you have fish in your display tank still, if they haven't gone through QT your tank might not be "ich free" - the fish you ahve are pretty hardy and can shake off a few if they ever get any.

5. i'd suggest adding other fish into the QT tank with him. chromis are good as they signal that the area is "safe" to be in when they are out - and when they feed, it signals to other fish to eat too. if you can get your naso out, i'd QT him with the achilles. they'll learn to eat w/ eachother, achilles will feel more comfy and you'll also help w/ any ich the naso might have in its gills that you can't see - or in the tank in general.

5. feed a lot, but watch ammonia. i feet 3x a day since he can't really graze on PVC piping in my QT tank.

6. pick him up right at shipment at the lfs or from an online supplier and go home w/ him. the fewer tanks he's tranfered into the less stress.

goodluck!

$0.02

 

[quikenuff]

chrisreef, How long have you had him in QT? Are you treating with hypo now?

 

[chrissreef]

he's been in for 4+ weeks... i had copper in from day 1 and removed it about a week ago. so far so good - I never saw a sign of ich.

i'm treating with prazipro now just incase he or the other fish have flukes/flatworms. after this treatment, i'm not sure if i should copper again or put in... still thinking about it. I need to read up on how copper works with the ich lifecycle.

 

[chrissreef]

also, i acclimated him about 2x longer than other fish (dunno if that's good or bad idea). he began eating the first day (he's still skinny)... but there were other fish in the tank that were already eating so i think that helped "show" him =)