Should I get a dussumieri tang (acanthurus dussumieri)

jjk_reef00

jjk_reef00

New member
I was researching the Flowleri tang because I saw it on another thread and I found the dussumieri tang (acanthurus dussumieri) and really want to get one. I would like to know what you guys think about me adding this to my existing tank:
280 gallons 96” x 30” x 24” (LxWxH)
Reefkeeping magazine says it can get up to 21”
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-11/fish/index.php

My tank is set up in a peninsula style. There are 2 peninsulas, 1 is approx 3 to 4 feet long and the other is about 2 feet long. I have about 17” separating the 2 and the stingray has room to lie completely flat almost everyplace except where the 2 rock formations stand.
So there is a lot of room on all sides and my Naso and stingray can pass each other going opposite directions on either side of the peninsula with ease.

Here is my current stocking list:
All my fish are very well fed 4-5 times a day (stingray 2 times a day) and I don't have any aggression except my emp chases my damsel because the damsel tried attacking the emp when it was introduced. (Maybe he'll eat him when he's full grown LOL)

7” male naso tang (has small streamers)
10” California stingray
4” rabbit fish
4” juvenile emperor angel (barely starting to develop white lines, for transforming color)
4” purple tang
2 clows
2 damsels
1 lawnmower bleeny
1 wrasse

On this tank I have a ETSS 5000 and a 120 gallon sump because I’m planning on upgrading to a 500 gallon+ tank when I move in 4 to 5 years.

So considering my current tank setup can I add this fish?
I plan on changing the rockwork and I have a 55 gallon QT which I may transfer the purple tang into when I’m ready to add the new dussumieri. The purple tang will be placed back in the DT after a few days. (I’ve heard this can lower aggression).
How do you think my exiting tangs will react if I add this fish?
Any recommendations or suggestions?
 
Last edited:
I'm also looking for how to distinguish them. Here is what I have so far (thanks new rc search engine) :)

Duss's will have yellow dorsal fin and a yellow stripe in the tail. Blochii's dont have any yellow on their tail or dorsal fin.

just make sure of the white tail spike, and the yellow to white to blue tail coloration pattern.

dussmieri's are the only one's with a bright white tail spike. Blochii definitely have a black spike as juvi's, not sure about xanthopterus (eye-stripe) though, adults have a black spike. Duss's are also the only ones with the three colors on the tail, though that's adult coloration, I guess if you see yellow, white and blue on the tail, it's a duss!

The yellow dorsal fin, yellow ring on the tail and white caudal spines are what you need to look for


The following is what RGBMatt posted, and is what I'm going to follow for identifying the fish (Thanks!!!) :

True dussumieri tangs have a white tail spine which is quite obvious - if the spine is black, it's not a dussumer. Real dussumers also have a yellow tail ring and larger eyes. For a fish with a black spine, it's a blochii if the pec fins are gray and a xanthopterus if the pec fins are yellow.

You can't rely on fin & body colour to distinguish these fish, especially on juveniles - blochii & xanthopterus can look almost identical in that respect. The white spine & yellow tail ring are the real things to look for.
 
Last edited:
Here is a pic of my tank and you can see my skimmer next to it. 7 foot skimmers are hard to hide without a fish room :) One of these days I'll have to put together a build thread (I have all the pics) but I've been really busy...
The stingray and the naso just passed each other at the front of the tank with plenty of space.
<a href="http://s651.photobucket.com/albums/uu234/jjk_reef00/?action=view&current=DSCN0607.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu234/jjk_reef00/DSCN0607.jpg" border="0" alt="Full tank shot with skimmer"></a>

Here is an amazing picture of the full grown fish:
whitespine-surgeonfish_mike-bartick.jpg
 
Last edited:
They are one of my favorite fish and they have a great personality. The down size is that they grow very fast.
 
and, if you wouldn't mind, where did you get him/her from, or do you have any suggestions on finding a particularly beautiful one? Some are great (like yours), and others seem somewhat drab to me!
 
your tank may be to small for a dussumeiri with those existing fish, but will be fine for your 500 gallon. Unless you can get one in the 4-5" range i would pass.

The key to look for on dussumeiri's is the white caudal spine and yellow tail. Only the duss's have the white spine! Blochii and xanthopterus are interchangeable usually, but the xanthopterus are much nicer when bigger and look like a cross between the duss and a blochii1
 
Australian ones are nice, but no different than Hawaiian ones. Ive seen both in the 16-20" range and they look almost identical barring any subtle differences all fish have with this much color and patterns.

We carry 4-10" ones consistently, ill start taking more pictures as they are one of my favorite fishes.
 
Recty-

What kind of tank space is neccessary for a sub adult around 4-5''? any tips for keeping these guys happy?
 
I ended up getting a yellowin and it grew from 6" to almost 14" in a year and a half. It looked very out of place in my 300 and made my 11" queen angel look small. Mine also became exponentially more aggressive as he grew. I think a big part of this was that he felt cramped. I would say 10' x 4'.
 
jjk_reef00 said:
I ended up getting a yellowin and it grew from 6" to almost 14" in a year and a half. It looked very out of place in my 300 and made my 11" queen angel look small. Mine also became exponentially more aggressive as he grew. I think a big part of this was that he felt cramped. I would say 10' x 4'.
Click to expand...

are you talkin about a dussumieri?
 
las said:
Recty-

What kind of tank space is neccessary for a sub adult around 4-5''? any tips for keeping these guys happy?
Click to expand...
I replied back to your PM!

jjk_reef00 said:
No but very similar species. Maybe Recty or some other can confirm my thoughts.
Click to expand...
Yep, I agree with what you said. My dussu went from 6" to 10-11" in less than a year. I was thinking I had it a year but I actually think I had it about 8 months and it was still gaining girth and length rapidly. Friends of mine that only came over once a month or so always commented on the growth of the fish between visits.

I said in my PM that my 11" dussu was making my 6 foot 210g tank seem barely adequate in size. I had to leave the hobby for a little bit so I sold himto someone with a 650g tank, but even if I had stayed in and kept my 210, I think within another 6 months or so at that growth rate I would have needed to rehome it.
 
Beautiful fish that I wish I can have. The guy at my LFS said he gets bigger than a naso tang and would be the last fish to add. Back then, I couldn't find much info about these guys on wet web media or on RC, so I passed on him (glad that I did, as a 180 gallon wouldn't be enough!).
 
Recty,

I thought you were the one that bought the Australian Dussumieri from NYaquatics since he mentioned it went to Alaska.
Your Dussumieri's coloration matches the ones he posted on his facebook account. Really nice coloration!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Tang attacking clowns
Replies
4
Views
1K
Uncle99
Uncle99
OrionN
Naso elegans, the Blonde Naso
Replies
1
Views
218
OrionN
OrionN
Timfish
More "Old" Reef Animals
Replies
5
Views
2K
Timfish
Timfish
beckya
purple tang
Replies
1
Views
161
OrionN
OrionN
JeannineC
Fish suggestion
Replies
19
Views
2K
rwbroadnax
R
Back
Top