Achilles care
 

Finally hes here!!!!! I have been waiting for this fish for a year and I finally got it yesturday!!!! I have heard rumors that hes one of the more demanding members of the Acanthurus clan and Often hard to acclimate. thats why I want suggestions from the pros. hes currently qt in my 29gallon biocube that is plumbed to my main tank. I tried some mysis and nori no luck, got more stress instead while I drop the nori in the tank. he got 2 ich in his shoulder and 1 on his eye. any reef medication that I can use? I hope hes better today. I will keep posting for update. ohh hes 3.5'' with tail.
day 1
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One of the things I would say an Achilles needs is lots of room compared to the average tang (only speaking from others experiences though) as they tend to be much more active than an average tang.

Whenever I have gone to Brads (untamed) place to see his 400G, the Achilles is always the most active fish in that thing!

Size isn't always everything :D He may be smaller than a Naso for example but I would argue he needs a bigger home just because of their behavior.

Most reputable sites and a few threads I have read about them on RC have one thing in common and its the large tank requirement to keep them stress free and therefore ich free...but I know a few people are going to jump all over what I am saying and want proof and others will argue about how theirs is doing fine in whatever sized tank. This is just generally what I have heard makes them so tough to keep.

After trying a Powder Brown for the first time a month back, I would say it was about the same thing...I even felt he was a bit much for my 200G because of how active he was :(

Good luck!

With the tang and this thread ;)

Try a wide variety of foods to get him eating before adding to the display. Expect ick, but provided you can get him eating he should be fine. I have had mine for over 2 months now and he still has ick, eating like a pig though so I am not worried. Congrats on the new fish, they are beauties.

Will he be joining any other tangs already in your display?

nope I dont have any tang in my display I think hes the only tang yet my fav that is going to my display

I have had mine now for about 4 months and it is doing great in our 225 gallon tank. As far as getting him to eat, he has yet to touch anything other than nori and algea thats on the rocks. It's about 3.5" and fat. I was worried at first too when he wouldn't touch any mysis, brine, clams, or any meat. But realized that he obivously can survive on just algea alone. There was another reefer from this board who got an Achilles from the same shipment I did, and his actually still has not taken to any foods put in the tank, it lives solely on grazing on the live rock. As far as ich, ours has barely shown any signs of it. I know that is rare for this fish, but we have only seen a few spots when it was first introduced. Since then it hasn't gotten ich, even when new tank mates are added. They are such a gorgeous fish and very entertaining to watch. I would say to continue to do what your doing and soon it will pick at something.

Good luck!!

mines pretty fat as well, How long you guys think I should leave in my qt tank for?

As he is going in a tank with no other tangs, I would say only a day or two given the size of the tank. Sounds like it will not get bossed/overly stresed by enting your system.

yes but I have an 3'' regal angel and 3.5'' bellus angel do you think they would boss him tho?

The achilles tang is a very difficult tang to keep.
Please read Robert Fenner's comments in his opinion of the worst acanthurus tangs to keep.
http://wetwebmedia.com/badacanthurusaq.htm

As you have already purchased him, highly oxygenated water and high salinity will increase your chances of keeping this fish alive.