achilles tang

Just Jim · #1 09/10/2005, 03:49 PM

My lfs is getting these in this week, and I've been on the bubble about getting one of these. Anyone have one for a while, without your story ending in, "I had to take it back to the lfs or it died?"

GovtCheese · #2 09/10/2005, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by goldenboy
Anyone have one for a while, without your story ending in, "I had to take it back to the lfs or it died?"

all four of my experiences have ended w/ one of the above... mostly the latter

GovtCheese · #3 09/10/2005, 04:30 PM

achilles tangs are deemed as being extremely sensitive and hard to care for... they are also known to being highly susceptible to ich ("ich magnet")...
They are usually reserved for "experts only"
which I believe we all think we are at some point

Just Jim · #4 09/10/2005, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GovtCheese
achilles tangs are deemed as being extremely sensitive and hard to care for... they are also known to being highly susceptible to ich ("ich magnet")...
They are usually reserved for "experts only"
which I believe we all think we are at some point

OOOOh, but I am....

Dunno, everyone thinks at some time that they'll be the one to "get lucky" Like blue linkias, sometimes you'll see a story where someone claims they've had it in they're tank for 3 years and it drives you nuts

I have a lot of luck with wrasses, keeping a few species, including 2 different species of leopards. $65-$80 is a lot to risk though.

Just Jim · #5 09/10/2005, 05:39 PM

In your 4 exp. were they all healthy and eating well when you bought them? Or were they the ol' crap shoot online dealers???

paulpp187 · #6 09/10/2005, 05:41 PM

i have had mine for years now no problems.but they are extremely hard to care for and devolp ich very easy.

GovtCheese · #7 09/10/2005, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by goldenboy
OOOOh, but I am.... Dunno, everyone thinks at some time that they'll be the one to "get lucky" Like blue linkias, sometimes you'll see a story where someone claims they've had it in they're tank for 3 years and it drives you nuts I have a lot of luck with wrasses, keeping a few species, including 2 different species of leopards. $65-$80 is a lot to risk though.

I feel your frustration my friend.

I happen to buy my achilles from a decent LFS in San Francisco..
and I don't buy fish that have any discoloration, heavy breathing, non responsive when I wave my hand over the tank, or hides a lot...
I FW dip and quarantine all of them

all four were eating heartily, but low and behold a 2-3 weeks later, RIP...

my feelings are that they could possibly have had internal parasites... or the method of catching these fish could have been of toxic (cyanide)? so, I just don't know...

GovtCheese · #8 09/10/2005, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by paulpp187
i have had mine for years now no problems.

that good to hear

I may consider the possibility of buying one sometime in the future when I upgrade my tank to a 300ga

Just Jim · #9 09/10/2005, 06:23 PM

I see the ich prone magnet attached to a few fish such as powder blues. I don't see them being of any difficultly, but some do. Is this similar to this fish? Of all tangs, which would be judged as the hardest to care for?

dirtyreefer · #10 09/10/2005, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GovtCheese
or the method of catching these fish could have been of toxic (cyanide)? so, I just don't know...

Where are Achilles mostly captured? If it's endemic to Hawaii, I don't think it would be cynanide caught.

nickiwit · #11 09/10/2005, 09:28 PM

I think achilles are the hardest to care for of all tangs. Many people can successfully keep powder blues but not achilles. Both of my achilles died at about the 2.5 year mark. They broke out in ich constantly. We just left them alone and it would usually clear up.

paulpp187 · #12 09/10/2005, 09:42 PM

cynanide is an old method i don't think they do that anymore i think the epa has made it agaist the law i may be wrong but i read that someplace awhile back

emerald chondro · #13 09/10/2005, 11:35 PM

i think its against the law but that doesnt keep many people form doing it

Just Jim · #14 09/11/2005, 12:08 AM

still reading up on this. I'm seeing a lot of ich stories. People saying that they qt'd it and 3 months later "out of the blue" it developed ich. I always figure that people that have fish that develop ich, don't take proper care of their tanks. Let their parameters go to crap.

C-Water · #15 09/11/2005, 07:12 AM

I agree with others. They are ich magnets. (just enough to say, "rats, there's ich again on the Achilles, he just got over it") I kept one for a little over two years and it was so frustating to see the "spots" come back.

He was in a 120. He ate a good diet. Water quality - excellent with quality salt mix. Temperature was constant. But then I thought to change a few things. I raised the temp a little warmer (3-4 degrees over a period of week) and still ich returned. I tried increasing water circulation, aeration (dissolved O2), varied diet and rock work (with caves) to simulate more of the area they collected. And ich would appear, again.

Maybe it was the fish, or maybe something is missing in the water quality or maybe it was stray micro voltage (stress) and I didn't figure it out. A beautiful fish and someday I might give it another shot.

CrazyLionfish · #16 09/11/2005, 09:15 AM

Goldenboy I don't think someone letting their parameters go to crap is that big of a factor when a fish develops ich. Your tank either has ich or it doesn't. From what I've read a fish cannot get ich unless some certain chemical (don't remember name) is in the tank. This info was stated on here by someone that studys it for a living. And having high ammonia or whatever your refering as "crap paramters" would not create ich, but it would stress the fish, possibly giving them ick.

JENnKerry · #17 09/11/2005, 10:14 AM

I've never owned one. But if I were you, I would PM KC (aka Dragon_Slayer). He's been keeping tangs for over 30 years and he's had his achilles for quite some time. I know he could give you some great info.

Just Jim · #18 09/11/2005, 10:28 AM

Still not sure what I'm going to do. Love the fish, hate the drama. As far as ich is concerned, I've never experienced any problems, using hypo. When we have so much invested in a tank the mere thought of a meltdown is beyond scary. My 20g qt tank can't host all my fish from my 240g.

JENnKerry · #19 09/11/2005, 02:12 PM

Quote:

When we have so much invested in a tank the mere thought of a meltdown is beyond scary.

I think you found your answer then. There are a lot of other nice tangs you could get.

Shawnts106 · #20 09/11/2005, 03:50 PM

I too have heard some serious horror storys about these fish... Ive always wanted one... lol, just like my Moorish Idol! HAHA!

anyway!...

I was thinking of getting a small one, about 2 or 3 inches, and since I do not have a QT tank at my house, nor can I set one up I was thinking of QT it at my LFS that I work at... this way I can monitor it and, in the event that it does get covered in ICH and dies, it wouldnt be in my tank!

I trust the tanks at my work because We stay on top of things ( water changes and such)... so this is why I didnt think it would be a bad idea...

Plus smaller FISH have better success rates in captivity!

I duno , there is always a down side to everything... you just really have to weigh it and decide for yourself....

Steve Atkins · #21 09/11/2005, 07:41 PM

Would an Archilles Tang be considered more difficult than a Regal angel?

Steve

CrazyLionfish · #22 09/11/2005, 10:03 PM

I believe so. Many people have kept regal angels. I don't think theres more then maybe 1 person with a living Achilles Tang in their tank on this forum right now.

Steve Atkins · #23 09/11/2005, 11:05 PM

I am supposed to be picking one up from the importer in about 3 weeks time. I will have to think very seriously about whether to go ahead.

Steve

CrazyLionfish · #24 09/12/2005, 06:41 AM

Picking up an achilles or regal angel? (just making sure)

paulpp187 · #25 09/12/2005, 07:11 AM

Quote:

I believe so. Many people have kept regal angels. I don't think theres more then maybe 1 person with a living Achilles Tang in their tank on this forum right now.

mine has been in the tank for 2 1/2 yrs they can be kept but do your research first steady tank parameters are a must,good husbandry etc.