Achilles Surgeonfish / Acanthurus achilles

[skinz78]

Achilles Surgeonfish / Acanthurus achilles

Scientific Name - Acanthurus achilles

Common Name - Achilles Surgeonfish

Size - 9.4" (24 cm)

Min. Aquarium Size - 100 US Gal. (379 L)

Foods and Feeding - Varied diet of mostly vegetable matter, feed dried and frozen herbivore foods, marine algae, blue green algae Spirulina, zucchini, broccoli, leaf lettuce sushi Nori (dried seaweed. Feed 3 times a day.

Reef Compatibility - Generally reef safe, browses on filamentous micro algae, small fleshy macro algae, may nip at large polyped stony corals if under fed.

Captive Care - A large aquarium with plenty of swim room is a plus, turbulent water flow, can be aggressive towards own kind and other Tangs. Keep only one per system, will spend a large part of its day grazing and must be provided daily feeding of vegetable matter and marine algae.

 

[rapalaboy1999]

Achilles Tang (Acanthurus achilles)

This sleek tang carries an array of care and requirements, making it a challenging but rewarding organism for marine aquarists.

Sometimes when we look at the hobby, it seems as if Mother Nature has a unique sense of irony. Some of the hobby’s most beautiful specimens are also the most difficult to keep. Orange-spotted filefish Oxymonacanthus longirostris, mandarinfish Synchiropus splendidus, and Moorish idols Zanclus cornutus, They are animals that are strikingly beautiful but often very hard to keep alive in captivity. While a handful of thoughtful aquarists can often achieve a measure of success with these species, the majority of specimens do not survive long in home systems.

The Achilles tang Acanthurus achilles also represents a species that is beautiful and unique but also very difficult to keep healthy. Even its name has a certain mystique, paying homage to the Greek hero of the Trojan War. But sadly, the fish also shares that hero’s unfortunate flaw of vulnerability—while Achilles’ heel was the otherwise indestructible warrior’s weakness, it is feeding, space, stress, and the water’s oxygen that appear to make the Achilles tang very hard to acclimate and keep alive in an aquarium.

The Achilles Challenge

Calling the Achilles tang one of the more frustrating members of the Acanthurus genus is an understatement. Like many tangs, this species is highly susceptible to ich and HLLE. Many of the diet-related preventatives that are implemented work well with Achilles tangs, though getting them to eat can be challenging as well. They can also be very hard to successfully acclimate in the first place.

Despite these difficulties, it is hard to argue against the Achilles tang being one of the sleekest looking members of the tang classification. Their dark bodies and orange tail spot are perfect complements that make the fish a unique addition to any reef or fish-only aquarium. But the reality is that these fish are so difficult to maintain in aquariums that many retailers offering replacements for perished animals suspend that policy when selling this species.


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[rapalaboy1999]

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