Accidentally got an Achilles tang

[C1-10P]

Well I have been struggling to find a white tail bristletooth tang locally. Ended up with some credit for an online vendor who had a white tail tang. It was a fair deal so decided to order my two tangs for my tank, a blue tang (I have a 6’ tank and willing to relocate if I don’t upgrade before it needs it). Here is where it gets interesting.
I received the package and opened it up, beautiful 2-2.5” blue tang…check
Beautiful 2.5-3” white tail tang…nope

absolutely stunning 3.5-4” Achilles tang……..
Part of me is excited because I have always loved them but didn’t consider them due to cost and stories of how difficult they are.

I contacted the vendor and they apologized and placed another order for a whitetail to come next week. So here I am I got them acclimated and in QT, copper power at 1.75 and added first dose of general cure.

I planned on raising the copper to 2.5 and maintain for 14 days with no signs of parasites.

reading on these fish is reaffirming my fears, part of me wants to keep the fish and give it my best shot, just not sure I am willing to do what it takes according to some of the members here, mostly running my tank fallow. I only have a 20 gallon gallon QT so it would be a lot of fish in there.

My other thought is to trade it in to my LFS, I’m sure I could get some good credit but don’t know guarantee that’s it’s going to get a better home that way either.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

LFS for credit or get it through qt (20 is too small for a 4" Achilles) and sell it QT'D

 

[Hairyteeth]

I would feel the exact way I’d I received that order…similar tank size

 

[Bfragale]

I’m in La. I send you a pm.

beautiful fish! I have room for him if your trying to get rid of him. Just let me know how much you want and let’s work a deal.

 

[C1-10P]

LFS for credit or get it through qt (20 is too small for a 4" Achilles) and sell it QT'D

I’m sure it’s not ideal but I can’t imagine that it would not be ok for a 3-5 week QT. They stay in similiar sized tanks in LFS all the time until sold

 

[C1-10P]

I’m in La. I send you a pm.

beautiful fish! I have room for him if your trying to get rid of him. Just let me know how much you want and let’s work a deal.

I will keep you in mind if I decide to sell.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I’m sure it’s not ideal but I can’t imagine that it would not be ok for a 3-5 week QT. They stay in similiar sized tanks in LFS all the time until sold

I suppose you are correct that it Could, but I stand by it being too small. I've got 20's and I've qt'd a gang of tangs.

That's not how I QT, and will be stressful on the fish, under full copper, and you mentioned other fish also in there.

When I Quarantine, I want the fish to be stress free, and get Fat.

Your QT may differ. That is a sensitive fish and you already know it. Crowding won't help. Small box won't help.

 

[C1-10P]

I suppose you are correct that it Could, but I stand by it being too small. I've got 20's and I've qt'd a gang of tangs.

That's not how I QT, and will be stressful on the fish, under full copper, and you mentioned other fish also in there.

When I Quarantine, I want the fish to be stress free, and get Fat.

Your QT may differ. That is a sensitive fish and you already know it. Crowding won't help. Small box won't help.

That makes sense, true that it won’t hurt to be in a larger and could reduce stress.

I think I’m the end I have always loved these fish and want to see this as an opportunity to defy the odds and keep one. And a larger QT wouldn’t hurt that at all. If I do decide to keep him I will try and source a larger tank.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

That makes sense, true that it won’t hurt to be in a larger and could reduce stress.

I think I’m the end I have always loved these fish and want to see this as an opportunity to defy the odds and keep one. And a larger QT wouldn’t hurt that at all. If I do decide to keep him I will try and source a larger tank.

A 40b is a great tank to have around as a backup/qt.

 

[Chrisv.]

I'd find a way to make it work and keep that beautiful fish.

 

[mfollen]

Achilles will be fine in a 20 gal QT for a couple weeks, just have a couple powerheads and ramp up the flow during the day.

You’ll need one with different flow settings. A cheap powerhead from Amazon with a simple control works.

Mine was riding flow and swimming hard every day in my 20 g QT. It’s now doing great in its 300 gal tank.

Keep the copper high (2.3) and I recommend h2o2 dips in between transfers. There is a non-ich / non-velvet nasty unidentified parasite coming out of Tahiti.

 

[C1-10P]

Well a quick update,

still can’t decide and mostly because the Achilles is doing great in QT so far. Hiding a bit but readily has accepted mysis, two different pellets and picked at some nori. Keeping a close eye on her but so far so good.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

From what I read, you have a 6ft tank (hopefully 180g). If so, I'd keep the fish until its outgrown the tank. That's just me . If that's a 125g, tough decision...

 

[i cant think]

Keep him, if he’s only staying a couple weeks in QT then that should be alright (Personally I would’ve dumped him straight into the DT after acclimation but that’s just how I’ve been doing it for the longest time and never had an issue with diseases not being treated naturally).

 

[vetteguy53081]

Huge bonus and a keeper on my behalf. Just assure a good quarantine for 30 days with either coppersafe or ruby Rally pro

 

[C1-10P]

He is in copper power and general cure already. Copper is now at 2.05, going to raise it tomorrow to 2.25. Thinking he’s going to stay, falling in love with this fish already. It’s doing way better than the blue tang.

 

[maroun.c]

20G q tank is a bit on the small side but doable for Qt.
Add some hiding places like pvc tubes so the fish feels secure and a few power heads as they like to swim in the current and that adds oxygen due to surface agitation. Try to feed lots of noria of the fish is taking it and soak it in vitamins to add nutritional value. Fish stomach seems full so believe it has been eating in transition to you... if fish is eating mysis try to crush mysis with pellets soaked in vitamins so u can transition it to pellets. Algae flakes are good to try as well.
Have water ready for water changes in case u get any Mmonia spikes with filtration bacteria being affected by meds.
Achilles is an active and aggressive yet sensitive fish. Mine is in a 400 G 7.5 ft tank and its growing fast so keeping them long term in.smaller tanks isn't a very good idea but that's a choice for you to take.
They are known to pace all day long back and forth through the tank to the point that they can make you disy watching them so that's something to consider as well. Mine luckily is a bit less active and behaves more like other tangs except for some times where he rockets in the tank from left to right a few times or stays in from of the MP60 running at full blast picking up algae.
A strong quality UV in the tank can help with the ice they get from time to time of its there in your tank.
They are amazing fish ( my preferred fish that I always wanted) so realize the temptation to keep it.

 

[C1-10P]

20G q tank is a bit on the small side but doable for Qt.
Add some hiding places like pvc tubes so the fish feels secure and a few power heads as they like to swim in the current and that adds oxygen due to surface agitation. Try to feed lots of noria of the fish is taking it and soak it in vitamins to add nutritional value. Fish stomach seems full so believe it has been eating in transition to you... if fish is eating mysis try to crush mysis with pellets soaked in vitamins so u can transition it to pellets. Algae flakes are good to try as well.
Have water ready for water changes in case u get any Mmonia spikes with filtration bacteria being affected by meds.
Achilles is an active and aggressive yet sensitive fish. Mine is in a 400 G 7.5 ft tank and its growing fast so keeping them long term in.smaller tanks isn't a very good idea but that's a choice for you to take.
They are known to pace all day long back and forth through the tank to the point that they can make you disy watching them so that's something to consider as well. Mine luckily is a bit less active and behaves more like other tangs except for some times where he rockets in the tank from left to right a few times or stays in from of the MP60 running at full blast picking up algae.
A strong quality UV in the tank can help with the ice they get from time to time of its there in your tank.
They are amazing fish ( my preferred fish that I always wanted) so realize the temptation to keep it.

Well sounds like I’m in the right track,

there are three 3” pvc fittings for him to hide in which he is doing. Added an extra power head and turning it on for a little bit at a time. (The blue tang seems to be struggling a little bit so trying to balance them both). I soaked some mysis in selcon this morning and going to try soaked pellets tomorrow, it has eaten both NLS and TDO pellets.

I have plenty of flow (Maxspect gyre 350 and 330, and thinking about adding another apex compatible to run some random additional flow throughout the day) in my 125g 6’ tank so going to try it and see how it does.

 

[bnord]

Sounds like you are the right guy for this wonderful fish - one of the only fish I would bud a tank around

So best of luck and please let us know how she goes...

 

[bnord]

Well I have been struggling to find a white tail bristletooth tang locally. Ended up with some credit for an online vendor who had a white tail tang. It was a fair deal so decided to order my two tangs for my tank, a blue tang (I have a 6’ tank and willing to relocate if I don’t upgrade before it needs it). Here is where it gets interesting.
I received the package and opened it up, beautiful 2-2.5” blue tang…check
Beautiful 2.5-3” white tail tang…nope

absolutely stunning 3.5-4” Achilles tang……..
Part of me is excited because I have always loved them but didn’t consider them due to cost and stories of how difficult they are.

I contacted the vendor and they apologized and placed another order for a whitetail to come next week. So here I am I got them acclimated and in QT, copper power at 1.75 and added first dose of general cure.

I planned on raising the copper to 2.5 and maintain for 14 days with no signs of parasites.

reading on these fish is reaffirming my fears, part of me wants to keep the fish and give it my best shot, just not sure I am willing to do what it takes according to some of the members here, mostly running my tank fallow. I only have a 20 gallon gallon QT so it would be a lot of fish in there.

My other thought is to trade it in to my LFS, I’m sure I could get some good credit but don’t know guarantee that’s it’s going to get a better home that way either.

and my father-in-law accidentally got an Achilles tear - you did far better