While you can buy an 8" achilles Tang, they typically are 5-6 ". Mine almost 5 years and at maybe 6" spending most f its time in a 660g tank
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Adding Coral Beauty or Tang
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yeah but expensive fish and very likely to die not that i have had 1 just what i have heard same with powder blue 1st thing you search on google when you search "powder blue hard to keep"
"Powder Blue's usually run anywhere from $60 to over $100 depending on the size of the fish. As well as being beautiful, they are also quite finicky and can be very difficult to keep for even the advanced saltwater aquarium keepers"
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I know at least 12 people with long term achille tang ownership. While susceptible to velvet are a very easy tang. Theyre doing something wrong as this is the first ive heard " likely to die".
What makes a powder blue more difficult than the others?? Live Aquaria says moderate skill level, doesn’t seem like much would go into it. Also at 60% of the full size of 9in it states it would fit into the 55g, now would it work well with the lemon peel??
they swim ALOT and don't adapt to captive life so good live aquaria also states a 125 gallon not 55 i think if you put 1 in a 55 it would kill all you're fish imo i would put no tang in a 55 get a 4x2 tank then talk about tangs but ur tank u do u i guess
Yes there’s people with long term ownership but what works for one doesn’t work for everyone.
These guys are a nightmare tang for anyone who’s worked in an LFS generally, whilst they’re a stunning fish they’re susceptible to anything and everything.
I know more people who have lost these tangs to some ridiculous issue than I know who own them.
Things a lot of people are forgetting is the actual statistics. Fish don’t get 60% of their maximum wild size, they get 80%. Jay Hemdal did an experiment with several fish and found that they get around 80% of their size in captivity.
I disagree with a lot of what @vetteguy53081 has said. None of these fish are going to fit into a 55G long term and will certainly grow to be much larger than what he’s said. People seem to forget that that wild size isn’t something to just throw out of the question. I have seen yellows and purples that are 2x the size of our so called ‘average’ size in captivity and no they weren’t wild. The more you feed and mimic the natural habitat of our animals the more they will grow and hit their wild size. If your fish is stunted at only 1/2 its maximum size that tells you something, if it’s 3/4 of its maximum size you’re doing something right and that fish is thriving. Just look at @OrionN and his fish, those guys aren’t just thriving they’re living the best life anyone could give.
I cant say much more to make you think about putting a tang in this tank size however I hope you do think long and hard about what I’ve said and if you want to really go ahead with it.
I disagree with a lot of what @vetteguy53081 has said. None of these fish are going to fit into a 55G long term and will certainly grow to be much larger than what he’s said. People seem to forget that that wild size isn’t something to just throw out of the question. I have seen yellows and purples that are 2x the size of our so called ‘average’ size in captivity and no they weren’t wild. The more you feed and mimic the natural habitat of our animals the more they will grow and hit their wild size. If your fish is stunted at only 1/2 its maximum size that tells you something, if it’s 3/4 of its maximum size you’re doing something right and that fish is thriving. Just look at @OrionN and his fish, those guys aren’t just thriving they’re living the best life anyone could give.
I cant say much more to make you think about putting a tang in this tank size however I hope you do think long and hard about what I’ve said and if you want to really go ahead with it.
I don’t believe anyone said a tang would be well suited in a 55, except for the OP seeking confirmation bias. (we’ve all done that)
I likely steered this in the wrong direction with my sidebar asking about yellow belly royals. My plan for a tang is for a 125 and it will likely be a yellow or a purple.
55’s are a tough footprint because they seem big at first but I always found them tough to aerate and a 75/90 to be more usable
I likely steered this in the wrong direction with my sidebar asking about yellow belly royals. My plan for a tang is for a 125 and it will likely be a yellow or a purple.
55’s are a tough footprint because they seem big at first but I always found them tough to aerate and a 75/90 to be more usable
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Thanks @i cant think for your high opinion on my fish keeping skill.
55 gal tank is difficult to stock. It is too narrow and tall IMO. A 40 gal breeder or 65 gal is much better, but this is neither here nor there.
I would not add another angel or a tang in there.
If I am you, I would add a pair of Chrysiptera starcki, the Starcki damsel. I recently had an opportunity to get a harem of Starcki damsel at 30 dollars a fish and did not go for it. I have been kicking myself ever since. This is a stunning BRIGHT blue with a lot of yellow on the fish. They look just like one of the dwarf angels.
Research on these fish and I am sure you will be happy with your purchase, if you can get them.
55 gal tank is difficult to stock. It is too narrow and tall IMO. A 40 gal breeder or 65 gal is much better, but this is neither here nor there.
I would not add another angel or a tang in there.
If I am you, I would add a pair of Chrysiptera starcki, the Starcki damsel. I recently had an opportunity to get a harem of Starcki damsel at 30 dollars a fish and did not go for it. I have been kicking myself ever since. This is a stunning BRIGHT blue with a lot of yellow on the fish. They look just like one of the dwarf angels.
Research on these fish and I am sure you will be happy with your purchase, if you can get them.
You say a pair? I read something that said they are aggressive towards their own.
It sounds like I made a mistake with a 55g, I thought it was big but not big enough. With that said how should I continue with stocking the 55?? I don’t have much in there and looks empty, but I’m also taking my time with it. Thought about getting a Saddle Valentini Puffer.
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I always keep damsels in pair or trio in large tank. I actually never keep Starchi, just wish that I bought them because they are large 3ish inches fish. Damsels always spawn in my tank. I don’t think Starchi is that much different other than the fact that they are larger and beautiful.
What’s the idea for it?
Do you want a tank that looks like you took a piece of the ocean and put it into a box?
Or are you after something that has beautiful fish that stand out?
I owned an LFS and never had one that was a problem fish as its all in the management of the fish and how the tanks are managed and prepped for disease. Disease is on the owner- not the fish. As mentioned- they are susceptible to velvet
We discussed fish and size and Never did I say this fish is a good fit for a 55 gallon as its not. Ive seen over the last three decades or more tangs like dussomieri, unicorn at 20 or more inches. Sailfins at easy 8-10" and many others.
Many text shows hepatus at example at 1 foot long. At 80%, show me documented 10" hepatus. They say porcupine puffer attains 12" - Diving, ive seen 3 footers
With this I want fish that stand out, my goal after this is to try a reef tank. Something bigger so I can get bigger fish.
There’s a Scott Michael book that has community suggestions based on tank size. (101 best saltwater fish) One that stood out to me as a 55 is a single huma huma.
these tank suggestions have few fish and may be wrong but I’m using it as a loose framework
these tank suggestions have few fish and may be wrong but I’m using it as a loose framework
Honestly, big fish aren’t always great. I thought the same a few years ago of wanting a large tank for these big beautiful fish. If I’m honest, these big beautiful fish all come with a price or two and that price isn’t always a fun one to pay. Large angels are beautiful (and yes I own two) but reality is many are aggressive and the same occurs with tangs.
My assumption is with a larger tank I can do a tang, but wouldn’t it allow me to also do multiple dwarf angels also? Being that it’s a bigger tank more room for them to avoid each other?
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