Achilles Tang

Just wanted to share my experience with the “tank conditioned” Achilles tang I got from Candy Corals.

Unfortunately the fish passed away the 4th day after receiving it shipped overnight(no delays). Looking back at the acclimation box photos, it was already pretty thin when it arrived, had weird bruise on side belly and never really took any prepared foods in my tank. I tried mysis, pellets and nori, but it mostly stayed in one area and gradually became less active.

To be fair, Achilles tangs are known to be very delicate and difficult fish even in established systems, so I understand losses can happen. My tank has stable parameters, strong flow, mature rockwork and other healthy fish, so I don’t think the issue was the environment itself.

What I will say though is that I personally don’t think this specimen matched what most hobbyists would expect from something labeled “tank conditioned,” especially for a high-end/expert-only fish.

On the positive side, the Bill Murray SPS frag I got from them was actually really nice — healthy, good color and a very generous size frag at around 2.5 inches.

For corals I had a good experience, but for fish, especially expensive or sensitive species like Achilles tangs, I’d personally recommend seeing the fish in person first and confirming it’s actively eating before buying.

I first want to give a big thanks to the crew at candy cane for sending me a beautiful healthy fish. When originally ordered I was advised the they wanted to wait until the fish met their standards for sale. He finally arrived in excellent shape and has adapted well in his new home. Very active fish with a big appetite. He is a beautiful addition to my tank. Thanks to Ariel, Dillon and the rest of the team