Dussumieri Tang...anybody have one?

[jenzabear]

Hi,

I have been making a fish wish list recently and I would really love to get a Dussunmieri Tang one day. There is not very much information about this species that I have found online...does anybody on here have any experience with them?

[cl2ysta1]

i do. it will outgrow your 225. they get 15 inches easy. I currently have a juvi that is about 3.5 inches. Here is a pic of the one at the LFS down here. They get quite beautiful as they get older. They are like big puppy dogs and in my experience are not agressive at all. They are also great cleaners!!!

here is mine

here is the large one at the LFS down here

[j7x7]

I have kept dussumieri before and will first off caution you that this is a species that is active and gets large fairly quickly so be ready if you get one. Juv and subadults are basically grey, around 5-6" color starts to develope and starts to becomes breathtaking above 12". Feeding and behavior is pretty standard as with most acanthurus tangs. I would say they fall on the hardier side on the family. They prefer strong current so provide good water movement. I looked that you have a 225, be aware that this is a minimum and I would consider a larger home down the road if you choose to keep one. This are great fish except for the size they reach and the speed they reach it.

[xinumaster]

Here is my 12" palani.

[Reeftanks6]

Great looking fish> Would love ot get one but i dont have nearly as enough room as i should. But great pictures anyway guys.

[smellfishy]

I have had one for a few years now. It is one of my favorite tangs It will follow you arround the tank. He plays follow the leader with my male blonde naso in a 8'x3'x3' tank

[kirkaz]

Originally posted by xinumaster
[B]Here is my 12" palani.

I am considering this fish or a Sohal Tang as a final addition to my 240....Do you think yours is full grown? Too much fish for an 8 foot tank? How aggressive is yours? I have heard not as aggressive as a Sohal.

Thanks

[xinumaster]

Not really sure what the max size it will grow for this tang in captivity/aquarium. My personal observation on my dussumi is that it stop growing at 12".

I have a total of 8 tangs in my tank and the dussumi is the largest of them all. So far I don't see any agression. I think that is because everybody knows who is the biggest. However, sometimes I do see the dussumi chase the 7" orange shoulder tang but only for second. This that not happen all the time. Only when they bump to each other.

[jenzabear]

Thank you for all the replies, I have been so busy that this is the first chance I have had to get back to this thread. Those are some gorgeous pics! Was it a struggle to get one in? I'm from Canada and haven't seen 1 in the 2.5 years I've been in this hobby. I'm not sure what are future plans are as far as upgrading the tank goes but I definately want to give one a try, it will be the biggest fish in our tank for sure.

[cl2ysta1]

they sell themonline pretty regularly


www.reefhotspot.com has one in

[mpoletti]

He's only a week old (to me ). If you do decide to get one, try to get the ones out of austaralia instead of the hawaiian version that are a little more common. The auastalian will color up faster

[jenzabear]

Beautiful! Thanks for the info, I'm just hoping I can get one in...period. I have let all the LFS's around here know that I want one if they get it in so I guess it's just a waiting game now.

Reef Hot Spot doesn't ship to Canada...so that doesn't really help me out.

[cl2ysta1]

here is a better pic of mine

[las]

Are the Australian one really more colorful than the Hawaiian ones?

[CenterConsole]

I have one that has grown from 5" to 9" in about a year. They are just a huge fish all the way around. Mine is definitely the dominate fish but not really aggressive. Sometimes he even breaks up fights of other fish, as if anyone is going to fight it'll be him! Having owned both a sohal and now duss, I'd suggest the duss. Sohals are just way too aggressive.

[las]

I ordered a 2" juvi from PIA...I've got a 3 1/2" scribbled angel. I'm worried he will freak out and attack the duss... An advice here?

[angelfish7]

LAS
your DUSS will outrgrow the Scribbled in a hurry so i wouldnt worry about it. My Scribbled angels completely ignore my tangs. I had a Duss and he eventually became the dominant as he was larger than all the angels . I sold him to a friend with 10 ft tank. Great Fish ..was sorry to let him go.

[bullitr]

Yup
I had a 15" dussi before, it grows extremely fast on my friend tank before he gave them to me but even my tank is not big enough for it.

[las]

So my 2" guy will be ok in my 180 for how long?

[CenterConsole]

Maybe 2 years? They grow very fast.

[beachbreak]

These dussumieri were the biggest tangs I've ever seen. They made adult naso look small. Hard to tell from the image but these are adults and probably 18" long. These were in a massive public aquarium our reef club was touring. Absolutely beautiful but was to big for any reef tank I've ever seen at a personal residence.

[las]

What's the best food to feed them?

[jjk_reef00]

They will eat just about anything, and eat a ton.

[las]

Yes but what the optimal diet?

[jjk_reef00]

Nori soaked in vitamins, large size NLS pellets, frozen cubes, and a wide variety of frozen seafood shrimp, scallop, etc...
Feed at least 3 times a day.
I think a wide variety of foods and frequent feedings is good for any fish.