Dussumieri Tang - colors and behavior

[yehudap65]

I am thinking of buying a Dussumieri Tang from another hobbyist – he's selling it because it's outgrown his tank.

The individual he has looks like this at the moment, but with a darker body color.



I have a couple of questions:

1) Is this the final color, or can I expect the colors to change? What is the likely final coloring?

2) Will the Dussumieri Tang be aggressive towards other tangs or to any other fish? Is it likely to cause smaller, more peaceful fish to become reclusive?

I assume that it’s reef-safe like other tangs

Thank you!

[jjk_reef00]

That isn't a dussumieri, dussumieri's have white spine:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-11/fish/index.php

Any of the large Acanthurus species need a minimum of a 300 gallon tank. They will eat much more than you could imagine any tang ever could, which means timid or slow eating fish shouldn't be kept with these guys. They can be somewhat aggressive when they get agitated but not as bad as sohal, or clown tangs. It would help if you could post current size of the fish along with some pics.
Here is a post with some pics of my yellowfin tang, which has grown from 4" to 12" in under a year:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1885348

[yehudap65]

The guy who owns the fish has him in a 5 foot, 170 gallon fish-only aquarium without much swimming room (too many rocks). Water quality may not be very high – he only changes water once in 3 months. The fish was about 4 inches long when purchased a year and a half ago, and is now at least 10 inches long.

I will try to get some pics (he doesn't live very close by, and he doesn't have a camera that can be connected to a computer).

[Jhockey]

What size tank do you have? What would its tankmates be? I agree its definitely not a dussumieri.

[yehudap65]

My aquarium is a 6 foot, 200 gallon reef (small for an adult dussumieri, I know)

Current fish inhabitants:

Blue cheek trigger
3 Yellow tangs
1 veliferum tang
8 squamipinnis anthius
10 green chromis
10 Pajama cardinal
10 Chrysiptera damsels (yellow tail and azure)
6 percula clownfish


planned additions:

Regal tang
Naso tang
Orangeshoulder Tang
Tennenti tang
Desjardini tang (may be a problem to add, I know)
Brown Powder tang

Also a number of smaller fish like royal grammas, midas blenny, kauderni cardinals etc.

[Jhockey]

All of that in a 200g? Wow. IMO your overstocked right now, I'd thin your current list out and don't even consider any other fish.

[john rochon]

yeh way to many fish in that tank/future fish.

[GrendelPrime76]

i figured he was kidding about the stock in the 200gal

[jaa1456]

thats 48 fish in there as of now, way to many for that ank.

[joeychitwood]

Nearly 50 fish in a 200 gallon tank and plans to add six more tangs and numerous other fish? Your tank is already way overstocked. Think again not only about adding the friend's tang, but also about reducing the number of fish in your tank. How long has this tank been up?