How related are they?
Both belong to Animalia (Animals), and that is about all they share
They split at the phylum level: the Achilles Tang belongs to Chordata (Chordates), the Acan Lord Coral to Cnidaria (Cnidarians).
Find the Achilles Tang on the tree · Find the Acan Lord Coral on the tree
Family lines, side by side
Highlighted rows are groups both animals belong to. The marked row is where their lines go separate ways.
| Rank | Achilles Tang | Acan Lord Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia Animals | |
| Phylum split | Chordata Chordates | Cnidaria Cnidarians |
| Subphylum | Vertebrata Vertebrates | Anthozoa Corals and sea anemones |
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata jawed vertebrates | — |
| Parvphylum | Osteichthyes bony fishes | — |
| Gigaclass | Actinopterygii ray-finned fishes | — |
| Superclass | Actinopteri | — |
| Class | Teleostei Teleost fishes | Hexacorallia Hexacorals |
| Order | Acanthuriformes Surgeonfishes, angelfishes and kin | Scleractinia Stony corals |
| Suborder | — | Vacatina Robust corals |
| Family | Acanthuridae Surgeonfishes and tangs | Lobophylliidae Lobophylliid corals |
| Genus | Acanthurus Acanthurus surgeonfishes | Micromussa Micromussa corals |
| Species | Acanthurus achilles Achilles Tang | Micromussa lordhowensis Acan Lord Coral |
Care, side by side
| Fact | Achilles Tang | Acan Lord Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Fish · Tang | Coral · LPS coral |
| Care level | Expert | Easy |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Semi-aggressive |
| Diet | Herbivore | Photosynthetic |
| Favorite foods | Dried seaweed (nori) on a clip, Algae-based pellets, Spirulina-enriched brine shrimp or mysis | Mysis shrimp, chopped to polyp size, Brine shrimp, Fine coral foods such as Reef Roids |
| Max size | 9.4 in (24 cm) | — |
| Minimum tank | 180 gal | 20 gal |
| Temperature | 72–78 °F | 75–78 °F |
| Salinity (SG) | 1.020–1.025 | 1.025–1.026 |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Nitrate | — | 5–20 ppm |
| Lifespan | Not documented in the sources we checked; no published longevity study or reliable captive lifespan figure was found. | No fixed lifespan. A colony keeps adding polyps by budding and can persist for many years in a stable aquarium (much longer in the wild) as long as conditions stay good. |
| Breeding | Not achieved | Moderate |
| Conservation (IUCN) | Least Concern | Endangered |