kole tang color fade or change ? (i hope) almost translucent ....

3bavboys · 05/12/2006, 12:28 PM

in the tank about 10 days (since last tuesday)
starting eating on day 2-
acts and eats just fine now - frozen foods - like mysys and then angel and butterfly diet
formula 2 - both pellets and flake - never touches nori on a clip, however-

other tank mates are doing fine also ( pr of clowns, coral beauty , 6 line, cc srtfsh, cleaner shrimp , diamond goby, and royal gramma)

tank is 90g fowlr - 80#LS, 100#LR - up about 3 months
water parameters are fine - no am or trites- trates about 30 (yes , bio-balls in a wet/dry) , ph 8.2 - temp 80

i feed a cube a day to the whole tank at night and then a sprinkle of either flake or pellets in the morning -

i dose on alternating days - selcon (.5 ml) and garlic xtreme (9 drops) -

is this his color change already ? (about 4" long, don't know how old , as previously stated i only have him 10 days)

is he sick (ick) ? (no visible white spots)

am i feeding to little for a tang ?

why else would his color be less deep ?

leebca · 05/12/2006, 01:12 PM

Tangs are herbivores and one of the touchiest fishes to feed and maintain properly through proper nutrition. I'd forgo the garlic and read this post for good guidance:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=785228

If the fish is off-color because of nutrition issues, it may require up to 3 months to correct it IF it is being fed its optimum diet.

Good luck!

Alaskan Reefer · 05/12/2006, 11:22 PM

I agree. If you don't maintain a diet strong in vegetation (nori is the best), tangs will lose color every time. My 3" powder blue goes through about a 6X6 square daily in two feedings and still snacks on the mysis and prime reef I feed the other fish.

You could try live macroalgae -- I feed my tang (and clown for that matter) a few strands of chaetomorpha from my fuge every few days and they really like it. Plus it's cool to watch them slurp it like spaghetti. Maybe yours will take live macro...

Either way, it will take months to restore color, but it's worth doing -- if you only feed a tang meaty foods it will likely die from malnutrition eventually.

leebca · 05/13/2006, 12:18 AM

A very intelligent post AR.

05/12/2006, 12:28 PM	#1
3bavboys Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 155	kole tang color fade or change ? (i hope) almost translucent .... in the tank about 10 days (since last tuesday) starting eating on day 2- acts and eats just fine now - frozen foods - like mysys and then angel and butterfly diet formula 2 - both pellets and flake - never touches nori on a clip, however- other tank mates are doing fine also ( pr of clowns, coral beauty , 6 line, cc srtfsh, cleaner shrimp , diamond goby, and royal gramma) tank is 90g fowlr - 80#LS, 100#LR - up about 3 months water parameters are fine - no am or trites- trates about 30 (yes , bio-balls in a wet/dry) , ph 8.2 - temp 80 i feed a cube a day to the whole tank at night and then a sprinkle of either flake or pellets in the morning - i dose on alternating days - selcon (.5 ml) and garlic xtreme (9 drops) - is this his color change already ? (about 4" long, don't know how old , as previously stated i only have him 10 days) is he sick (ick) ? (no visible white spots) am i feeding to little for a tang ? why else would his color be less deep ?

05/12/2006, 11:22 PM	#3
Alaskan Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 2,360	I agree. If you don't maintain a diet strong in vegetation (nori is the best), tangs will lose color every time. My 3" powder blue goes through about a 6X6 square daily in two feedings and still snacks on the mysis and prime reef I feed the other fish. You could try live macroalgae -- I feed my tang (and clown for that matter) a few strands of chaetomorpha from my fuge every few days and they really like it. Plus it's cool to watch them slurp it like spaghetti. Maybe yours will take live macro... Either way, it will take months to restore color, but it's worth doing -- if you only feed a tang meaty foods it will likely die from malnutrition eventually. __________________ Unattended children will be given double shot espresso and a free puppy. Current Tank Info: 125g FOWLR -- Conversion Back To SPS In Progress

05/12/2006, 01:12 PM	#2
leebca Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: So. CA Posts: 2,902	Tangs are herbivores and one of the touchiest fishes to feed and maintain properly through proper nutrition. I'd forgo the garlic and read this post for good guidance: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=785228 If the fish is off-color because of nutrition issues, it may require up to 3 months to correct it IF it is being fed its optimum diet. Good luck!

05/13/2006, 12:18 AM	#4
leebca Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: So. CA Posts: 2,902	A very intelligent post AR.