Orange Shoulder tang; disease, or natural change?

[michika]

This afternoon I noticed that the face on my orange shoulder tang has darkened, just above the eye. The tang was completely bright yellow on June 12th, 3 days ago. There are no abrasions, the fish hasn't been fighting or having problems with it's mates. So I've come to two possible conclusions; its a disease/illness, or its already starting to change to its adult form. The fish is just a tad bigger then an inch from mouth to tail.

These are the best photos I could snap, and of course the tang would only hang out in the cave once the camera came out. If you look closely you can see the darkening on its face.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/orangeshoulder_frontview.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/orangeshoulder_sideview.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/orangeshouldertang_faceon.jpg

Is my fish changing already? Does anyone know what the timeframe is for changes from the juvenile to adult forms? Or can someone direct me somewhere I can find one?

[michika]

A blurry photo, but the darkening is easier to see.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/orangeshoulder_closeup.jpg

[michika]

bump

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[christyf5]

I don't know much about orange shoulder tangs but I vote for transition. Heres a photo I found of one transitioning

http://www.aquatechonline.net/images/Acanthurus-olivaceus.jpg


You can see on the head how its darkening up some. Neat how it gets its orange "shoulder" first. I would just keep an eye on it. If its due to stress or disease you would see the whole body darkened and the fish might become more lethargic. Just the head makes me think transition.


Then again I could be full of it. :razz:

Maybe try wetwebmedia FAQs?

[michika]

Cool photo!

I did try WWM with no success. I've also googled as many ways as I can think to get transition photos. For the most part I'm seeing/reading that they start to develop the orange on their shoulder's first like in this photo:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/OrangeShoulder_4.jpg

Right now I am leaning towards transition, but my fish is a fraction bigger then 1" so it worries me. Maybe my fish is just an "early bloomer"?

Thanks for the input!

[naesco]

What are you feeding her and how often?

[michika]

My tank gets fed once daily, and I feed a huge variety of foods through the week. Nori is available constantly though.

Frozen:
-brine enriched with spirulina
-krill, she/it eats it, but its really for my sixline wrasse who goes crazy for it.
-mysis
-ocean plankton
-blood worms
-rotifers

Pellet/Flake
-Cyclopses
-Spirulina flakes
-New Life Spectrum
-Ocean Nutrition's Formula One

I also dose phyto (t.iso, and nano varieties) for my rather large clam population.

She/it eats really well, readily accepts just about anything, but doesn't really seem to like nori, as she prefers hair algae instead (no complaints!)

[naesco]

Well your fish certainly gets a variety. As long as it is plump and lots of greens which they need to thrive it should be OK and is probably a colour change,

BTW, the orange shoulder tang grows very large very quickly. It is very agressive and is rather drab as an adult. Mine did not eat hair algae.

Wayne

[michika]

I'm leaning further towards a color change now. Its face is a slight bit darker today.

I'm aware how quickly it will grow, and I actually chose the fish for its adult colors. I wanted something to contrast some of my other livestock choices. I have plans to move the tang to a much larger tank once its a bit bigger, stronger, and more likely to thrive in a larger environment with much stronger currents and flow conditions.

Do you have an orange shoulder tang?

[naesco]

I'm leaning further towards a color change now. Its face is a slight bit darker today.

I'm aware how quickly it will grow, and I actually chose the fish for its adult colors. I wanted something to contrast some of my other livestock choices. I have plans to move the tang to a much larger tank once its a bit bigger, stronger, and more likely to thrive in a larger environment with much stronger currents and flow conditions.

Do you have an orange shoulder tang?
I did have for many years. Bought it as a tiny fish.
I lost all my tangs except one in a move. A driver in front of me stopped suddenly, I braked and the transfer buckets went everywhere.

[michika]

That is the worse way possible to loose livestock. I had a similar fear the whole time I was moving my tanks a few weeks ago.

What kind of personality did your orange develop? So far mine is exceptionally social. I have heard as it establishes itself it may or may not develop serious agression, and become rather territorial.

[michika]

Another photo from today, something is definitely happening, because the tang's face is darker again today.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/michika/orangeshoulder_clear.jpg

[naesco]

That is the worse way possible to loose livestock. I had a similar fear the whole time I was moving my tanks a few weeks ago.

What kind of personality did your orange develop? So far mine is exceptionally social. I have heard as it establishes itself it may or may not develop serious agression, and become rather territorial.

It started as a very peacefully friendly fish. As it became a large adult, it became territorial and would fight with any similar new additions to the tank.

[michika]

It started as a very peacefully friendly fish. As it became a large adult, it became territorial and would fight with any similar new additions to the tank.

Thats what I figured it would turn out to be. I plan to add it in with my other larger tangs, and hopefully they will keep it in line.

Did you ever have any problems with it and smaller fish? Say a wrasse, or angel, dwarf or otherwise?

[FishFun]

We have a orange shoulder thats changing now, it awsome to watch. Everyday it gets a bit darker & has a electric blue trim on his anal & dorsol fins its really nice. Ill try get a picture but its kinda hard hes a busy fish. We have him with a blue regal & a yellow tang & they all get along just great. We have a peacefull tank. How big is yours & how big of a tank is he in? Our orange shoulder is at least 6" long in a 230g. Were not sure how old he is though. It would look like yours is starting the change but ours got is orange shoulder first befor anything else, hows is he doing?

[FishFun]

Also wanted to add that when a tang is added to a tank with fish the same size they will see the new comer as a food threat because of its simaler size, witch is normal, hopefully they will go easy on the newbe!!!When we added our powder blue there was some tension but nothing to bad :mrgreen:.

[michika]

The fish is in a 30g now, and she/it is just over an inch in length. Eventually the fish will be going to a much larger setup, but none of its tankmates wiill be conspecific.

The tank it will be going to has a Red Sea Sailfin, Yellow tang, Hippo tang, foxface, kole tang, CBB, mandrine, blue chromis, yellow damsels, clowns, and I think thats it.

The fish will be moving in around 6 or 7 months to what I hope will be a 600g+ system, if not a 1,000g, assuming I can find a suitable home to do this in.

I just worry that the fish is changing too young, as its still so tiny. Did you take photos when yours changed?

[FishFun]

Mine is in the middle of changing, I wouldnt worry about his colour changing to young, its normal for them to change a bit when stressd, mad or scared. Its just a reaction to something. All my tangs do it, my regal's black stripe turns gray when shes ticked. I would not worry. I will try get some pictures latter. As for tank size a 30g is ok for now, as long as it has a really good hiding spot. Mine has its own spot as well as the others so you should make sure he has a place to call home :mrgreen:

[FishFun]

Heres a couple quick pictures there not the best I didn't set my camera, just quick ones!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/1crazymaxxer/Orangeshoulder002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/1crazymaxxer/Orangeshoulder001.jpg

[michika]

The fish's head has been darkening progressively, and its not a startle reaction, like I would see in say my sailfin, or foxface. I'm really starting to think its changing since the coloration isn't going away. I figure if the tang grows faster then I expected then it can go to the larger tank that houses the rest of my non-nano worthy fish.

My tang lives in a rock. Thankfully its not like my regal tang who loves to cram itself into the smallest spot possible.

[michika]

Those are beautiful photos!

Do you have a tank thread started for your system?

[FishFun]

My regal is the same she wedges herself into anything she can & plays dead, its kinda funny. She dosen't do it as much anymore after we moved them into the big tank. Im surprized you orange shoulder is changing allready!!! I dont have a tank thread started, is it somthing most members do on Canreef?

[michika]

I had a trigger that played dead all the time, gave me a few near heart attacks some mornings.

Many people have tank threads to show off their tank build, or just get feedback on their system in general. I like reading them for ideas and inspiration.