Colour changes....
 

One of the behaviours that I really enjoy seeing is how the fish use colour changes to express their state of mind.

I've noticed that one of the fish that does this dramatically is the unicorn tang (N. unicornis). This is his dark phase, which is only displayed when near the cleaner shrimp. He also has a light phase, also used when near the cleaner shrimp and a camouflage colour when sleeping. That's four very different colour schemes and he can alter them within about 2 seconds.

Look at the change in the yellow surrounding his eye:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0457.jpg

Normally, he looks like this:
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0418.jpg

Pretty cool. Looking forward to someday having a tank large enough to enjoy these guys myself.

I'm not sure that I have a tank large enough to enjoy them! I suppose it seems ok for now.

My Naso Tang does the same thing when he is being cleaned by my cleaner wrasse. He will get very, very dark. At first it worried me.

Whats really funny about my Naso, is that he likes to get cleaned (mostly mouth) but if the wrasse goes near his gills, the tang gets upset and chases him around! I found this very strange.

Brad, I have to admit I didn't read the entire thread, I've only got a few hours before I have to leave for work. I have the Wilkerson(?) book on clowns if you want to borrow it, it has a lot of information on raising clown. My ex lives on Blue Mtn and has my son so I am out there to pick him up 3 days a week so I could drop it by if you are interested.

Douglas

Thanks for thinking of me, but I know enough about raising clowns to know that I'm not willing to do it any time soon. Might make a good retirement project someday.... Now that I think about it, that might be sooner than I think!

And if you are interested in coming by just to see the tank, you don't need to bring a book as entry fee. Send me a PM if you like.

It has taken me a few days, but finally read the whole thread.
Excellent work Brad! Keep it up. I have learned a lot here.
Thank you

Sad day...
 

With some sadness I announce that Buster, the White Cheek Tang has succumbed to complications related to crypto (saltwater ich).

He first displayed symptoms of some sort of secondary skin problems in late December. He continued to eat well and behave normally right until the very end. He lost significant body weight in the last 2 days in spite of continued normal eating.

My theory is that ich damaged his skin so badly that some sort of bacterial/fungal/viral infection took over. No other fish in the tank has displayed any similar symptom.

Here is a shot from his last evening.... Poor guy. I let him down.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0496.jpg

From happier times....
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/101_0149.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...h_100_0222.jpg

:sad:

Sorry to hear that, I hate loosing anything never mind a fish like that, hope it does'nt effect any of the others. Great video by the way.