Blue Tang Help

[ChristiC]

We bought a Blue Tang today & when I got it home & under our tank light I noticed part of his black part in its back looks lighter almost faded. First time with a Blue Tang & don't know if this is normal or a sign it's sick. I have it in quanitine to be safe. I see no white spots on it so I don't think it's ick. It just looks faded in the area. Any ideas? Thank you in advance.

 

[JohnVH]

It can be hard to say from the picture, some fish will fade and lose color from the trauma of being captured and transported but the color returns after the fishes stress eases.

Blue Tangs stress easily. Does it look like its faded or like a film forming? Worst case scenario is Marine Velvet (very bad) not to scare you you but anything is possible.

I have seen some battle scarred Blue Tangs from scrapes from sharp rocks or corals or fighting with other fish, it could be from something like that its hard to say.

Keep it in quarantine and keep an eye on it for a few weeks. As I mentioned Blue Hippo Tangs and other Tangs can stress very easily and it is that stress that make it vulnerable to the parasites that cause Ich & Marine Velvet.

 

[Jenny mitchell]

I have recently got a regal tang, it's colour is very pale, but the person I got it from only fed. It flakes, so I'm guessing it's a nutrition thing, have introduced frozen food and some seaweed to its diet, it's going nuts for them! It seems to be healthy in all other ways, swimming around and has a ferocious appetite. Could it be anything else? Am very new to the whole marine tank thing.

 

[JohnVH]

The fact that it has a healthy appetite is good keep feeding it a good varied diet and keep an eye on it.