Chocolate Tang

[Melanie]

Hello all,

I purchased a chocolate tang a little while ago from the aquarium store I work at and I've been back and forth speculating if it is in fact a chocolate tange. It's still very small, maybe two inches in length, and still has the very bright yellow coloration. When I burchased him I did check our invoice to make sure hte species was correct but his fin shapes are not quite perfect and he's begingin to developpe light spotting on his head. Has anyone ever seen a timelaps of a chocolate tang developping? Maybe he really is just too small right now and his fins aren't fully developped yet? Any insight would be so helpful!

 

[valasaraptor]

Maybe Atlantic blue tang,pics?

 

[BL1]

Does it look like this? Yellow Mimic Tang Juvenile 2-3 in. (Acanthurus pyroferus) - Reef Hot Spot

 

[Melanie]

BL1 not quite, his color is spot on but his dorsal and anal fins aren't quite all the way to his tail...yet. I have noticed that they've been getting closer and closer though. I seem to convince myself that he is and then that he isn't, and then that he is and then that he isn't xD i'm begining to think i may have to be patient =P

 

[PRC]

I'm no expert in the chocolate tang department, but there are alot of fish who change as they get older, shape of fins, coloring, etc.

Are the white spots that you described "ich"?

Can you send over a pic?

 

[OhNoNemo]

I had a mimic/chocolate ,looked just like the one Bl1 linked as a juvi.....
then this......

 

[Melanie]

No they aren't ich, they look like a pattern developping. I was flipping through the third edition of the Cr Burgess fish Atlas and I noticed that the chocolate tang that mimics a half black angel starts out yellow like my little guy and then gets this type of spotting covering a large portion of its body before it grows out of its half blakc phase. That particular (locality?) of chocolate tang also has a closer fin structure to my little guy than the chocolates that just remain yellow while mimicking a lemon peel. We'll have to see, i'm not home very much lately so it's difficult for me to get photos

 

[Melanie]

So after fishing around in one of my fish books ( Dr Burgess fish atlas, third edition) I've found out that my little guy is actually a yellow eye kole tang. I'm happy =)

 

[ErinCahir]

I LOVE those!
Awesome looking fish.

 

[wontonflip]

I just got a yellow eye kole tang a few weeks ago...he's awesome :) Definitely a great personality in my tank.

 

[Melanie]

It is so cool watching him grow up. When I bought him he was bright yellow, and his face has been getting progressively darker. One evening he was putting a damsel back into place and in his bossy state I got a little preview of where his spots and strips are going to show up =D He's usually a light olive green lately.

 

[Bifferwine]

That's cool! I haven't seen juvies very often. That must be more rare than the adults I normally see in stores.

 

[Melanie]

I hadn't even realized they were a mimic until I furiously researched xD

 

[valasaraptor]

How big is he? My Lfs here had a lil1 incher and he was the standard colors still

 

[Melanie]

He's tiny but growing quick, I'd say he's about an inch and a half