FATSO the Tang!!!!!!!!

[Steve_B]

He just keeps eating and eating! I've wanted to get a front shot for a while and post it here, well this is it. I don't think I have seen a fatter fish. Should I put him on a low carb diet?:D

http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/654/3261119_1961.JPG

http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/654/3261119_1958.JPG

[VolitanLioness]

His new name should be "Puffer the Tang! lol

[Steve_B]

Originally posted by Specialk
His new name should be "Puffer the Tang! lol :lol:

If we ever run out of food I guess we could eat him. He is strong too! When I moved him from my other tank to the one he is in now, several months ago, he put up such a fight in the net I had water splashed around 8 feet high up the wall!:eek:

[Dz99ls]

nice pics

[oreocookie713]

all i see is a big fat red X

[rehctelf69]

wow that is a healthy tang for sure.

[Steve_B]

Originally posted by rehctelf69
wow that is a healthy tang for sure.

You don't think he has an eating disorder and needs therapy?:D

[Mad Scientist]

Great looking tang - nice work .

[ronrona]

Try that new Atkins fish food

[Steve_B]

Originally posted by Mad Scientist
Great looking tang - nice work .

Thanks! I had to increase feeding the fish in this tank (variety and quantity) because my Queen Angel began developing hole in the head a few months ago. The queen is close to being completely cured at this point and the rest of the fish are getting fatter as well. This tang and Queen are the most obvious ones to benefit from the increased feeding. I plan on posting some before and after shots of the queen when he is 100% again, hopefully in a couple of weeks.

[EdKruzel]

I hate to rain on your parade, but that fish is killing itself.
As with people, fat or obese is not healthy; unlike people, fish begin to develop fat toward their organs or inward before the growth shows outward as a buldging gut.

If your fish was human it would have the appearance of a 5'5'' person of about 250lbs.

Obese fish are in danger of liver failure as well as their other organs being crushed by fat.

I would recommend feeding very small amounts several times a day in high current.
Tangs need plenty of exercise.

Ed

[Steve_B]

This is the first time I have ever heard of a fish being TOO fat. I have been keeping saltwater for a long time as well, and I don't claim to know everything. Can you provide me with a source for your information? I, of course, don't want to do anything to make my fish unhealthy and will correct any of my methods if necessary. The thing about feeding fish, as I'm sure you are aware, is the inability to control which ones will consume the available food. As I stated earlier, I had to make dietary changes to cure a problem with my Queen Angel. Sure, I can feed them less, more often, but that tang will still continue to eat as much as he can get.

[EdKruzel]

Some authors on the subject of obese fish would be Fenner, and Michael as well as the Oceanographic Institute on marine animal well being.

This is actually a common occurrence and the leading cause of premature death amongst fish.
Naso Tangs, Lionfish and Groupers are the most common to my knowledge.

I fully understand the dilemma of feeding greedy, glutinous fish; the Majestic tang, A. sohal is a long distance swimmer with a moderate metabolism.
If you can reduce the amount of higher nutrient foods such as plankton and chopped seafood’s (reduce, not eliminate) and increase the nori or vegetable matter; this should cut calories.

By feeding smaller amounts in high current the food will scatter and cause your fish to exert themselves while chasing down their meal.
Several feedings per day will keep their nutrient count up and allow them to absorb more nutrients throughout the day. This will also be less waste deposited back into the tank.

Should you ever have the opportunity to cut open a fish that died from being too fat (hopefully you won't get the chance); you won't believe the amount wrapped around the organs. I've seen Naso's that appeared as if someone filled them with that spray foam used in plumbing projects.
Not a nice sight.


Ed

[EdKruzel]

I forgot to mention the "evils" of artificial foods such as flake and pellet formulas.
Not all but most contain very high levels of crude fat (check the labels) and all contain binders and fillers to hold form to the morsel.

As we are all aware (I hope we are) marine fish require HUFA and not saturated fats.
It is saturated fats in freshwater feeders that cause many larger predatory marine fish to increase weight too rapidly and cause severe health problems and often death.

Ed

[jwm2k3]

Tangs on a diet....


I wonder if you could try the Atkins diet with him, SBSB???



Seriously, Ed, when was the last time you were SCUBA diving and saw the wild fishs bellies? Now those fish are FAT.

(I too, only saw the Red X's above, no pics)

[Steve_B]

Originally posted by jwm2k3
Tangs on a diet....


I wonder if you could try the Atkins diet with him, SBSB???
__________________________________________________

Atkins is high fat low carbs, which I don't think will work. And I'm not sure how bacon, steak and hamburger will effect my water conditions.
:D

Seriously, Ed, when was the last time you were SCUBA diving and saw the wild fishs bellies? Now those fish are FAT.

(I too, only saw the Red X's above, no pics) :D

I don't know why you guys are seeing red X's. Everytime I look at this thread the pictures are visible to me. Maybe I'll change the hosting site and see if that makes a difference.

[EdKruzel]

I've been an avid diver since the early 80's.
The three years I lived in Panama, I think I spent as much time below the surface as above.

A healthy fish should be thick and firm, not triangular. The fish in the photo is a definite glutton. Even its cheek area is bulging.

Those are great shots by the way...

There are no full time tropical animals that require an excess of fat.
The closest would be the California sealion or the Florida manatee and that is subtropical at best.

The A. sohal comes from true tropical waters of the red sea where an average temperature is 84-86 degrees and from lower indo waters of nearly the same temps (80-84).
No need to fight off the frigid waters there.


Ed

[Steve_B]

"A healthy fish should be thick and firm, not triangular. The fish in the photo is a definite glutton. Even its cheek area is bulging."

Well, for those of you that cannot see the pictures, Ed is right and he is triangular. I would guess that he is at least an inch wide and he is only around 7" long. And yes, I know he should be longer but his growth was stunted by keeping him in an undersized tank for a few years.

The other site I host pictures at is having problems, so I can't do anything with them at the moment.

[jwm2k3]

Originally posted by EdKruzel
A healthy fish should be thick and firm, not triangular. The fish in the photo is a definite glutton. Even its cheek area is bulging.

Those are great shots by the way...



Ed


See, I got the red X's to look at. Maybe I shoulda kept my mouth shut untill I saw them.....

[Steve_B]

OK, these pictures are hosted at a different site.
Can you see them now?

http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/v86/StevieBBB/119_1961.jpg

http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/v86/StevieBBB/119_1958.jpg

[Gerard Alba]

That aint looking heathy to me... just common sense.

[Tagamet]

Originally posted by SBSB
You don't think he has an eating disorder and needs therapy?:D

I might be able to help...
Tagamet
PS I have one very similar to your guy and getting a good "front shot" had to take a LONG time! These guys are really quick.

[Steve_B]

Originally posted by Tagamet

PS I have one very similar to your guy and getting a good "front shot" had to take a LONG time! These guys are really quick.

Yep, he is a fast mover! I had to fire off a bunch of shots in rapid succession and just ended with a couple that had that front angle.

As far as the comment about not looking healthy and it being just common sense: Maybe I'm just ignorant, but this is the first I have heard about the possibility that a fish can be TOO fat. I guess because I have been keeping saltwater fish for so long, I just haven't kept up with current information. I have been able to keep them alive (in some cases) for more than 10 years, and just figured I must be doing something right. Until I found this site, late last year, all of my information was from books that were not exactly up to date. Maybe this is an example of the fact that you can always learn something new, no matter how much experience you have.

[bartzenegger]

nice that is fatter than mine! congrates!

[jwm2k3]

Originally posted by SBSB
I guess because I have been keeping saltwater fish for so long, I just haven't kept up with current information. I have been able to keep them alive (in some cases) for more than 10 years, and just figured I must be doing something right. Until I found this site, late last year, all of my information was from books that were not exactly up to date. Maybe this is an example of the fact that you can always learn something new, no matter how much experience you have.


Well said. I too have been keeping saltwater for over 15 years and had never heard of a refugium, hyposalinity, etc., etc. until I found this site. My books were out of date too. I think most of what I see on the shelves for books are out of date still today.

Heck, I started with a 55 gallon and an undergravel filter. Crushed coral was the substrate. The newest, best technology was a canister filter! I eventually had to upgrade and get one.....

This site teaches me a lot. We all start somewhere....


John

PS. Nice pictures. He IS fat..

[oreocookie713]

damn i still cant seeeee...nuffing but a big red x

[Steve_B]

Originally posted by oreocookie713
damn i still cant seeeee...nuffing but a big red x

Try hitting the refresh button when you see the red x. I have found that works sometimes. Let me know what happens.