Help my blue tang looks like a bird

[chris9911]

This blue tang is about 1" long and I noticed his lips are looking white, today. It reminds me of a little blue tweety bird because it's white lips look like a beak. My guess is it will probably die Did this ever happen to anybody's fish?

[drunktank]

why does everyone call Hippo tangs, blue tangs?

[bob1965fish1]

hi
how long have you had him????
1" thats small they are hard to keep alive that small

[selgado]

Umm... wild guess.. because they are mostly blue?

[drunktank]

Originally posted by selgado
Umm... wild guess.. because they are mostly blue?

obviously but there is actually a blue tang and a hippo tang (2 different fisih)

[jjmcat]

regal tang.Hard tang to care of IMO.Mine lasted for three weeks.

[selgado]

Originally posted by drunktank
obviously but there is actually a blue tang and a hippo tang (2 different fisih)

What blue tang are you referring to?

[HaKs310]

powder blue tang, would be my guess.

Try looking into this, Chris:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/sp/index.php

[mhltcob]

or atlantic blue tang. why do you call regal tangs hippo tangs

Tangs this small really need to be fed often - at least 4 times a day.

[Glass120]

i call them blue tangs cause they are blue and they are a tang lol.

[reefshadow]

looks like a hepatus tang to me... I have also heard that they are hard to keep fed enough at that size. Never bought a tang that small so I dunno.

I would try increasing feedings and do whatever you can to reduce stress. I think he would probably be subject to badgering by other fish?

What kinds of food do you use?

Good luck!

[kass03]

The pale color means it's stressed.
Make sure the water pars check out. Try feeding it more foods and they need algae to graze on. Nori soaked in garlic might help if it's eating.
I raised one from dime and one from quarter size but those tiny ones are hard to keep especially if other fish go after them.

They used to also be called Nike tangs because the stripe looks like the Nike logo lol.

kass

[selgado]

OK you guys are just flippin nuts. I don't see no flippin birds and I don't see no flippin nike logos. On the other hand there is this pink elephant sitting on my desk reciting Shakespeare.

[Kazz]

I'd be interested to know what's wrong with the tang in the pic, never seen that before. Does anyone have anything constructive to offer chris9911 by way of suggestions?

[NexDog]

Should be fine. I bought a baby 6 weeks ago and have it in QT with 5 chromis. It was under an inch when I got it and now it's almost 2 inches long! Eats like a pig. Parts of it are pale and it sure does have white lips. It's very healthy though as you can see by the growth.

[kass03]

Originally posted by selgado
OK you guys are just flippin nuts. I don't see no flippin birds and I don't see no flippin nike logos. On the other hand there is this pink elephant sitting on my desk reciting Shakespeare.

Years ago they called them Nike tangs here and they told me when the tang matures the stripe looks like the Nike logo.
It doesnt really to me either.

When my blue, regal, hippo, nike, hepatus is scared they get pale like that.
Like when you take them home from the LFS in the bag or at night when the lights are off. It's usually some kind of stress.
It looks palish pink in the picture and that's what they do.

Same as yellows will show a white stripe when stressed.

kass

[Newflee]

The Hipo name comes from people that prefer (like myself) to refer to species by scientific name in order to avoid confusion. Obviously this has not worked.

"Blue" tang could refer to at least 5 species and is not accurate enough. Most people who use the term "Blue tang" sadly have a negative experience with any of the species due to lack of experience.
Hipo (slang) tangs are very hardy in the short term but can be considered automatic carriers of protazoa (as all marine fish) and should be quarantined and/or treated as a preventative measure to cure. They are also extremely shy when new (not young ) and will simply manifest the protazoa present if stressed. Their coloration actually is an aid to a keeper in determining if protazoa are present because they tend to show up first visually on the Hipos even if all fish are infected. Other than that, any competent keeper should not have a problem keeping even 1 cm subjects. In fact I find more and more these days a "medium" size Hipo on the stock list ends up arriving more like "Micro".
These are best left alone by keepers that don't quarantine/treat or recognize the telltale indicators of disease.

The white lips are not a sign of stress as the stress bleaching is more widespread across the body in most cases. It is not unheard of for voracious feeders to "wear" off the pigment in their lips.

[lillibirdy]

Originally posted by Newflee
. It is not unheard of for voracious feeders to "wear" off the pigment in their lips.

Wow, never heard of this before. Wonder if that is what happened to my Coral Beauty Angel, he is quite the grazer, and has always had whitish lips...used to worry me silly, but he is very fat and happy so I bet that is it.

[jgoodrich71]

Originally posted by Newflee
The Hipo name comes from people that prefer (like myself) to refer to species by scientific name in order to avoid confusion. Obviously this has not worked

Then shouldn't it be called a "Hepa" tang. Can you tell me the scientific name of every fish you know about. It is a lot easier to remember common names. That's why they are called common names. Ease up on people who aren't as smart as you.

[Newflee]

Actually I do strive to learn every scientific name of corals, inverts and fish. It's my business to do so. The problem with common names is that more often than not there exists several for each species. Some more common, some less.
True "Hepa" would be the proper slang name if there is such a thing but that just supports my point. More names= more confusion.
I don't expect that everyone would know every scientific name but in my view it isn't a stretch to know all of the fish you keep.
I would never presume to be smarter than anyone...I and I hope no offence is taken.

[Kevomac]

Don't forget pallette tang, as another common name. My regal blue tang (as I like to call him) has visible white "teeth". His partner's "teeth" turned pink before he died. White seems normal to me.

As for the fish in question, looks like stress. Could be being harrassed, could be water params, could be because Hepatus (sp?) tangs are shy and stress out easily. Small ones seem to be more prone to stress, as mentioned, but these fish do tend to freak out easily and can die from it. Hopefully yours will be okay, though. You might try increasing his feeding (I find sushi nori is good for them) and you might also try isolating him. Remember that tangs eat primarily greenery which does not have as much nutrional value as meaty food, thus they have to eat a lot more to get the nutrition they need.

HTH!

[chris9911]

It is doing very well with other tankmates. Nothing is picking at it and it only eats whatever is flowing in his path. He comes out of his hole when the light turns on, and he stays infront of the tank in the path of the strongest flow. He does not eat off of the Nori clip but if a little piece gets caught in the flow, then the tang will chase after it and eat it. The tang is also doing pretty good job of eating the "BIO-Blend Marine Food staple diet-small". I hope it's the condition of the color just wearing off. He looks so funny with that "white beak". The picture above doesn't do justice to how foolish and funny it looks.

[Newflee]

It's also not unusual for this species to take some time getting used to your movements. Quite often if you can hide behind a couch or something they will become much more agressive only to become shy again when you show yourself.
Feeding is easy and they will eat all offerings. While seaweeds or nori are a tang staple generally, this species benefits in a large way to frozen foods as well.
It seems that the fish we worry about the most initially quite often become the tank bully and this species is no stranger to being a jerk so don't stress...soon you may be viewing this fish with a different eye.