Chocolate Tang?

[happyclam]

I am amazed at the coloration of the Chocolate Tang, with its golden-tan body & dark blue fins, it looks pretty snazzy as it's coloration is just different than most fish. Although I have seen some where they have a mud brown body & yellow green fins- YUCK! So thats my question- do they normally get the blue fins as they age, or is that the in-between cycle and they eventually become dull? I 1st saw this fish when looking at pics of David Saxby's aquarium. Does anyone have any experience with this fish? Would a 135 gal aquarium be large enough for it?

 

[A sea K]

Can't help with the adult coloration as mine is still in its juvi stage but I would consider your 135 to be adequate housing for a Mimic if the other tankmates allow it.

 

[xxtriggermanxx]

I have one in my 135 .( doing great by the way). Mine is dark brown tan and orange. it all depends on which mimic'd fish as a juvi to determin what colors you get as an adult. mine was a lemonpeel mimic. I think (not sure ) but i think the ebili mimic ends up with the blue coloration you are looking for. hopefully someone with one of those can chime in.. hope this helps! good luck...they are sweet looking fish!..........ray

 

[happyclam]

Thanks for the replys. I think you are right about Indian Ocean Mimic Tang (A. tristis) that mimics the Eibls angel. Even as a juvenile it has a blue tail, so hopefully it keeps the coloration as it grows. Also, I found early pics of Davids aquarium, and I saw the A. tristis tang in there as a juvenile, so unless he added a different fish, I think those are mature A. tristis in the newer pics-BINGO! Does anyone have pics of a mature A. tristis? I looked online and didn't get much.

 

[happyclam]

OK, I asked for pics of A. tritis and they said the blue is more likely on the Chocolate tang, so- anyone have adult pics of A. pyroferus for confirmation?

 

[AquaKnight]

If the blue fins are what interests you, go check out a Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus). The adults are simply amazing.

 

[tangers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13191053#post13191053 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaKnight407
If the blue fins are what interests you, go check out a Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus). The adults are simply amazing.

x2! they get big though. (one fish that is under-rated!)

 

[jda]

The fins don't get blue on a mimic. There are some pics from The Marine Center that show them as blue, but that is a mistake from when the photoshopped the picture (allegedly). They are still a very beautiful fish and a good addition to any larger tank.

 

[xxtriggermanxx]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13190234#post13190234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by happyclam
OK, I asked for pics of A. tritis and they said the blue is more likely on the Chocolate tang, so- anyone have adult pics of A. pyroferus for confirmation?

crappy picture

 

[happyclam]

BEAUTIFUL! That is the fish I'm looking for! Is that your adult A. pyroferus xxtriggermanxx? Thats the color I've been looking for the whole time. Although one question: xxtriggermanxx, you said yours is dark brown/ tan & orange? That looks pretty blue to me. Could you post more pics of that beautiful fish?

 

[Grouperhead]

Not trigerman but that is A. pyroferus, and a beauty at that.

 

[tangers]

The adult A. pyroferus is a chocolate (muddy) color jsut like triggerman's. I think you are seeing the blue off the light. The one's you have seen before that you may like more may be not fully matured yet. They all start out pure yellow and then slowly change to be like triggerman's. All the full adults I have ever seen look like his. Here is a pic of a juvenile along with a couple adolescents.
juvenile-

 

[tangers]

Just a note- they are called "Chocolate tang" for a reason and will be a "chocolately colored" fish, or as you said muddy. They do keep some of their adolescent yellow/gold/orange with them though.

 

[happyclam]

Even the one in the 3rd pic looks like it has blue in its tail, no? Also, does the body ever get darker than the fish in the 3d pic? I'm not quite sure why I like these fish so much- there not that colorful compared to a Regal or Yellow... maybe I like it how it kinda fades from color to color throughout its body & fins (albeit drab color). Keep the pics rolling of more adult Chocolate's! Also, could I keep a Doctorfish in the 135?

 

[xxtriggermanxx]

mine has no blue.. Tangers was correct when he said it was my light . 20k MH plus a crappy picture = blue fish... My fish will lighten or darken with his mood,but when he's just crusin around he is lighter in color. I have had him a few years now and is the only fish I ever purchased on impulse. but never regreted it!

 

[happyclam]

So is it basically when ever you photograph this fish, its fins always looks blue? Its just kinda disapointing after looking at some online venders (Blue Zoo, ect.) they always show it with the blue fins- even when they photograph David Saxbys aquarium- blue fins. Awe well.

 

[jhentr]

Man I hope mines turn out like that. I have a juvenile one that is still all yellow. I love the adult coloration.