color changing tangs

[b_newman]

I have a 120g with just a yellow and a powder blue tang that were added at the same time a few months ago. I just added a wrasse and within 5 minutes, the blue tang started chasing it and turned a much brighter blue color. The yellow one seemed to brighten up a little as well. Is this common with aggression or a new fish in their tank?

 

[betamed]

Powder blues can be quite aggressive. I like using an acclimation box with new wrasses, but its more so they can get aquainted with the other wrasses and not the tangs

 

[humaguy]

many fish change their colors with their moods...though my pbt gets lighter in color when in a bad mood...

 

[crobattt]

Yep, tangs do wierd stuff. They seem to brighten up when madder, and more awake. I've seen the black line on my blue hippo turn completely white, my achilles turn a odd purple color when being cleaned, and purple stays the same

 

[aleonn]

My naso tang turns darker when scared or stressed, with some white "stress spots" along its dorsal fin. The blue tang turns a little paler when scared.

 

[albano]

My Barienne, Unicorn and sometimes Naso, can change body, fins, and/or tail colors at will!
And they seem to like doing it while I'm showing the tank to guests!