Goldflake changing colors

[phocuz]

Hi!

I got a Goldflake Angel september last year. The first days it got a pretty good beating from a powder blue surgeon as you can see on the first picture. The black markings have changed on the upper fin and the tail. It havent changed much since the picture from november. Is this a part of changing from juvenile to adult so the black markings will come back ?

14 september

23 november

 

[saltycreefer]

Looks like you got a flagfin angel. Hope you didnt pay too much for it.

 

[saltycreefer]

Goldflake and Flagfin juveniles look very similar. I once got a wholesaler to sell me a goldflake as a flagfin.

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

Young and mature flagfins dont have any black on their dorsal or tail fins, that fish looks like either a goldflake, an armitage (flagfin, cream angel hybrid), or a goldflake hybrid. The first pics looks like a young goldflake, the second pic looks like a hybrid of some sort to me. Very nice looking fish either way.

 

[LargeAngels]

http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/apolemichthys/index.htm

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

I wonder if the goldflake hybridizes? I do know that the flagfin does and this makes sense because it is the only wide ranging Apolemichthys species. That first pic sure looks like a GF, not sure about the second pic.

 

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8974185#post8974185 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kahuna Tuna
I wonder if the goldflake hybridizes? I do know that the flagfin does and this makes sense because it is the only wide ranging Apolemichthys species. That first pic sure looks like a GF, not sure about the second pic.

If it does, it has not been officially documented or found yet. The one pictured there may be a hybrid, but IMHO, just appears to be a much more yellow color morph (possibly aberrant) of a subadult.

 

[jmicky41]

I had a goldflake and when it fins got torn up by a tang they regrew clear. The black never reappeared.

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

I've sure never heard of a goldflake cross but the flagfin crosses with several other Apolemichthys and shares range with the GF, I'm sure its possible at least. That second pic is a very interesting looking fish, its very strange to see the black on the dorsal and caudal fins receeding if that is a GF.

 

[phocuz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8976506#post8976506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmicky41
I had a goldflake and when it fins got torn up by a tang they regrew clear. The black never reappeared.

The whole fin turned out clear or only the patches that got torn up ?

The black on the tail is almost gone. Ill take a new picture and post it later today.

 

[phocuz]

Picture taken today

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

Wow, now I am really at a loss as to what you have there. It seems to have characteristics of both the goldflake and the flagfin. I have a couple of questions for you, what is his size now and does he nip at your corals, specifically the SPS? Thanks for the pics, beautiful fish!

 

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8976522#post8976522 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kahuna Tuna
I've sure never heard of a goldflake cross but the flagfin crosses with several other Apolemichthys and shares range with the GF, I'm sure its possible at least. That second pic is a very interesting looking fish, its very strange to see the black on the dorsal and caudal fins receeding if that is a GF.

I agree that it is entirely possible, but I have never seen one and have never seen any information where one has been documented.

 

[flameangel88]

I added a GF (3") & FF (3.5") back on 9/19 and here are some pictures:

GF on 9/20 after taken a little beating by the Yel Tang and was also a bit skinny:

Taken on 10/11 GF recovering nicely:

Here's the FF taken 9/20:

FF taken on 10/12:

The OP's first picture looks like a GF but the last picture really look more of a mix of both GF & FF.

I don't have any recent picture but will try to get one on the GF and post.

 

[LargeAngels]

I also agree it seems to have both characteristics. From the 1st to the 3rd picture it looks like it is transforming from a goldflake into a flagfin. The only thing that still looks like a goldflake in the last picture is the blue edging on the fin. Here is a picture of my 5 flagfins and one goldflake. The flagfin in the bottom right grew from a 1" juvenile and at which point it was all yellow, except the head.

Here is better picture of the goldflake. He is about 8".

 

[phocuz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8978446#post8978446 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kahuna Tuna
Wow, now I am really at a loss as to what you have there. It seems to have characteristics of both the goldflake and the flagfin. I have a couple of questions for you, what is his size now and does he nip at your corals, specifically the SPS? Thanks for the pics, beautiful fish!

The fish is about 9 cm long (3,5 inches). I feed 4-5 times a day with different kinds of pellets, flakefood and frozen food. It has grown a lot. It does nip at acros occasionally

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

how did it lose that much of the black in two days? that's crazy!

 

[phocuz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8979966#post8979966 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by E-A-G-L-E-S
how did it lose that much of the black in two days? that's crazy!

Hi!

The first picture is from september last year so its been going on for almost four months.

 

[jmicky41]

Phocuz, on mine initially the torn area of the tail regrew clear. Over a long time, all the black on the tail fin turned clear.

 

[flameangel88]

Just managed to get a couple of pictures of the GF & FF but the glass is pretty dirty and if anyone have any good suggestion on getting coralline algae off the glass please PM me as I am all ears.

GF is about 3 1/2" now:

FF is a little bigger than the GF:

Both got nipped pretty good by the Yel Tang when first introduced back in September but both healed in less than 2 weeks and all the fins grew back with all the original color.