Mimic tangs

[scionreefing]

What size do mimic tangs adapt better to a tank?

Raffle grabber

 

[nanoreefer1000]

not big not tiny.

 

[scionreefing]

not big not tiny.

Lol c'mon. What would you consider small or an ok size?

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[Megatrev62]

Usually see them in the 3-4 inch range at the stores. Very hardy at that size IMO.

 

[scionreefing]

Usually see them in the 3-4 inch range at the stores. Very hardy at that size IMO.

Ok that's what I needed. I'll put in that order then. I cant wait to get my mimic(chocolate) tang.

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[scionreefing]

Forgot to ask do all mimic tangs look the same when they mature?

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[Monkeyfish]

Forgot to ask do all mimic tangs look the same when they mature?

I'm assuming you're asking about Acanthurus pyroferus. Adult color can be very different. There are other species of mimic tangs and they look different as adults (compared to A. pyroferus).

 

[scionreefing]

I ask because everytime I look up adult mimic tang pictures I get the same one. I'm needing the picture for the adults of all the Mimic before I make my final decision. If anybody can provide accurate pictures that would be great.

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[scionreefing]

So just to clarify there's no special care needed for the mimic tangs?

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[Kahuna Tuna]

I find that the color of the adults is highly variable and have seen full adults ranging from a nearly black color to a mustard yellow and every shade in between. There are three species of mimic tangs and all the adults look similar with slight differences in coloration. I think the tristus (Eibl angel mimic) mimic tang is the most drab as an adult, most of the ones I have seen were a grey color.

The last mimic I kept was a Herald's angel mimic (all yellow juvie) and was about 1 1/2 inches when I got her and the adult coloration cam in at around 3 1/2 inches and was a mustard yellow body, greenish fins with a stripe of bright yellow through the tail and orange markings behind the gills and on the head and face, just a beautiful species. I would find a healthy juvie if you can so you can document the color change to adulthood, its one of the perks to keeping this species.

IMO they are one of the hardier tangs of the genus and because of their smaller size and better disposition than most tangs in general are a great choice for community tanks.

Here are pics of a small juvie, the intermediate and the full adult, same fish pyroferus mimic tang.

 

[scionreefing]

Ok thanks for clarifiying that for me. I was getting worried.

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[davez104]

 

[scionreefing]

Yes. beautiful fish is that yours?

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[davez104]

He was. Lost almost all my fish recently to a white spot outbreak :thumbdown

Am going to pull down my tank in the new year sometime and start from scratch, a mimic tang is on the must have list.

 

[Harriscli]

I never knew they had such diversity, beautiful fish.

 

[scionreefing]

I never knew they had such diversity, beautiful fish.

That's why I like them.

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