Tang Brown or White face which is it HELP!!

fishtk75

New member
I have what the store said a white face tang put if I look in the books and internet it is a prower brown tang and they said there is a differant between the two fish one is harder to keep.

If so why is LFS saying something differant?
The picture show is a white face tang a Acanthurus japonicus.
The picture a power brown only shows a small white patch under the eyes is a Acanthurus nigricans here is the site that shows them.


http://www.wetwebmedia.com/GoldRimSs.htm


I am only asking not starting anything I like to know what I have that is all so I know how to take care of it please help!!!! anyone who knows these fish and had them can tell me what I realy have.
 
Re: Tang Brown or White face which is it HELP!!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7538607#post7538607 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishtk75
I have what the store said a white face tang put if I look in the books and internet it is a prower brown tang and they said there is a differant between the two fish one is harder to keep.

If so why is LFS saying something differant?
Because common names are sometimes very confusing. :)
 
Re: Tang Brown or White face which is it HELP!!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7538607#post7538607 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishtk75

If so why is LFS saying something differant?
The picture show is a white face tang a Acanthurus japonicus.
The picture a power brown only shows a small white patch under the eyes is a Acanthurus nigricans here is the site that shows them.
You got it backwards:
The whitecheeck tang/gold rim aka Acanthurus Nigricans looks like this
whitecheek.jpg


While the Power Brown aka Acanturus Japonicus, looks like this
powderbrown.jpg


There is also a tang sold as white face tang/or spotcheeck aka Acanthurus Nigrofuscus which i don't have a picture of but looks totally different from the ones above.

The Powder Brown is probably the more delicate one of the two even though the whitecheeck tang is pretty close on the delicate side. The Powder Brown is aggresive while the whitecheeck is more calm. Hope this helps a little.
 
IME the A. japonicus (I call it the Powder Gold Rim White Cheeck Brown Tang :D) is the easier one of the two. Scott Michael has them mixed up in his book "Marine Fishes" which causes confusion for some.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7542329#post7542329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by orion76
IME the A. japonicus (I call it the Powder Gold Rim White Cheeck Brown Tang :D) is the easier one of the two. Scott Michael has them mixed up in his book "Marine Fishes" which causes confusion for some.

I just checked it and looks like he's got it right to me?
 
He's got the names and pictures right but AFAIK the warning about one being hardy and the other being delicate are the wrong way round :)

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/powdrbrnfaqs.htm


Discrepancy between WWM and Michael's Marine Fishes book
Dear Bob,
<Timon>
On http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acanthurTngs.htm you have a picture of
Acanthurus japonicus and A. glaucopareius (nigricans).
You state that japonicus is the "white face tang" and hardy and that
nigricans is the "powder brown tang" and not hardy at all.
-Yes-
In the book "Marine Fishes, 500+ essential to know aquarium species", Scott
Michael calls the japonicus the "powder brown" and the nigricans the "white
cheek" and states that the japonicus has a poor survival record and that the
nigricans is the hardier choice.
Clearly one of you has them confused, and both of you have me confused :)

--I have addressed this query before. The fish in Scott's work I believe is switched. The "Cat" Tang, aka Powder Brown, Acanthurus nigricans (formerly glaucopareius) does indeed have a dismal survival history in aquarium use, and is indeed called the Whitecheek Tang by science... and A. japonicus the Japanese Tang, but the Whitecheek to the petfish interest... sigh--

Having recently acquired the japonicus I would really like to find out if
it's the japonicus or nigricans that has a good survival record.
Kind regards
Timon

--The two species are distinct... easily discerned. Bob Fenner, who encourages you to look at these species on fishbase.org--
 
The Japonicus is the Hardier of the two...it is THE White FACED Tang, Japanese Tang [I too call mine a Gold Rim:D ]

The less hardy of the two is the Nigricans...White CHEEK Tang...Often dies within months, often for no apparent reason.

They are both referred to and labeled as Powder Browns and Gold Rims..I am glad I knew the difference when I bought mine;)

Both are very susceptible to ich and other parasites....make sure you QUARANTINE!!!:D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7544109#post7544109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
The Japonicus is the Hardier of the two...it is THE White FACED Tang, Japanese Tang [I too call mine a Gold Rim:D ]

The less hardy of the two is the Nigricans...White CHEEK Tang...Often dies within months, often for no apparent reason.

They are both referred to and labeled as Powder Browns and Gold Rims..I am glad I knew the difference when I bought mine;)

Both are very susceptible to ich and other parasites....make sure you QUARANTINE!!!:D

What do you do to head off the ich and other parasites when its in the main tank?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7551974#post7551974 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishtk75
What do you do to head off the ich and other parasites when its in the main tank?



I don't let ich get into the main tank! A four week MINIMUM quarentine for all fish...My Japonicus had ich, then either flukes or was infested with copepods...spent nearly 4 months in qt before I had him cootie free. I am a firm believer in qt and if someone bypasses it and introduces ich? Pull the fish out and treat with Hypo and copper and leave the main fallow for 6+ weeks.. I don't do so called 'reef safe' meds, they don't work..
I have 2- 55 gallon qt tanks and 1-20 gallon for new arrivals or emergencies..An ich free tank is possible, just a little more work;) But, its worth it!!:rollface:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7552746#post7552746 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
I don't let ich get into the main tank! A four week MINIMUM quarentine for all fish...My Japonicus had ich, then either flukes or was infested with copepods...spent nearly 4 months in qt before I had him cootie free. I am a firm believer in qt and if someone bypasses it and introduces ich? Pull the fish out and treat with Hypo and copper and leave the main fallow for 6+ weeks.. I don't do so called 'reef safe' meds, they don't work..
I have 2- 55 gallon qt tanks and 1-20 gallon for new arrivals or emergencies..An ich free tank is possible, just a little more work;) But, its worth it!!:rollface:


The hypo and copper I am new to some names is what brands?
Is there pic's to show the differant cooties so I can look out for?
And I had it in the QT put I see you leave yours more then two weeks how can I catch it to put it back in the QT?
 
If your going to QT tangs i would do the hypo treatment over a copper treatment. I would look in the reef disease forum for the information sticky on the "hypo" treatment.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7544109#post7544109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
The Japonicus is the Hardier of the two...it is THE White FACED Tang, Japanese Tang [I too call mine a Gold Rim:D ]

The less hardy of the two is the Nigricans...White CHEEK Tang...Often dies within months, often for no apparent reason.

So the scientifically correct common name for the japonicus is " Powder Japanese Gold Rim White Face Light Brown Tang"

and the nigricans is " Powder Cat Yellow Rim White Cheek Dark Brown Tang"

Is that correct? :confused:

:p
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7557167#post7557167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yoboyjdizz
If your going to QT tangs i would do the hypo treatment over a copper treatment. I would look in the reef disease forum for the information sticky on the "hypo" treatment.

thanks for your help I see it now on HYPOSALINITY is the low salt treatment to 1.013 to 1.010 in the QT .
Now that you had done this what will die with the salt being that low in the main tank there inverts or other thing to getout or do not take out leave in the main tank when you HYPO the main tank too to kill it floating in the water?


and all of you what setup do you have for your QT?
 
Last edited:
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7557227#post7557227 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by orion76
So the scientifically correct common name for the japonicus is " Powder Japanese Gold Rim White Face Light Brown Tang"

and the nigricans is " Powder Cat Yellow Rim White Cheek Dark Brown Tang"

Is that correct? :confused:

:p



:eek: Can we abbreviate those:confused:

:lol:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7557665#post7557665 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
:eek: Can we abbreviate those:confused:

:lol:
BTTRFLYGRL
Thanks for your help can you answer these.
What do you have as hardware for QT?
If you got ICK in the main tank what would you do?
 
In qt I have hang on filters [ones with the bio-wheels] a couple of powerheads and a heater...I have some cheezy decor for the fish to hide in but PVC piping works well

If I had ich in my main [And I have, once] I would pull all the fish out and treat with hypo and leave the tank fallow for 6 weeks
....I guess you may have been looking for something to use in the main....but I don't believe in 'reef safe' ich cures;)
 
Thank you all for your help.

BTTRFLYGRL do take out also the inverts?


The Brown tang died as youall said that one is very hard to keep from ick.
I will not at this time get any more tangs for a time untill I do what you all said.

Now saying that is there tangs that are more easy and harder?
 
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