Rare color morph or ill conditioned Mimic Tang?

[sc50964]

Need tang expert’s opinion. Is this mimic tang ill conditioned or a rare color morph? I’m taking about the white face, white spine, and yellow body for a 5” to 6” mimic tang.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@vetteguy53081

 

[vetteguy53081]

Need tang expert’s opinion. Is this mimic tang ill conditioned or a rare color morph? I’m taking about the white face, white spine, and yellow body for a 5” to 6” mimic tang.

These are bite marks or injury
What other occupants in the tank?

 

[sc50964]

These are bite marks or injury
What other occupants in the tank?

Are you referring to the white face and white tail spine area? Or the darker spots on the body? The darker spots on the body are from dirty acrylic panel. There are no other occupants in his holding tank. My question is more about the white coloration.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Are you referring to the white face and white tail spine area? Or the darker spots on the body? The darker spots on the body are from dirty acrylic panel. There are no other occupants in his holding tank. My question is more about the white coloration.

Just looked on a larger screen- The spots is what I thought but this is clearly bacterial by the tail area and may have stemmed from skin irritation but fish needs immediate treatment in a separate tank using seachem Kanaplex and added aeration using air stone during treatment. The facial area appears as skin erosion and not a pigment issue

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Is this mimic tang ill conditioned or a rare color morph?

The white face and yellow body is pretty normal, though your tang's pale face seems pretty extreme compared to others of the species, but it may just be stress coloration. The white ring around the spine is odd though. I'd check that for issues and see if it goes away as the tang settles in. If it stays, that may be some aberrant coloring.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The white face and yellow body is pretty normal, though your tang's pale face seems pretty extreme compared to others of the species, but it may just be stress coloration. The white ring around the spine is odd though. I'd check that for issues and see if it goes away as the tang settles in. If it stays, that may be some aberrant coloring.

Its not normal and having 2 of these, Ive never had a discoloration of this nature as mine have dark chocolate and blue hints of color.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Are you referring to the white face and white tail spine area? Or the darker spots on the body? The darker spots on the body are from dirty acrylic panel. There are no other occupants in his holding tank. My question is more about the white coloration.

Ive seen aberrant but not on mimic. Was this all yellow when you acquired it?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Its not normal and having 2 of these, Ive never had a discoloration of this nature as mine have dark chocolate and blue hints of color.

These come in a surprisingly wide range of colors including, grays, yellows, and browns (mixed gray and yellow). For some examples of the yellow body with the gray face (OP's appears to be more white than gray, but I'm thinking that may just be the lighting and/or stress coloration):
https://bluegrassaquatics.com/yellow-mimic-tang-large.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acanthurus_pyroferushttps://reefs.com/fish/mimic-yellow-peel-tang/https://reeffishcenter.shop/tangs/640-acanthurus-pyroferus-mimic-lemon-peel-tang-l-yellow.html(The second pic in this bottom link is the yellow one, the top is more brown.)
https://aquariumfish.com/products/chocolate-tang
For examples of the other colors (which are also pretty common):
https://harrysmarinelife.com/product/chocolate-tang/https://indmas.org/main/index.php?/gallery/image/212-chocolate-mimic-tang-adult/

 

[sc50964]

Ive seen aberrant but not on mimic. Was this all yellow when you acquired it?

It’s at a LFS. I haven’t bought it yet. I also believe there is some color change due to stress or maybe malnourishment but can’t be sure.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It’s at a LFS. I haven’t bought it yet. I also believe there is some color change due to stress or maybe malnourishment but can’t be sure.

Nutrional and water quality would likely be cause/reason - agree

 

[vetteguy53081]

These come in a surprisingly wide range of colors including, grays, yellows, and browns (mixed gray and yellow). For some examples of the yellow body with the gray face (OP's appears to be more white than gray, but I'm thinking that may just be the lighting and/or stress coloration):
https://bluegrassaquatics.com/yellow-mimic-tang-large.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acanthurus_pyroferushttps://reefs.com/fish/mimic-yellow-peel-tang/https://reeffishcenter.shop/tangs/640-acanthurus-pyroferus-mimic-lemon-peel-tang-l-yellow.html(The second pic in this bottom link is the yellow one, the top is more brown.)
https://aquariumfish.com/products/chocolate-tang
For examples of the other colors (which are also pretty common):
https://harrysmarinelife.com/product/chocolate-tang/https://indmas.org/main/index.php?/gallery/image/212-chocolate-mimic-tang-adult/

Yellow is juvenile color and in all pics you posted, you will notice a distinct yellow or blue/grey which is how they should look.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yellow is juvenile color and in all pics you posted, you will notice a distinct yellow or blue/grey which is how they should look.

The juvenile yellow coloration includes a yellow face - OP's tang shows regular adult coloration.
https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/352/?pcatid=352Again, the white face and yellow body is normal - the white spine is not.

 

[i cant think]

The juvenile yellow coloration includes a yellow face - OP's tang shows regular adult coloration.
https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/352/?pcatid=352Again, the white face and yellow body is normal - the white spine is not.

+1 to this, I’ve seen white faced mimics that have transitioned into the nice coloured adult males but until that transition phase they’re solid yellow. The only question that will truly determine a normal white head is;
How big is the original tang?

 

[sc50964]

+1 to this, I’ve seen white faced mimics that have transitioned into the nice coloured adult males but until that transition phase they’re solid yellow. The only question that will truly determine a normal white head is;
How big is the original tang?

5 to 6”

 

[i cant think]

5 to 6”

I’d honestly say that white face is transitioning adult - the scalpel/tail however should be black not white.

 

[sc50964]

I’d honestly say that white face is transitioning adult - the scalpel/tail however should be black not white.

Sorry…, correction.

Store says it’s 7”. So the question is will the white color stay or change ?

 

[i cant think]

Sorry…, correction.

Store says it’s 7”. So the question is will the white color stay or change ?

The head will stay a white/grey colour and go to a grey/brown colour on the main body but that caudal is risky to go for.

 

[sc50964]

The head will stay a white/grey colour and go to a grey/brown colour on the main body but that caudal is risky to go for.

They charged extra for this fish as they claim it’s a color morph. I guess you are saying it’s not and it will be mostly the same except the the tail spine. Is that right?

 

[i cant think]

They charged extra for this fish as they claim it’s a color morph. I guess you are saying it’s not and it will be mostly the same except the the tail spine. Is that right?

The reality is that Abberations 9/10 times do just go back to normal colours. Take Polo Reef’s Desjardini for example, that guy was stunning when he got it but now it’s near enough a normal Desjardini but a nice sized one.

It’s the same with “Koi” Scopas Tangs, they tend to just revert in the long term. I’ve yet to see one last longer than a few months in those colours.