Rare color morph or ill conditioned Mimic Tang?

[sc50964]

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.

I guess you just saved me $400 and you don’t ever buy these color morphs

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Just to add - I've heard of multiple different tang species either keeping or reverting back to their juvenile coloration well into adulthood/transition, including these tangs, orange shoulders, and Atlantic Blues. It seems to have something to do with confidence/dominance of the tang (it's most commonly seen when there's another, more dominant tang in the tank, but it's sometimes seen in cases with no other fish in the tank, when the fish is in QT/an acclimation box, etc.).

When the fish feels confident, it should finish transitioning to adult coloring.

 

[sc50964]

Just to add - I've heard of multiple different tang species either keeping or reverting back to their juvenile coloration well into adulthood/transition, including these tangs, orange shoulders, and Atlantic Blues. It seems to have something to do with confidence/dominance of the tang (it's most commonly seen when there's another, more dominant tang in the tank, but it's sometimes seen in cases with no other fish in the tank, when the fish is in QT/an acclimation box, etc.).

When the fish feels confident, it should finish transitioning to adult coloring.

Okay so I should get the morphed mimic and make sure he is not dominant?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Okay so I should get the morphed mimic and make sure he is not dominant?

It'd be a gamble (personally, if they're charging extra, I'd pass unless you really like the white tail/spine) - most of the time, as they grow and become more confident/less stressed, they will start showing their adult colors again. At that point, it would be tough to keep them from transitioning (and there's speculation them not transitioning is stress-related and may be unhealthy).

 

[sc50964]

It'd be a gamble (personally, if they're charging extra, I'd pass unless you really like the white tail/spine) - most of the time, as they grow and become more confident/less stressed, they will start showing their adult colors again. At that point, it would be tough to keep them from transitioning (and there's speculation them not transitioning is stress-related and may be unhealthy).

Talked me off the cliff again!!