Can someone help ID this tang for me?

[Yourlocalreefer]

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

Thank you in advanced

 

[i cant think]

Looks to me like a very young and potentially malnourished Acanthurus blochii.

 

[blaxsun]

Looks to me like a very young and potentially malnourished Acanthurus blochii.

If so, fairly malnourished...

 

[i cant think]

If so, fairly malnourished...

I’ve only just managed to see the photo properly and agree, the fact you can see the spine and what looks like it may be pinching behind the head.

Also, for the OP, I say it’s a blochii due to the tail and the main body colouring. Here’s a photo of what appears to be another young blochii in captivity from just a quick search. Yours shows that ‘ring’ of white just before the caudal fin but also there is a faint yellow colour from the pectoral fins.

I will say it’s rather hard finding a perfect match as Acanthurus blochii goes through many colour phases throughout the day, through a quick search you’ll find really pale adults but then you’ll also find really dark adults or some with bright blue fins - which I have seen in captivity before and yours also seems to show somewhat of a blue caudal fin.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

Looks to me like a very young and potentially malnourished Acanthurus blochii.

After looking at some google photos I’m starting to think it is. It was a very hungry during feeding time so I hope he gets better.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Blochi Tang and thin for any tang. Not sure what foods you are feeding it but its a herbivore and requires vegetation and meats- Not a flake and Pellet foods
Some foods to offer are:
LRS herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
TDO Pellets
small plankton
Hikari Marine cuisine
Ocean nutrition veggie diet
spirulina brine shrimp
mysis shrimp
Prime reef
Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract

Add selcon vitamins to foods occasionally

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

Blochi Tang and thin for any tang. Not sure what foods you are feeding it but its a herbivore and requires vegetation and meats- Not a flake and Pellet foods
Some foods to offer are:
LRS herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
TDO Pellets
small plankton
Hikari Marine cuisine
Ocean nutrition veggie diet
spirulina brine shrimp
mysis shrimp
Prime reef
Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract

Add selcon vitamins to foods occasionally

Thanks for the reply! And I did notice it was thin after adding it to the tank. My current foods I feed are nori seaweed(once a day), frozen mysis, frozen brine about 2 times a day. I have garlic extract should I soak the seaweed in it before adding it to the tank? Also I’ll look into the other foods you listed and try get them as soon as possible.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the reply! And I did notice it was thin after adding it to the tank. My current foods I feed are nori seaweed(once a day), frozen mysis, frozen brine about 2 times a day. I have garlic extract should I soak the seaweed in it before adding it to the tank? Also I’ll look into the other foods you listed and try get them as soon as possible.

No need to soak- just lightly baste it.
The list you have in inadequate for tangs. I have 20 and just set up 400g over the weekend and will add another 6 or so

 

[blaxsun]

I don't have near as many tangs as @vetteguy53081, but the herbivores (including 4 tangs) really like the NFS algae pellets and Nyos Sweet Aloe, True Algae and Goji Berry.

 

[nereefpat]

Thanks for posting.
Power feed that fish, and please update us with pictures in a few months. I'm curious how it will look. Personally, I know tangs well, but there's a handful of Acanthurus that I have trouble IDing.

 

[i cant think]

Thanks for posting.
Power feed that fish, and please update us with pictures in a few months. I'm curious how it will look. Personally, I know tangs well, but there's a handful of Acanthurus that I have trouble IDing.

Its the same over here, I assume blochii is one of the ones you struggle with?

I have found it’s main characteristic is the white band just before the caudal fin and then that edges the caudal fin in white - this specimen doesn’t show the ring of white around the caudal too well but it does show the white band before the caudal.

 

[nereefpat]

I assume blochii is one of the ones you struggle with?

Yes, along with Thompson and a couple others that look the same as juvies.

There's also a group of 3 (I think) including dussumieri that look alike as juvies.

 

[i cant think]

Yes, along with Thompson and a couple others that look the same as juvies.

There's also a group of 3 (I think) including dussumieri that look alike as juvies.

Yeah, I believe that Blochii is one that can look similar to juvenile Dussumieri and I think the last one that looks similar is the Fowleri. Each one shows the traits of the adults however they are slightly more hidden - especially on the fowleri.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

No need to soak- just lightly baste it.
The list you have in inadequate for tangs. I have 20 and just set up 400g over the weekend and will add another 6 or so

Thanks for posting.
Power feed that fish, and please update us with pictures in a few months. I'm curious how it will look. Personally, I know tangs well, but there's a handful of Acanthurus that I have trouble IDing.

Will do I will keep you all updated in a couple of months thanks for all your help and could it be a blochii and doctor tang? after it settled in the tank more I noticed it has black stripes similar to the ones found on doctor tangs.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

I’ve only just managed to see the photo properly and agree, the fact you can see the spine and what looks like it may be pinching behind the head.

Also, for the OP, I say it’s a blochii due to the tail and the main body colouring. Here’s a photo of what appears to be another young blochii in captivity from just a quick search. Yours shows that ‘ring’ of white just before the caudal fin but also there is a faint yellow colour from the pectoral fins.

I will say it’s rather hard finding a perfect match as Acanthurus blochii goes through many colour phases throughout the day, through a quick search you’ll find really pale adults but then you’ll also find really dark adults or some with bright blue fins - which I have seen in captivity before and yours also seems to show somewhat of a blue caudal fin.

oooh I see also I've been reading that they change color based off of stress and to communicate with others.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes they do

oooh I see also I've been reading that they change color based off of stress and to communicate with others.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

Thanks for posting.
Power feed that fish, and please update us with pictures in a few months. I'm curious how it will look. Personally, I know tangs well, but there's a handful of Acanthurus that I have trouble IDing.

It’s been close to a month and so far he’s been getting more active and its stomach is looking way better than before. Thank you all for the advice

 

[i cant think]

It’s been close to a month and so far he’s been getting more active and its stomach is looking way better than before. Thank you all for the advice

Seeing it coloured up, I’m pretty sure it’s actually an Acanthurus chirurgus - The Doctorfish Tang.
These are another that when they’re not coloured up they can look similar to Blochii.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

Seeing it coloured up, I’m pretty sure it’s actually an Acanthurus chirurgus - The Doctorfish Tang.
These are another that when they’re not coloured up they can look similar to Blochii.

Thank you it does look like it with the stripes on its side