my purple tang looks pail

[mr_brix]

i have two Purple tang and one of them looks pail... is it sick??

[berkdog]

I have a blue yellowtail damselfish that was bright blue and yellow, but its face is lightening in color and looks pale as well. Is going pale a sign of disease?

[leebca]

First you want to separate the color from a true loss of color. I mean, was the fish brightly colored at the time you acquired it? Some fish are not brightly colored, even though their species may in general be brightly colored. There are variations even between the same species.

Next you want to be sure the fish isn't changing its color because of an environmental issue. Is a tank mate bothering it? If possible, the fish will pale itself to become less noticeable. Two Purple Tangs together could in fact be the reason this fish is pale. A fish will pale itself when afraid, bullied, or otherwise really stressed out, even at time of a disease. A new Tang will often do this out of insecurity. A disease can be eliminated by those who put their fishes through a quarantine process and have determined the fish is healthy. If this fish didn't go through that process, then it is possible it is sick. No way to diagnose it from just the loss of color.

Lastly, if the above are addressed and not found to be the cause, then the fish is lacking in nutrition to help it maintain its pigmentation. Every fish is different. So having one fish in this condition while the rest seem fine is not a reason to discount this last possibility.

Good luck!

[mr_brix]

yes i do have 2 tangs in my tank but this sunday the other one is going to my bro's tank.. and im keeping the pale one.. by the way i got this tang last tuesday what i have noticed they eat,swim, very well i just wondered about the color

as you mention about bullied the pale one is the one who bullied the other one.. not like they bite each other just like when i put the food he wont let the other one have some just like that

so far they look good..

[berkdog]

Hey leebca, if I QT all new arrivals and re-home current damselfish asap, will my tank still carry the fish diseases I had previously? What if there's a hitch-hiker (ie: brittle starfish or something) I can't see-- won't that carry and spread diseases introduced by the damselfish? Thanks!

[leebca]

Your post is what's known as 'hijacking a thread.' That is, you're using someone else's post/thread to get a different topic considered. I just want you to understand Forum etiquette. I'll answer your post, but if you want to continue the dialog, open a new thread, okay?

If you remove all fish from any aquarium, the parasites there that live off of fish only will die. Many fish parasites are obligate parasites, meaning that without a host they die - they don't hibernate or encyst - they die.

After they die the clean fish coming into the aquarium will find the aquarium system free of parasites. Only if the fish, water, or the hobbyist brings non quarantined marine life, rock, etc. into the aquarium will the disease find its way in.

[berkdog]

Thanks for answering me. I'll try to pick up the etiquette here.

[reefhead728]

how are the purple tangs doing? any change for the better

[mr_brix]

hey i have one P-Tang now.. i gave the other to my bro.. the color is just like faded... and i noticed she looks lonely i guess the previous owner got them together since day one and now the other one that she bullied is gone.. i guess she miss the playmate hehehe... over all looks healthty, swim good and eat good

[reefhead728]

mr brix what kind of food are you feeding your tang?