Purple Tang losing color

[Mr.Tang]

My Purple Tang recently started to become pale purple instead of the usual dark purple. His diet consists of seaweed sheets in the morning, and frozen brine in the afternoon. All other fish in the tank have excellent color and eat the same diet. All tank parameters are excellent and all fish are fat, healthy and eating well. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[fish1]

Mr T. I feed mine Formula 1 and 2 , prime reef , clams, squid and angel formula. I also feed the tank reef solution and Mr. Purple is Deep Purple . I've had it for about 4 to 5 years. Keep good water quality. Mine lives in a 120 SPS tank.
Good luck !!!!
[\[\ark aka Fish / FISHme

 

[Mac1]

From what I've heard and read, Asthaxantham is a great supplement for those Beta-Carotene's that are responsible for vibrant, bright colors. As a result, I've started adding it to my home made food mixture. BrineShrimpDirect.com sells Natura-Rose powder, that mixes in well. Not trying to sound like an infomercial, just a satisfied customer w/ a very colorful Sailfin Tang, and TR clown's that look better than most wild one's I see in the LFS.

- Mac

 

[johns120]

I would enhance the brine with vitamins or Vibrance as advertised at www.oceanrider.com Also, I believe the PT needs at greatly varied diet of different foods ie shrimp, squid, clam, fish, mussles etc.

 

[dgin]

I've read that there is minimum nutritional value in frozen brine shrimp. I feed a little bit on occassion to my fish along with my homemade fish food which is comprised of oysters, squid, octopus, cod, shrimp, nori, selcon, mixed pellet and flake food, and spirulina. Having a varied diet allows them to get the nutrition needed to keep them healthy and colorful.

My yellow tang was a bit pale when I got him but he is a vibrant yellow now. Also keep in mind that fish sometimes change their coloring temporarily to blend in with their environment For example, my yellow tang is kind of pale looking when the lights are out but after they come on he turns into a bright yellow after several minutes.

 

[Reefguide]

Stress can also cause a tang a pale out... Can he be stressed? Whats the tank size, who are his neighbors, ect... ?

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Variety in food, plus color enhancers (for some fishes) are key in keeping fish healthy, vibrant and colorful. I would suggest some flake foods that have color enhancer and frozen mysis shrimps with Selco supplements. Also try variety in frozen food and nori. Brine shrimps, IMO, have minimal nutritional value.
For my tank, I use a home made blend of various seafood, fish liver oil, liquid children vitamins and Selco. I feed as many dried seaweeds as I can find, and use various flake foods from Brineshrimp Direct. My fish have very vibrant colors and many species are breeding in my tank. (Banggai Cardinals, Ocellaris clowns, Clown goby, Royal gramma, Mandarin, Flameback angel with a Cherub angel, Yellow tail damsels, Firefish. I also think Marine Beta also but not able to confirm the egg mass yet)

 

[Brvheart5]

Do you ever notice him scratching himself on rocks or anything?

 

[JohnD]

I suggest you add some Selcon or Vita-chem to the brine shrimps' water at least 30 minutes before feeding them to the tank inhabitants. As stated before, brine shrimp do not contain much nutrition. Adding these suppliments will help greatly.

Besides your nori and brine shrimp, I recommend you feed your PT a varied diet. Mine gets Ocean Nutritions Formula 1 and 2, Angel Formula and Spirolina Formula. Suggestions for other foods are also great.

HTH,

JohnD