Atlantic Blue Tang

Quinn · #1 07-06-2003, 11:30 PM

Came from Seacare, looked pretty stressed during acclimatization but is doing well now. Has a minor case of ich, I am currently developing a battle strategy for this. Colour is like purple tang, but bluer, body shape is also less elongated. This individual is somewhere in the process of changing to adult colouring.

Canadian Man · #2 07-07-2003, 12:13 AM

Very Cool looking Quinn!

spikehs · #3 07-07-2003, 01:10 AM

nice, how big is he?

Quinn · #4 07-07-2003, 01:22 AM

About 3" long. They grow to a rather large adult size, but what tang doesn't.

DJ88 · #5 07-07-2003, 01:29 AM

Just curious how big your tank is?

I had one that was 4-5" long and it PACED constantly.

I have talked to a few guys who see these in the wild and when they go for a swim. they go. and I mean miles. you'll see a school coming at you and then zoooom they go by and fade into the distance.

As well there is another name I have heard given to them.

Cows of the ocean. they will eat and eat and eat. and then it all comes out. and a LOT comes out.

Keep some Nori in the tank as much as you can. It will devour it.

Quinn · #6 07-07-2003, 02:07 AM

Tank is 150 gal, 4'x2'x30". Nori will be available to him daily as of tomorrow, when I get some fishing line to hang my feeder from. This guy hasn't been pacing so far, just wandering around nibbling at rocks.

smokinreefer · #7 07-07-2003, 06:05 AM

well i aint no tang police, cuz god knows i like tangs, but these guys are one of the larger tang sp. available.

keep us updated on how it behaves, and pics of it maturing would be great.

these guys are on my list of tangs to consider as they are simply stunning as adults.

Quinn · #8 07-07-2003, 01:15 PM

I have to say, it's interesting how many different opinions on this animal are out there. Some sources say it's difficult to obtain and expensive, others say it's easy and cheap, some say it stays small, others say it stays small for an Acanthrus sp., still others say it gets huge for any tang. Some say it's ugly, and some say it's stunning. I've also found a few sites that say it's more difficult to keep than popular tangs, such as the regal or the yellow. I'd like to know how often these guys actually are kept, as it seems to be a lot less than many other tangs. Regardless, I will continue to less you folks know how it goes.

smokinreefer · #9 07-07-2003, 04:18 PM

personally i feel these guys arent kept as often because of their (larger compared to alot of other tangs) adult size. i am not positive on this, but i believe these guys to be one of the larger tangs, similar to an orange shoulder or lieutenant (tennati sp??) in size.

but a mature atlantic blue, is in my opinion a very sharp looking tang.

keep in mind though, i have no experience as to their hardiness, temperment or ease/difficulty of care.

smokinreefer · #10 07-07-2003, 04:24 PM

hmmm...
maybe i have mistaken this tang for something else....
when i picture an adult atlantic blue, i see a very dark blue sharp looking tang, but when i searched it all the pics i saw were a lighter blue fish than i imagined, as well it has fine lines going through its body pattern.

maybe i have a case of mistaken identity or perhaps all the photos i caome up with are with a flash and show the fish' colors/patterns differently.

kind of like when you take a photo of a purple tang, it shows up lighter and you can see the lines on its body pattern.

i'll try looking for another photo of what i believe the blue tang to be.