Why are my Tangs fins an odd shape?

[Jeff000]

Picture says a thousand words.


Not the greatest picture, but shows my purple tang.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15402638801_cdf5a2a73c_b.jpg


I just noticed today that my purple tangs fins are a funny shape, they are very symmetrical though, and the wife says they have been like that for months and months.
At first I was thinking it was being picked on, but it's too even for that to be it.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Vapour1ze]

Looks normal.

[Jeff000]

Looks normal.

This is normal

http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6qw8nx00C1rw6hhbo1_1280.jpg

Mine are like half moon at the back, more like an angel than a tang.

[Vapour1ze]

This is normal



http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6qw8nx00C1rw6hhbo1_1280.jpg



Mine are like half moon at the back, more like an angel than a tang.


Hybrid? 😆😆

[Yodeling]

Yeah that's weird. Would love to see a better picture.

[Jeff000]

Yeah that's weird. Would love to see a better picture.

It's like it can sense the camera and just bolts. I will try though.

[phillrodrigo]

Best way to get a picture of a tang is to put a nori clip in the tank. He will go eat it and not pay attention to what your doing. I think it looks cool

[ca1ore]

Isn't that the darnedest thing! Was it always like that? Maybe just a genetic aberration, or perhaps just a coincidental case of fin rot. I had a strangely shaped yellow tang years ago as a result of fin damage.

[Jeff000]

Isn't that the darnedest thing! Was it always like that? Maybe just a genetic aberration, or perhaps just a coincidental case of fin rot. I had a strangely shaped yellow tang years ago as a result of fin damage.

When I first got it the fins were perfect, as it took three to come in before one was perfect enough for me to actually buy.

Is fin rot something I need to worry about with other fish?

I know my purple and yellow fought quite a bit when I first got them, and I am pretty sure my purple and sailfin pick on my yellow now, but I only see the sailfin picking.

[ca1ore]

I didn't mean to alarm you, was just spitballing ideas. Fin rot is typically bacterial and not usually transmitted, at least not amongst healthy fish. Never seen a case quite so symmetrical though. Are margins on the fins clean, or ragged?

[Jeff000]

I didn't mean to alarm you, was just spitballing ideas. Fin rot is typically bacterial and not unusually transited, at least not amongst healthy fish. Never seen a casE quite so symmetrical though. Are margins on the fins clean, or ragged?

Looks super clean. Like it's supposed to be that way.

[ReefingWerewolf]

Omg thats awesome!

[ca1ore]

Looks super clean. Like it's supposed to be that way.

Fin rot is usually ragged and 'chunky'. I think I'd not worry and just enjoy an unique fish.

[Aquarist007]

I've actually noticed that in one of my tanks I service. There is a fin nipper in there. One of the yellow tangs fins have grown back like your fish

[Beandawg]

A purple spade tang

[Dmorty217]

At any rate the caudal and anal fins should not look like that. If the fins aren't ragged and you don't see anyone nipping at the purples fins, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is the fish eating and acting normal?

[Aquarist007]

At any rate the caudal and anal fins should not look like that. If the fins aren't ragged and you don't see anyone nipping at the purples fins, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is the fish eating and acting normal?

It goes nuts when ever you hold up the queen of spades:lmao:

[Jeff000]

At any rate the caudal and anal fins should not look like that. If the fins aren't ragged and you don't see anyone nipping at the purples fins, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is the fish eating and acting normal?

It's a pig at eating, second only to my purple tang. lol And acts as normal as can be, although it does chace my mag float when I clean the glass sometimes.


A purple spade tang

lol, the wife started calling it spade.

[Rob6311]

How old is the fish? But it does look like it is naturally occurring for your fish, the fins are very symmetrical and there are no jagged edges so I don't think it's a result of an illness or bullying from another fish, in nature and even with aqua cultured fish there will always be genetic deformities, and just because I say deformities does not mean it's a bad thing, you deformities for evolution to happen within the species. And if it's a genetic deformity which to me it looks like is, then if you breed that fish chances are that some of it's offspring would end up with the same fin shape

[Jeff000]

How old is the fish? But it does look like it is naturally occurring for your fish, the fins are very symmetrical and there are no jagged edges so I don't think it's a result of an illness or bullying from another fish, in nature and even with aqua cultured fish there will always be genetic deformities, and just because I say deformities does not mean it's a bad thing, you deformities for evolution to happen within the species. And if it's a genetic deformity which to me it looks like is, then if you breed that fish chances are that some of it's offspring would end up with the same fin shape

It's 18 months old in my tank I think.
I am really sure it had normal fins when I bought it. As I turned down other fish waiting for a perfect one. But I am starting to question myself now.

[Rob6311]

I mean the odds of that happening are really low which is why when it does happen in someone's home aquarium it raises a lot of question, but this really does appear to be the case with your fish. And when these deformities do happen in nature the ones that aren't good (anything that would make it harder for the fish to survive) or beneficial (makes it easier to survive) but the shape of the fins could be either or it could make it harder or easier for a tang to swim, but In the tank setting I believe it'll have no problem surviving. So if I'm right about this (which I could be totally wrong) but if I am right then in my opinion I believe you have a very cool looking and unique tang

[Rob6311]

Ok well take the lemon peel tang for example as the fish matures it changes it's appearance, now like I said the chances of this are very low but the fins could have slowly changed over time due to a small difference in it's genetic code compared to a normal purple tang.

[Rob6311]

Lol Id just like to correct myself I mixed up the lemon peel angelfish and the blue Caribbean tang