Pale Kole Tang
 

Hi all - question for you on my new Kole tang. I bought him about 3 weeks ago. When I bought him, he was really a deep wine color and looked great. Since I have had him, his color has gradually gotten to where he is now very pale. He eats like crazy, swims all over the tank, has no one harassing him, all other fish are fine, water parameters in check, etc, etc. Anyone else have this happen and have any idea what's up? Besides the color, he looks fat and happy, but I am concerned. .

My Kole did that for a while. Tangs have the ability to change their color tone, lighter and darker, depending on stress etc.

My Kole would lighten a lot early on in the tank and I finally figured out that he was chasing his reflection in the glass and that was stressing him. After he settled in, his color now stays dark most of the time. I have had him for about 3 years.

If yours is eating well and active, I would not worry.

Froggy - thanks for the help. My Kole does stop every few minutes and chase the hell out of his refection up and down the glass. Then, he goes back back to cruising around and eating. Hopefully, that's it. today, he's almost white, so I've been real concerned.

Sounds like your Tang is uncomfortable/unhappy in the tank, any other fish or creatures in there harassing it or spooked it? Anenome maybe? either that or it may have been caught using Cyanide poisoning so its internal organs are stressed out / possibly deterorating if its cyanide caught, you will know in about 3 months or less if its cyanide caught usually when its body starts to turn blackish or dies.

I had one before and he didn't make the three month mark. I guess he was caught with cyanide.

I came back one night and he was acting weird hidding in aspot where he usually never stay. The next morning not only that he past away but the only thing left was is skeleton.

I guess the hermits were hungry. Got rid of them too.

Check if he is acting different. They do have some kind of habit. If it seems to change keep an eye on him.

Nothing I have is harassing him at all. He is by far the biggest fish in my tank, and everything stays out of his way. He picks at the rocks and the sides of the glass CONSTANTLY, but he won't touch anything that I put on the clip for him or anything else I feed the others. He's almost picked the tank clean. He is very active, but his color is horrible. He's damn near white. All water paramaters are in check. I don't know what else to do but watch and wait.

Was there any improvement with your Kole Tang?

Thanks for asking. Unfortunately, he's looking worse. He is constant movement picking at all of the rocks and on the glass, but the tank is almost clean now. He won't eat anything I feed - including dried seaweed I put on a clip and also tie to a rock. He completely ignores it. Any food I put in for the other fish, he may mouth it, but then spits it out. Basically he is living on the little algae that is left growing in the tank. He is getting thinner and thinner every day, and he's as pale as ever. I am at a loss and very upset at the thought of losing him. All other fish couldn't be better. I wish I knew what to do. I have my lights on a longer cycle to keep the tank algae growing, but honestly, it's not enough.

Sorry to hear about your Kole Tang.

I had a yellow eyed that had similar problems. He was healthy and vibrant when we got him. After about 2 weeks, we got an equal sized purple tang. They tangled for a bit but the purple won out. He suffered a few minor cuts and submitted to the more aggressive purple. We thought everthing was OK, but then we gradually started noticing a change in behavior, weight, and color.

His color started to fade and he became restless. I would see him swimming back and forth in the tank at night when he used to hide like all the others. He lost weight even though he continued eating a balanced diet.

Eventually, he lost energy and passed away. I hope your's doesn't suffer the same fate. :(

Call your LFS and see if they will take him back. I wish I had done something different to try to save mine.

have you tried attaching the nori/seaweed to a rock in the tank, sometimes they just don't recognize a seaweed clip as a place to find food.

You could also make a mixture of seaweed, fish, mussels, vitamins, ect in a blender until it is mush, spreading it thinly on a few rocks let it dry and then put it in the tank where he usually grazes

^^^^ Clever!!!! Gotta try that one.

Boy, that is clever, but not sure I have time for that one. I have tried the seaweed wedged between rocks, rubber band on rock, etc. He'll graze all around it but ignore it. Trying different foods, but sad to say I don't have a lot of faith in a positive outcome. I am definitely bummed.

You can dry the rock in the oven on low temperature, just make sure the family isn't around, they will make rude comments about your dinner making capabilities :lol: