Lapezo Tang?

[cortezz98@aol.c]

I HAVE A 75 GALLON REEF IN MY TANK IHAD A FOXFACE WHO ATE ALL THE ALGA EOFF MY LIVE ROCK WELL HE DIED IN A SMALL LAND SLIDE WHILE I WAS AWAY SO I BOUGT A LAPEZO TANG TO REPLACE HIM AND TAKE CARE OF MY LIVE ROCK. ITS BEEN ABOUT A WEEK AND THE TANG IS STILL DARK BROWN AND MUST BE STRESSED BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE WHITE W/LIGHT BLUE SPOTS. HE DOES COME OUT ONLY WHEN IAM IN FRONT OF THE TANK IT LETS ME TOUCH IT WHEN MY HAND IS IN THE TANK IT ALSO HAS SMALL WHITE BUBBLES ABOVE ONE OF ITS EYES WHICH DOESNT LOOK NORMAL IS THIS NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR A LAPEZO TANG AND WHAT ARE THE WHITE THINGS ABOVE ITS EYE? AFTER BUYING THIS FISH I COULD NOT FIND ANY IFO ABOUT IN ANY OF MY MANY BOOKS. I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE RESEARCHED IT FIRST BUT THE FISH IS COOL AND HARD TO COME BY IN PHILA SO I BOUGHT IT CAN YOU ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR GIVE ME ANY INFO ABOUT A LAPEZO TANG???????

 

[fmarini]

Hi:
first off, release the CAPS LOCK.....this means your screaming, and its bad web manners.
second the fish is called
a lopezi tang (AKA Naso lopezi-search at www.fishbase.org for more info) these are super high energy, constant swimming tangs which require lots of food and lots of open swimming space. Did i mention as adut fish they are about 24" long??
Baby lopezi's have cute little blue spots and are brown green and grey, as adults they are a drab grey green.
The bubble over the eye is not normal, and if you bought him that way, it might be a gas bubble from a trauma, if it started in your tank, you need to worry about a potential infection. Whats going on w/ the eye now??
Lastly, to ensure this fish stays in the best of health feed it tons of veggies, like seaweed, nori and more seaweeds, as well as meaty foods. Expect in one yr to have a 8-10" long fish and prolly a 14-16" fish by 1.5 yrs.
I won't say it you already did...yes you should have researched the fish choice. I didn't see how big your tank is.
On to the more important topic...Most likely this fish is NOT a lopezi tang, this seems to be a usual mistake, these fish are actually misidentified N Vlamingi. Apparently as juvenile fish a N lopezi and N vlamingi look identical, and almost all the baby Naso "lopezi" are really baby N vlamingis. I have only seen one adult N lopezi and it was but ugly.
I did however 8 yrs ago buy a baby N lopezi which turned into a gorgoeous adul N vlamingi. She is currently 8yr old and approx 14" and getting tail streamers, a big thick fish. awesome. My 180 is starting to get small.
frank