Determining if a tang is thin...

[Jahalu]

I usually look at the concave curve of a fish's underbelly to determine if it's thin, but I don't think this works with tangs. Where exactly should I be looking to determine if a tang is thin?

 

[Maddlesrain]

I usually look at the concave curve of a fish's underbelly to determine if it's thin, but I don't think this works with tangs. Where exactly should I be looking to determine if a tang is thin?

I always think the entire fish’s body should be pretty thick. If the fish has an overall nice girth, you’re doing well. The belly shouldn’t look overly distended after eating. To me, this indicates that the overall body mass is too low.

Hope that answers your question?

 

[eatbreakfast]

With a tang you should never see ribs.

When looking at a tang head-on, the body should gently get wider toward the middle of the body and taper toward the dorsal and anal fin. When looking from above the middle of the fish should be thickest and nose and caudal should be thinner.

It's body should not be so thick as to lose it's streamlined shape.

 

[mort]

Tangs can really lose condition quickly as they need to eat a lot daily. Often when they are shipped you can see a pinched in stomach. This area should be nice and round and not concave at all.
The picture below from Google show the area pinched in on a fish that is otherwise not too bad (could do with a little fattening over the ribs)

 

[Jahalu]

Thanks everyone!