Yellow Scopas Tang? Doubtful    6/16/07
Specs 90G FOWLR Established for 2 Yrs All readings normal range, nitrates 50ppm,
<Dangerously high... should be addressed stat... not allowed to creep up higher than 20 ppm.>
1Lutascens Wrasse, 1Porc Puffer, 1Majestic Angel,
<There is not enough room for these last two here>
1Yellow Scopas Tang
I have a yellow scopas tang,
<Ah, not likely... but could be a cross twixt Z. flavescens and Z. scopas... these can/do hybridize>
as sold to me by the LFS. I was told it is a rare color morph, that happens naturally. Well my question is first whether this is actually a yellow scopas tang or a washed out yellow tang?
<... no pic? What, am I, are we supposed to do... guess?>
Is there any physical characteristic that is different between the yellow and scopas tang?
<Some... and there are indeed Acanthurids that do have all yellow juvenile phases... and even color morphs of sorts amongst Zebrasoma spp.. But I've never seen a Scopas as such...>
Are they different fish or just different colors? I mean I have never heard of a brown yellow tang...Your thoughts would be appreciated, mainly because it is hard to determine its health (because I don't really know what a healthy yellow would look like for this fish). It has never been the yellow of a typical yellow tang. It, quite simply, looks faded. He is healthy and active but it is hard for me to determine whether his faded color may actually indicate some kind of deficiency in diet or environment.
<Please see Fishbase.org and WWM for pix... You may have an aberrant colored individual... or a cross... but w/o images... fin ray et al. meristic counts... There is no way to tell from here. Bob Fenner>
 

Black Tang. Cross between Zebrasoma rostratum, scopas?    03/26/07 Hello everyone at WWM, <Allan> My name is Allan. I am from Perth Australia. I have ordered and received a Zebrasoma rostratum. With one problem... <Mmmm> It convinced me and my LFS staff ( one of which is quite up to date with marine fish ) that they have sent a Scopas Tang. Looks very similar but much more charcoal looking at front end. We are being precautious and rightfully so. He let me take the fish home and if there is problems will sort it out. ( I know him personally ) I know there can be variations in scopas tangs <Yes... principally color, markings... but some "length of snout"> and they can be quite black, but the issue is that it is a juvenile 2 1/2". I and they have rarely seen these fish in the flesh, let alone a juvenile, and we have no idea what juvenile Black Tangs do look like. <About like this... do become darker, longer of "beak" with growth...> I am in good contact with most of the good LFS in Perth. <Oh, and will be down your way in a couple of years with a few thousand drunk friends of the Hash House Harriers...> First of all we compared it to a similar scopas and the scopas was way browner. We then went to fishbase and downloaded the specs on fin count, but couldn't get close enough to count them ( there is only a slight difference in finnage ). <Best to make high def., large file electronic images here...> We then found the greenish line and long snout ( I knew this anyway ), problem is they develop with age. Believe it or not I have searched everywhere ( hours ) on the net and cant find a pic of a juvenile black tang. I have sent 3 photos to you and crew and ask you and as many people you can who have ever seen a juvenile Rostratum, to try to give me a guide to what you think it is. Knowledge on such specialized fish in Perth is limited and I greatly appreciate any sort of input you have. <I too cannot discern what species this is... but I do have a suspicion that it/this may well be a cross... Really, only time, development will tell here likely. Cheers, Bob Fenner (aka Dogfish in the HHH)>

Black tang (Zebrasoma rostratum) ID perhaps  03/26/07 Hello everyone at WWM, <Hi Allan, Mich here.> My name is Allan. I am from Perth Australia. I have ordered and received a Zebrasoma rostratum. With one problem... <Not sure that's what you got?> It convinced me and my LFS staff (one of which is quite up to date with marine fish) that they have sent a Scopas Tang. Looks very similar but much more charcoal looking at front end. We are being precautious and rightfully so. <All say!  Last on I saw sold for $400 USD!!!  YIKES!> He let me take the fish home and if there is problems will sort it out. (I know him personally) <Mmm careful here.> I know there can be variations in Scopas tangs and they can be quite black, but the issue is that it is a juvenile 2 1/2". They and I have rarely seen these fish in the flesh, let alone a juvenile, and we have no idea what juvenile Black Tangs do look like. <I do have some photos of that $400 Zebrasoma rostratum and it was a juvenile.  Sorry for the delay in getting back to you but wanted to confirm that I did indeed have these photos.> I am in good contact with most of the good LFS in Perth. First of all we compared it to a similar Scopas and the Scopas was way browner. We then went to fishbase and downloaded the specs on fin count, but couldn’t get close enough to count them (there is only a slight difference in finnage). We then found the greenish line and long snout (I knew this anyway), problem is they develop with age. Believe it or not I have searched everywhere (hours) on the net and can't find a pic of a juvenile black tang. <I believe you.> I have sent 3 photos to you and crew and ask you and as many people you can who have ever seen a juvenile Rostratum, to try to give me a guide to what you think it is. <I have seen one juvenile and it does resemble.  However, I have no formal training on fish identification, as such, I am afraid to say with any certainty on such an expensive fish.  I will get photos placed on the website so all can view and opine.> Knowledge on such specialized fish in Perth is limited and I greatly appreciate any sort of input you have. <Hope this helps.  -Mich  RMF any comment?>

Sailfin Tang Question...Identification   6/28/06
Hi
<Hello Danielle>
Quick question for you.  My LFS has a couple of Sailfin Tangs that looks like a Desjardini tang, but instead of the whitish color between stripes it is almost black.  They have them labeled as Australian Sailfins.  Is this accurate?
<Yes, this is the veliferum which is found from southwestern to northwestern Australia, and the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef.>
Have you ever heard of this?  Are they the same species as the Desjardin's, but just a different color variation?
<Yes.>
Thanks for any help that you can offer.
<Both of these are zebrasoma.  The zebrasoma veliferum is found in the Coral Sea, Fiji, Tahiti, Great Barrier Reef, and the Indo Pacific.  The have five vertical yellow stripes and the tail begins in bright yellow ending with blue highlights. The zebrasoma Desjardini is found in the Red Sea, Maldives/Sri Lanka.  These also have vertical yellow stripes but have light grey freckles on the nose and yellow freckles on the abdomen. James (Salty Dog)>
Danielle

Indian Ocean v. Red Sea Sailfin III 11/11/03
In Calfo and Fenner's new book Reef Invertebrates they list Z. veliferum as a potential bubble algae control creature;  did they mean to include all members thereof  (including the Pacific or Hawaiian Sailfin) or is the Desjardin Sailfin the one commonly believed in aquaristics to be the right candidate?
<as stated in the last e-mail, my friend... they are the same species (Desjardin/red sea Sailfin is simply a Z. veliferum) but anecdotally they are believed to be more inclined to rasp bubble algae:
<<it is possible that a race of fishes (same species...different locale) is evolved or predisposed to eating some prey items over another. There is a strong belief in aquaristics that this is the case with the Red Sea Sailfin>>
best regards, Anthony>

Indian Ocean v. Red Sea Sailfin 11/7/03 
I think this link answers the question below: 
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zebrasom.htm 
<Okey-dokey> 
Desjardin's tang is both from the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. 
<yes... and more importantly, is no longer a valid species but rather a synonym (same species) with Z. veliferum (common Sailfin)> 
Yet the LFS sells the Red Sea for more than the Indian Ocean. 
<correct... extra cost of shipping - the most significant part of the cost of any fish> 
I want it to eat bubble algae. Does one do a better job than the other? 
<it is possible that a race of fishes (same species...different locale) is evolved or predisposed to eating some prey over another. There is a strong belief in aquaristics that this is the case with the Red Sea Sailfin> 
I also don't want it to get too big. Does one stay smaller than the other? 
<nope... they are all too big and too aggressive for most aquariums (under 100 gallons or larger if mixed with other tangs). TO control bubble algae, treat the problem (nutrients, lack of QT, etc) and not the symptom (the bubbles) for best results. Anthony>

Re: My mistake, another photo!!! =)
Thank you very much for all your help, If you have any ideas later on feel free to let me know!!! I'll keep you updated on the progress of my search!!! lol
<Real good. Thank you. Bob Fenner, still going to get down to the Mascarenes for that on-sight Gemmatum pic!>
Best wishes,
Max

Re: is this a real tang?
Click here: Gem Tang Zebrasoma gemmatum
I also saw a tang that looks like it's a yellow tang but it's all orange. Is
that a tang also?
Jahner
<Yes... these are not common in Hawai'i (where yellow tangs come from) but are found occasionally... some all orange, but most mottled with orange and white. Bob Fenner>