A look at a typical Chinese online wholesaler’s list.

[Zionas]

They’re based in Shenzhen, and thought it would be cool to give you guys an idea on what kind of stuff is available here.

D= most common
C= relatively / somewhat common
B= Somewhat rare
A= Quite rare
S= Seldom seem


1. Tangs (Indonesia and Philippines)

A) Blue Tang (Captive Bred) C
-4+ CM
-5+ CM
-7+ CM
-9+ CM


B) Golden Trevally (Captive Bred) C
-9 to 11 CM

C) Powder Blue Tang (East Batam) D
-6 to 8 CM
-8 to 10 CM
-10 to 12 CM


D) Desjardini Sailfin Tang (East Batam) D
-6 to 8CM
-8 to 10CM
-10 to 12 CM


E) Pacific Sailfin Tang D
-6 to 8CM
-8 to 10CM
-10 to 12CM

F) Naso Tang D
-6 to 8 CM
-9 to 11 CM

G) Tomini Tang C
-9 to 11 CM

H) Thompson’s Surgeonfish C
-11 to 13 CM
-13 to 15 CM

I) Clown Tang D
-5 to 7CM
-7 to 9CM

J) Orange Shoulder Tang D
-9 to 11 CM
-11 to 13 CM
-13 to 15 CM

K) Powder Brown Tang (Nigricans) D
-6 to 8 CM
-8 to 10 CM
-10 to 12 CM

L) Mimic Lemonpeel (Chocolate) Tang D
-7 to 9 CM
9 to 11 CM

M) Scopas (Brown) Tang D
-5 to 7 CM
-7 to 9 CM
-9 to 11 CM

N) Striated Bristletooth Tang B
-5 to 7 CM
-7 to 9 CM

O) Unicorn Tang C
-7 to 9 CM

P) Doubled Barred Rabbitfish B
-7 to 9 CM
-9 to 11 CM

 

[Zionas]

Angels (Philippines and Indonesia):

A) Bicolor Angelfish C
-5 to 7CM
-7 to 9CM

B) Eibli Angelfish B
-5 to 7CM

C) Bellus Angelfish (Female) A
-6 to 8CM
-8 to 10CM

D) Six Bar Angelfish B
-11 to 13 CM (thin)


E) Spot Breast Angelfish (female) B
-6 to 8 CM
-8 to 10 CM
-10 to 12 CM

F) Regal Angel C
-10 to 12 CM
-12 to 14 CM

G) Coral Beauty Angel D
-5 to 7 CM
-7 to 9 CM

H) Herald’s Angelfish C
-5 to 7 CM
-7 to 9 CM

I) Half Black Angelfish B
-5 to 7 CM

J) Blue Face Angelfish (Juvenile) B
-4 to 6 CM

K) Koran Angelfish (Transitioning) C
-10 to 12 CM

L) Annularis Angelfish (Juveniles) C
-4 to 6 CM
-6 to 8 CM
-8 to 10 CM




Butterflies (Philippines and Indonesia): *Hate how they import corallivores!

A) Copperband Butterfly D
-7 to 9 CM

B) Yellow Pyramid Butterfly C to B
-7 to 9 CM

C) Black Zoster Butterfly B
-8 to 10 CM

D) Raccoon Butterfly C
-7 to 9 CM

E) Eight Banded (Octofasciatus) Butterfly C
-5 to 7 CM

F) Pearl Scale Butterfly C
-5 to 7 CM
-7 to 9 CM

G) Long Nose (Flavissumus) Butterfly C
-8 to 10 CM

H) Declivis Butterfly S
(Size unknown)

I) Sunset Butterfly (Pelewensis) C
-6 to 8 CM

J) Falcula Butterfly C to B
-8 to 10 CM

K) Merten’s Butterfly (Maldives) C to B
-7 to 9 CM
-9 to 11 CM
-11 to 13 CM

L) Longfin Bannerfish D
-6 to 8 CM
-8 to 10 CM

M) Brown Bannerfish (Chrysotomus) B
-5 to 7 CM

 

[Zionas]

Gobies and Blennies:

1. Lawnmower Blenny (D)
2. Starry Blenny (C to B)
3. Black Sailfin Blenny (B)
4. Red Spotted Sailfin Blenny (Blenniella) (B)
5. Bullet Goby (C)
6. Blue Spotted Shrimp Goby (B)
7. Tail Spot Blenny (C to B)
8. Two Spot Goby (C)
9. Blue Head Tilefish (C)
10. Flame Dragonet (C)
11. Red Firefish (Indonesia) (D)
12. Purple Firefish (C)
13. Green Dragonet (D)
14. Psychedelic Mandarin (C)

Normally imported but absent from their most recent list: Orange Spotted Shrimp Goby, Yellow Watchman Goby, Pink Spotted Goby, Bicolor Blenny.





Wrasses:
1. Pin Tail (Isoceles) Fairy Wrasse (Male) (A)
2. Banana (Thalassoma Wrasse) (C)
3. Eight Line Wrasse (A)
4. Claudia’s (Christmas) Wrasse (A)
5. Six-Line Wrasse (D)


Normally imported but missing: Yellow Coris, Green Coris.



Americas and Hawaii:
1. Yellow Tang (D)
2. Yellow Eye Kole Tang (C to B)
3. White Tail Bristletooth Tang (A)
4. Multicolor Angelfish (A)
5. Hawaiian Flame Fairy Wrasse (pair, male, female) (A)
6. Hawaiian Snow Domino Damsel (S)
7. Atlantic Blue Tang (B)
8. Royal Gramma (B to A)
9. Atlantic Cherub Angel (A)
10. Rock Beauty (C to B)
11. Queen Angel (D)
12. Passer (King) Angel (D)
13. Spanish Hogfish (A)
14. Blue Angel (C)




Africa and Red Sea:
1. Purple Tang (C to B)
2. Yellow Belly Regal Tang (B)
3. Midas Blenny (B)
4. Jewel Leopard Wrasse (B)
5. Square Tail Bristletooth Tang (C to B)
6. Sohal Tang (C)
7. West African Angel (A)
8. Semilavartus Butterfly (B to A)
9. Red Sea Asfur Angel (C)
10. Red Sea Maculosus Angel (D)



Damsels:
1. Yellowtail Blue (D)
2. Azure Damsel (D to C)
3. Blue-Green Chromis (D)
4. Blue Devil (D to C)
5. Three Spot Domino (D)
6. Three Striped Damsel (D to C)
7. Neon Damsel (B)
8. Surge Damsel (B to A)
9. Four Stripe Damselfish (C to B)
10. Bicolor Chromis (C to B)
11. Lemon Damsel (C to B)



Cardinalfish:
1. Pajama Cardinalfish (D)
2. Bangaii Cardinalfish (D)
3. Yellow Striped Cardinalfish (A)



Clownfish:
1. Clarkii Clownfish (Captive Bred) (D)
2. Tomato Clownfish (Captive Bred) (D)
3. Fire Clownfish (Captive Bred) (A)
4. Pink Skunk Clownfish (Captive Bred) (A)
5. Ocellaris Clownfish (Captive Bred) (D)
6. True Percula Clownfish (Captive Bred) (C to B)
7. Philippines Ocellaris Clownfish (Wild Caught) (C)
8. New Guinea Ocellaris Clownfish (Wild Caught) (C)
9. Maroon Clownfish (Captive Bred) (D)
10. East Batam GSM Clownfish (Wild Caught) (C to B)



Clownfish (Indonesian Captive Bred):
1. Ocellaris (D)
2. True Percula (C)
3. Tomato (C)
4. GSM (C to B)
5. Black and White Ocellaris (C to B)
6. Midnight Ocellaris (Designer) (C)
7. Gold Brick Maroon (Designer) (C)
8. Picasso Ocellaris (Designer) (C)
9. Mocha Storm Ocellaris (Designer) (C)
10. Wyoming White Ocellaris (Designer) (C)




Maldives:
1. Indian Ocean Regal Angel (C)
2. Exquisite Firefish (B to A)
3. Indian Ocean Lyretail Anthias (male and female) (B)
4. Indian Ocean Dispar Anthias (B)
5. Maldives Gold Head Sleeper Goby (C)
6. Maldives Diamond Watchman Goby (D)
7. Maldives Clown Tang (C)
8. Maldives Emperor Angel (B)
9. Maldives Yellowfin Dwarf Angel (B to A)
10. Maldives Cream Angel (A)
11. Maldives Convict Tang (C to B)

 

[Zionas]

I have never seen the following fish out of stock whether from wholesalers or LFS inventories:

-Ocellaris Clowns

-Yellowtail Blue Damsels

-Blue-Green Chromis

-Three Spot Domino Damsel

-Yellow Tang

-Blue Hippo Tang (Indo-Pacific)

-Pacific Sailfin Tang




I’d also like to add that Auriga Butterflies are among the more regularly imported. A couple other corallivore species (unfortunately). Klein’s is not as common.

Gem Tangs would be an A to S rated fish meaning quite rare to almost seldom seen.

Swissguard and Blackcap Basslets would be S. Mitratus, Tinker’s, Burgess would be A to S with Mitratus and Tinker’s on the S side and Burgess on the A side.

Flame Angels used to be C to B (leaning C) but are now more on the B to A side, leaning A. Not sure why.

Bangaiis I assume are wild caught hence why I’d never consider them.

 

[polyppal]

Interesting info. Thanks!

 

[Zionas]

On some very rare occasions I have seen fish I would rate double S or even rarer:

Japanese Pygmy Angel (SS)

Joculator Angel (SS)

Peppermint Angel (SSS)

Clarion Angel (SSS)

Bandit Angel (SS)

Personatus Angel (SSS)

 

[Doctorgori]

VERY appreciated post, thank you...
I’ve been in parts of Asia, the hobby is alive and well over there. Koreans especially seemed pretty savvy and up to date IME

 

[Zionas]

Koreans? I don’t know anything about the hobby in Korea. What are their tanks like? Are their methods, philosophies, livestock choices etc. different from us?

I consider myself a “Western” hobbyist because pretty much all of my knowledge, info etc. come from Western sources including here.

I’m Chinese-Canadian living in mainland China but the hobby here is probably no more than 16-17 years old, having began in the early 2000s. Fish wise many people keep their Clownfish and Yellow Tangs for 16-17 years and more.

The hobby’s fairly big in Taiwan and Hong Kong, presumably Japan as well. Pretty decent in Singapore too.

I’d be really curious to find out what it’s like in the developing Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia etc. Even India.

 

[Doctorgori]

I lived in Korea twice. I’d say fish stores were not hard to find. Most of their gear looked Chinese or at least the writing had Chinese characters.
Some of the equip was a lil different; either slicker/smarter or noticeably of lower quality. Airlines, et were slightly different in size.
Fish selection was bad-zzz, esp goldfish and Asian barbs.
I didnt see any fish stores on Okinawa or the Philippines. I did see lots of wildlife & Ocean products stuff in the PI tho

 

[Zionas]

What was their saltwater fish selection like compared to the States? What about corals? Did you see any very large saltwater tanks like the ones here, I.e. 200 gallons and larger?

 

[Doctorgori]

actually my recollections may no longer be relevant as it was before today’s reefing techniques were widespread.
Back then Korean sw tanks were of the white dead coral skeleton type populated with lots of Philippine regulars, tangs & butterflies.