Hawaii Fish Ban Update

Jay Hemdal · 2026-09-04T14:42:33-0400

pepbill said:
There are no yellow tangs in Tahiti. There are flights from Hawaii to Tahiti. Some probably funneling them through a country that is less diligent on wildlife enforcement.

Or - they are being collected in the North Pacific (Marshall’s, Johnston, Japan) and sent to Tahiti instead of how they used to send these to Hawaii? Wholesalers aren’t able to use Hawaii as a legal stopping point for fish that could have been collected locally.

I’ve seen some really convoluted supply chains recently - Red Sea fish being shipped to Kenya and then to the US and EU for example.

ryshark · 2026-09-04T14:47:11-0400

Dr. Reef said:
Not to steal the thread. But we get ours captive bred and keep them for 3 months before shipping.
Also have a shipment of wild yellow tangs coming from Tahiti next week.

I definitely like the idea of them being with you for 3 months before shipping. Do they "yellow up" considerably in that time? Also, does pricing compare from Captive Bred and Wild Tahiti?

ryshark · 2026-09-04T14:48:33-0400

Dr. Reef said:
They haven't landed yet and not sure how many we will get.
My guess is 5 or 6 of them and likely about $350. They are decent size about 3 to 3.5". But nothing is for sure till we have them in our facility.

Nevermind on the question above, just catching up on this thread. Thanks.

pepbill · 2026-09-04T15:45:56-0400

Jay Hemdal said:
pepbill said:

There are no yellow tangs in Tahiti. There are flights from Hawaii to Tahiti. Some probably funneling them through a country that is less diligent on wildlife enforcement.

Click to expand...

Or - they are being collected in the North Pacific (Marshall’s, Johnston, Japan) and sent to Tahiti instead of how they used to send these to Hawaii? Wholesalers aren’t able to use Hawaii as a legal stopping point for fish that could have been collected locally.

I’ve seen some really convoluted supply chains recently - Red Sea fish being shipped to Kenya and then to the US and EU for example.

I’ve been to Tahiti many times and was curious if there was a direct route from the mentioned to Tahiti. Closest I could get would be through Japan or Cook Islands.

I return to original idea. If someone is claiming “Tahitian Yellow Tangs” it means one of three things. 1. They are referring to Mimic Tangs which are there. Lemon Peel angelfish are the dominate Centopyge in the lagoons. 2. Someone is smuggling to Tahiti and then shipping to US. 3. They are lying to create scarcity.

Dr. Reef · 2026-09-04T16:22:44-0400

Not sure on the original of these wild yellow tangs. My supplier is in Tahiti.
They sent me video of them and unfortunately I can't post it here but they are true yellow tangs.
Ill post pics and video once I get them in our tanks

Dr. Reef · 2026-09-04T16:30:00-0400

ryshark said:
I definitely like the idea of them being with you for 3 months before shipping. Do they "yellow up" considerably in that time? Also, does pricing compare from Captive Bred and Wild Tahiti?

Yes when we get captive bred yellow tangs they are tiny or small and pale and sometimes transparent see through with a slight yellow shade. We grow them for about 3 months and are about 1.5 to 2" and much more yellow. Once they goto thier home tanks it takes only another month or 2 to fully color up.

KrisReef · 2026-09-04T16:57:29-0400

https://www.coralmagazine.com/2014/08/29/biblical-spawning-event-on-hawaiian-reefs/

I hope I posted this in the proper thread.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 2026-09-04T17:21:06-0400

Dr. Reef said:
Yes when we get captive bred yellow tangs they are tiny or small and pale and sometimes transparent see through with a slight yellow shade. We grow them for about 3 months and are about 1.5 to 2" and much more yellow. Once they goto thier home tanks it takes only another month or 2 to fully color up.

My Biota yellow tang that I got from you certainly looks and acts like any yellow tang I had in the old days, and am very happy with it.

Jay Hemdal · 2026-09-04T17:22:18-0400

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
My Biota yellow tang that I got from you certainly looks and acts like any yellow tang I had in the old days, and am very happy with it.

That's a hog - how long have you had it?

areefer01 · 2026-09-04T17:30:55-0400

Dr. Reef said:
Yes when we get captive bred yellow tangs they are tiny or small and pale and sometimes transparent see through with a slight yellow shade. We grow them for about 3 months and are about 1.5 to 2" and much more yellow. Once they goto thier home tanks it takes only another month or 2 to fully color up.

The coloration is normal progression from baby, juvenile, to adult. Once they mature no one can tell the difference although it often comes up often. No different than say an Atlantic Blue Tang that changes from bright yellow to deep blue.

Nothing you don't already know but we really should be good hobbyist that clarify the coloration changes on captive bred, raised, fish and how it is expected, and normal.