Saltwater sunbeam: Do you have a Yellow Tang?

[albano]

Up until a few weeks ago, I had 10 Hawaiian Yellows… but I gave 2 of them to a friend as a favor. Now I have 6 in my 500g and 2 in my 200g. Fortunately all were purchased well below current market prices!
(I’d guess that at least 6 of them are 20 years old minimum.)

 

[Troylee]

Got one last week for my nano…

 

[jda]

Yellow my first fish after a cycle. Rode it home in my backpack on my RedLine BMX bike. I will always have at least one of them. It helped when they were directly from Hawaii healthy and not expensive. I have one that is older than one of my kids who is a college freshman.

HI was supposed to start issuing fishing permits again. I know that it takes time, but I have not heard an update in a while. Hi is the most studied ecosystem for fishing in the world - yellow tangs are not over collected... even when they were collected.

 

[Karliefish]

My wife and I bought two yellow Biota tangs approximately 8 months ago. When we first received them they were almost albino and ~one-inch long. We were so worried that they’d never look like the wild yellow tangs we dived with in Hawaii. To say the least we had some buyers remorse. Today, our tangs are almost three inches long and are BRIGHT yellow. Amazing to watch the change in color and growth. You wouldn’t notice any difference between a wild caught or lab raised yellow tang. Not sure if this is the case for everyone, but for we are true believes in lab raised yellow tangs.

 

[Troylee]

My wife and I bought two yellow Biota tangs approximately 8 months ago. When we first received them they were almost albino and ~one-inch long. We were so worried that they’d never look like the wild yellow tangs we dived with in Hawaii. To say the least we had some buyers remorse. Today, our tangs are almost three inches long and are BRIGHT yellow. Amazing to watch the change in color and growth. You wouldn’t notice any difference between a wild caught or lab raised yellow tang. Not sure if this is the case for everyone, but for we are true believes in lab raised yellow tangs.

It’s all about diet… I started feeding my tangs 5 times a day and nori 24/7 since I have so many and wanna keep aggression down… all of them have gotten super bright and fat! Lol

 

[TheDuude]

I have a 7 year old Hawaiian yellow and a 2.5 year old biota yellow. Everyone's favorite fish when they visit as they are always out swimming around grazing on rocks.

 

[Brymac1]

Got him right before the Hawaii ban.

 

[jdpiii3]

I've had my Yellow Tang going on 20 years It's made the move through several aquariums. Under natural sunlight it just brings out the absolute beauty of this fish. If I remember I think I paid $25-30.

 

[Operation Philo Beddoe]

Saltwater sunbeam: Do you have a Yellow Tang?

There was a time when yellow tangs seemed to be everywhere. It seemed as if they were nearly as ubiquitous as clownfish in fish stores and in home aquariums. Collecting restrictions were then put in place, prices went way, way up, and yellow tangs are…well…they are no longer everywhere. Yes, captive bred yellow tangs are available, but not at the same level and some would suggest that they do not have the same look. Please share your thoughts on the availability and desirability of Yellow Tangs in the discussion thread.

PRO TIP: A healthy diet is crucial for maintaining the bright coloration of a yellow tang. Offer a varied diet that includes high-quality foods and algae strips to snack on during the day. Make sure to feed your yellow tang small portions throughout the day rather than one large meal.

Photo by @Reef Pro


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

"Our mission is to help save the reefs by providing the highest quality live reef foods for every aquarium - from small biocubes to mid-sized reef aquariums, to giant aquaculture facilities"

I got 2 after the ban, one had better yellow than the other. After a year of proper feedings both are deep yellow. The big yellow was a faded white/yellow when I got it. At that time there were not many choices for the $500 fish, so I brought faded home and named him Kahuna. Big Kahuna is beautiful now and a very interesting fish. I paid a premium, because I wanted custodians to live on-premises. It worked,, they work, and I much less than if I didn’t have them. It was an investment that I hope will pay me back for 20 years.
Bottom line, it’s like all of us, nutrition and healthy environment.

 

[bdesign]

I have a Yellow Tang... that just so happens to be for sale.

If you buy it, I'll throw in a complete 240G system: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/240g-complete-system.981858/

 

[vlangel]

I have had yellow tangs in the past but my days of big tanks are over so I suppose so are my days of keeping most tangs.

 

[KrisReef]

Saltwater sunbeam: Do you have a Yellow Tang?

There was a time when yellow tangs seemed to be everywhere. It seemed as if they were nearly as ubiquitous as clownfish in fish stores and in home aquariums. Collecting restrictions were then put in place, prices went way, way up, and yellow tangs are…well…they are no longer everywhere. Yes, captive bred yellow tangs are available, but not at the same level and some would suggest that they do not have the same look. Please share your thoughts on the availability and desirability of Yellow Tangs in the discussion thread.

PRO TIP: A healthy diet is crucial for maintaining the bright coloration of a yellow tang. Offer a varied diet that includes high-quality foods and algae strips to snack on during the day. Make sure to feed your yellow tang small portions throughout the day rather than one large meal.

Photo by @Reef Pro


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

"Our mission is to help save the reefs by providing the highest quality live reef foods for every aquarium - from small biocubes to mid-sized reef aquariums, to giant aquaculture facilities"

Why did you use a picture of a tang with looks to be a cleft palate?

 

[OSFF]

I have a 7 year old Hawaiian yellow and a 2.5 year old biota yellow. Everyone's favorite fish when they visit as they are always out swimming around grazing on rocks.

Do you have a picture of them both? I’m curious to see what the differences between the two are

 

[Gtinnel]

When I first started in the hobby I always wanted a purple tang but wasn’t willing to pay that much for a fish, so I went with the much cheaper yellow for $20-$30 at the time.
Now that yellow tangs cost as much or more than purple tangs I’d take a purple tang over it any day. If they ever come back down to being a cheap fish I would consider getting one.

 

[billrob71]

Used to have 4 yellows and a purple they all got along I’d like to have them again but you can find them the price is off the chart, it’s tough to think of spending $300 plus for a fish that used to be $20-$30
I’ll wait , or can drive to pacific east aquaculture and see the 12-15 he has in his display tank

 

[albano]

it’s tough to think of spending $300 plus for a fish that used to be $20-$30
I’ll wait …

I really don’t expect yellow tangs to ever be ‘cheap’ again…. Possibly lower than present prices, but only slightly, would be my guess.

 

[TheDuude]

Do you have a picture of them both? I’m curious to see what the differences between the two are

7 year old Hawaiian yellow

3 ish year old biota. Coloration appears the same in person. Hawaiian tang is slightly larger and has more developed pelvic fins (maybe still growing?) The biota has some hlle around his eyes you can see in the photo. This Hlle was present from day one and has never changed much.

Day one from biota.. he was almost clear and about the size of a half dollar

 

[vabben]

I have had a Biota Yellow for over a year now. I'll never forget seeing a tank full of yellow tangs at my local Petco right before the ban for $30 a piece, I didn't have a big enough tank at the time for one.

 

[14 foot reef]

I have 6 Hawaiian from the last export in 2018. Here's 5 of the 6

 

[14 foot reef]