Saltwater sunbeam: Do you have a Yellow Tang?

[Peace River]

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"

 

[Gumbies R Us]

If I had a bigger tank, and they weren't as expensive as they are now, I would 100% get some for my tank.

 

[Jason_MrFrags]

Yes, bought a bunch of them before the ban.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

Voted other. Got a yellow foxface instead. There are plenty of beautiful fish, no need to be stucked on one, especially one who was over collected.

 

[secret_reefer337]

Used to have one and wanted one…but my achilles, gem and purple are well established now and doesn’t want to stress or kill a new addition besides they are a bit hefty in price.

 

[herozero]

Love my biota yellow tang, took a week for the young one to color up now it is growing and a beautiful yellow. Wish they were more readily available. @Biota_Marine

 

[albano]

Voted other. Got a yellow foxface instead. There are plenty of beautiful fish, no need to be stucked on one, especially one who was over collected.

I don’t think that anyone proved that they were over collected…

 

[edd59]

i got a yellow from biota going on 5 months. already got his tail scalpel. i dont see any differance, maybe if you had both in 1 tank.

 

[G Santana]

I bought mine days leading up to the ban, I had no idea it was coming and neither did the LFS owner.
Next time I went in he said I owed him $200 I said for what, he said for the yellow tang.
I laughed and said timing is everything.
We both got a huge laugh out of that.

 

[i cant think]

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 haven’t had a true yellow but I did have a Yellow Scopas in the past. That guy was nasty so I traded him for a regular scopas thinking it would be nicer and it killed the CBB he was with when I had to downgrade.

So, ‘Yellow’ Tang can mean two different tangs, Zebrasoma scopas (I can’t remember if these guys are Hybrids or Colour Forms) and Zebrasoma flavescens.

 

[EliMelly]

I have one on the way!

 

[kenchilada]

I have a yellow tang, but he's a 7" orange shoulder tang that refuses to change colors.

 

[Greybeard]

Tangs? Purple, Tomini, and Scopus.

Have had yellows in the past. With captive bred yellow's coming in at what, $250? No thanks.

 

[Ef4life]

I had one until yesterday

 

[Julbra]

Yellows are massively overrated atm.

 

[Reefvision]

Had my yt since 2016 - I make sure he’s fed well as I couldn’t afford to get another at these crazy prices!

 

[Dave1993]

I have a yellow tang, but he's a 7" orange shoulder tang that refuses to change colors.

the juvi colours are so much better anyways be happy xD

 

[Reeferbadness]

I’ve had a pair in my 200g mixed reef tank for 4 years now. They chase each other around a lot and are overall great citizens and algae eaters

 

[o2manyfish]

I have 3 yellows in my display tank and 2 in my frag tanks.

Yellows are amazing fish - There is nothing as big and bright and active. We are all spoiled because we have been raised for the past 50+ years of LFS with tanks full of Yellow tangs for $14.99.

The thought of such a fish being a $300-$500 or ?? - people think of as offensive, because it's just a "yellow tang".

But people pay a fortune for a gem tang, which is cool looking (yes I've owned them and will own them again) but is not near as pretty or colorful as a yellow.

People will pay $100's for a purple - Which is incredibly gorgeous - especially when lit by the sun - but is nowhere near the center piece of a yellow tang.

In another couple of years, the mass majority of today's reefers will be out of the hobby and a new batch of hobbyists will appear. Hobbyists that first saw a bright yellow fish - beaming like the sun - and flirting all over the aquarium in some old interweb photo or in the youtube archives - and now for a mere couple of hundred dollars - can't wait to spend that money to get such a spectacularly colorful fish.

And those of us, that have been in the hobby for decades, will pull out our false teeth, and spit into an empty salt bucket, and tell of the days when those fish were just a couple of dollars - And you young'ins are fools for spending that much money on a dumb yeller tang.

In the 1965 you could purchase a Shelby 350R Mustang for $4757. Now in 1970 how much was a Shelby 350R worth - Were people paying $15,000 for a used car in 1970 ? Now if you're a car 'person' who would pay $4m now for a $4800 car?

If the ban isn't lifted, and I believe it will be, there may be a regular flow of Farm Raised Yellow tangs - Let' call those Replica Shelbys. And they will bare a price above and beyond what a yellow tang used to cost. But new hobbyists will think nothing of it. It will be their chance to own such a rare and beautiful fish at such a reasonable price.

But us old codger hobbyists will still be saying remember the days - of Undergravel Filters and Yellow Tangs raining down from the skies.

Dave B

 

[Spartan76]

Yellows are great fish - eat algae constantly, not aggressive, great color. well not as great as it used to be. I have a biota and it is definitely paler yellow than the wild caught. That said I have been to hawaii several times since the 1980s (wow I'm old) and mutiple isalnds several times - oahu, maui, kauai, hawaii. In the 80s you could see vast schools of yellows fairly commonly. Adults get as big as a dinner plate; I have never seen one that large in captivity. On recent trips to Hawaii (I snorkel every day) I saw 2 adult yellows total, just a one pair swimming along a reef. It's my own experience but I feel absolutely sure the wild population in way down. So go biota guys. I'll give up a shade of yellow to know they're getting a shot to recover out there.