What kind of tang is this?

[Aquarist76]

So this is a "Fowleri" tang I got from LIveaquaria general stock (not Divers Den). Their experts keep telling me this is a juvenile Fowleri tang but I'm very suspicious. It's about 3" and has no distinguishing horseshoe marking. It also has faint orange freckles on its face and tail. It has a black spine (or maybe a black outlined white spine).

Also, yes it is sick. That's how it was shipped to me. First it has just white spots but now it looks like it might be getting a bit of fin rot. I've tried treating with API Gen Cure, Furan 2, and Kanaplex so far.

 

[BlennyTime]

It’s hard to tell the difference between bariene and fowleri tangs as juveniles. They don’t usually develop their spot (bariene) or horseshoe marking (fowleri) until they are a little more grown up.

I’d lean towards bariene, based on the shape and colors.

 

[Soren]

It could also be a Dussumieri Tang?

 

[Aquarist76]

It could also be a Dussumieri Tang?

Considered but the black spine would go against that.

 

[Aquarist76]

This is my current awesome 8" Duss named "Deuce"

 

[BlennyTime]

This is my current awesome 8" Duss named "Deuce"

Nice looking duss! Has great color. Thanks for sharing

 

[nereefpat]

I can't ever tell. @4FordFamily

 

[Soren]

Considered but the black spine would go against that.

Don't Dussumieri tangs have a white spine outlined in black just like in the picture of your 8" one? I'm not sure, but that is what I am seeing. I questioned against Dussumieri since the tail of yours is mostly white, but some images I find of Dussumieri tangs show white tails when young. (but, then again, who knows if the images are labeled accurately for random internet searches?)
It is probably difficult to identify at this stage, since all three species mentioned have variations and look very similar when young, especially to my untrained eye and lack of familiarity...

 

[Rmckoy]

This is my current awesome 8" Duss named "Deuce"

That’s a mata ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like a yellow fin tang

 

[Squidward]

Too hard to tell at that size. I did get a Fowleri tang from a now defunct Petsolutions years ago. It grew and never developed the spot by the eyes. It turned out to be a Bariene Tang. I was bummed out. Later on I went to purchase a Fowleri from a local reefer... and he also had a Bariene he thought was a Fowleri smh.

 

[Rmckoy]

This is my current awesome 8" Duss named "Deuce"

Looks similar to my mata except for the yellow fin

Actually .... under different lighting and how is fin opens , it does have a yellow hue

 

[Montiman]

My vote would be yellow fin.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My vote would be yellow fin.

I had one

 

[Tamberav]

It would really suck to pay the $230 dollars that LA lists for Fowleri tang and receive the $50 yellowfin they have listed instead.

I wish I could be surprised you got shipped an already sick tang but I am not

 

[nereefpat]

By yellow fin, do you people mean A. nigracans? Because that isn't right at all

 

[Aquarist76]

Well after pointing out the freckles/spots on the face/tail, Liveaquaria now says it is in fact a Bareine tang and gave me a refund. That being said he's taken a turn for the worse and I'm not sure he'll make it to the morning.

 

[Aquarist76]

By yellow fin, do you people mean A. nigracans? Because that isn't right at all

I think they mean A. Xanthopterus. That was another I was considering.

This is Liveaquaria's picture for a juvenile A. Xanthopterus though:

 

[Aquarist76]

Looks similar to my mata except for the yellow fin

Actually .... under different lighting and how is fin opens , it does have a yellow hue

It's hard to say from your pics, but Dussumieri tends to be more colorful than Mata. Mata has a black spine and Duss a white one.

 

[Aquarist76]

I really think sellers shouldn't be selling these tangs as juveniles until they are a bit bigger and can be differentiated. They all look too similar under 4 inches and it would suck to end up with a nearly two foot fish that's not the one you wanted. At least I'm never going to buy one that's not WYSIWYG again.