Black Tang
- Thread starter alton
- Start date
alton
Well-known member
Mine too, lucky I was able to trade coral frags and cash for it.
Did somebody say black tangs :jester: ???
They are coming around right now. Perfect colors and the best price i've ever seen. QM had a special for retailers, don't wanna give numbers but CHEEEEEEAP.
Cheap enough that the Lfs was selling them for 250, and these were ordered from QM.
CoralsAddiction
Active member
$250 for a black tang is the lowest I've heard...ever.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
If that's the case then QM was selling them whole sale for 150$ or less... At that price I'm thinking they are hybrids
CoralsAddiction
Active member
lhm nole
New member
Another wholesaler had them for 145 super special tried to get one but was sold out quantity was limited and I asked and was told they were true black tangs not hybrids.
pktech
Thread Ender
They're wonderful regardless, but I hope they disclose that they're offering hybrids if that's the case.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
I hear what your saying but QM also has "black tangs that are mediums and large for way more than the 150$ mark so I would question why they are selling the most desirable size at such a cheap price? Christmas islands are just that not blurry accessible and it only becomes more difficult to get fish from there by the yr. like I mentioned earlier there is a entire thread on here that some one started and they were convinced they had a true black... Copps ending up proving otherwise. Any black tang under 350$ I would be very cautious about. Check LiveAquaria they have some available for 799$, and when I say hybrid I don't mean hybrids like you see for sale, I'm talking about blacks and scopus that have bred several times together and now are very difficult to distinguish between.
Rea17
New member
Aren't hybrids sterile? I know most in the natural world are, not positive about the fish species in question. Either way, yes, there's a significant influx of black tangs on the market and (especially tiny) hybrids might get mixed in. If you order a black and receive a hybrid, I'd worry about that later personally and take it up with your source. No sense in missing out on an awesome fish!
the808state
New member
Anything under 2" it is difficult to tell unless its obvious. I've seen thousands of black tangs in my day, and hybrids. Hybrids use to be worth more, as they weren't that common compared to blacks 8-10 years ago. There are theories as to why the hybrid population has exploded, now its 50/50 hybrid to black ratio. Two distinctive ways a they get larger:
1) longer nose, and higher dorsal fin. They dont call it the "black longnose tang" for nothing! The nose will be longer, even in juveniles. The dorsal will actually be taller than the length of the body when they are tiny. This is a good sign as well that it is a true black
2) blue lines in the body = hybrid. Tiny juveniles may have faint blue lines, but when they settle in they be all black (and with the longer nose and higher dorsal, you will have a black!)
Either way, I have seen some gorgeous hybrids blacks, that are worth black tang price. But if you want a black, make sure you get a picture.
As far as price goes, everyone has different sources. The "drop" this year for blacks was great, but it also produced many many many hybrids as well. I have no idea if they are reproducing or not. It is most likely the remaining black tangs hybridizing with scopas during breeding season.
1) longer nose, and higher dorsal fin. They dont call it the "black longnose tang" for nothing! The nose will be longer, even in juveniles. The dorsal will actually be taller than the length of the body when they are tiny. This is a good sign as well that it is a true black
2) blue lines in the body = hybrid. Tiny juveniles may have faint blue lines, but when they settle in they be all black (and with the longer nose and higher dorsal, you will have a black!)
Either way, I have seen some gorgeous hybrids blacks, that are worth black tang price. But if you want a black, make sure you get a picture.
As far as price goes, everyone has different sources. The "drop" this year for blacks was great, but it also produced many many many hybrids as well. I have no idea if they are reproducing or not. It is most likely the remaining black tangs hybridizing with scopas during breeding season.
alton
Well-known member
I am sorry to report I came home yesterday to find mine laying dead on the bottom of the QT tub. I am only guessing why this one didn't make it but it did come in very thin which can be a bad sign. You would think coming in from Xmas islands that it would of been plump? But maybe with such large numbers this year food is in short supply? Hopefully all the others do well and good luck to those that that bought one.
pktech
Thread Ender
Oh man!!!! Sorry to hear that Alton. Was it out & about when you got him into QT or did he seem a little off. Sometimes you just look & know it's not gonna go well ...
They were the real deal, I have been dealing with this LFS for quite some time and they are well known here in NJ, they also came from QM. If you know what you're looking at a hybrid and a real BT are very easy to tell apart even under 2". It was a one time thing and they all sold right away. I wish I kept the Email so I could post it on here.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
Did you buy one? If so post another picture in a yr or so. Like 808 mentioned above the "black tang/hybrid ratio is somewhere close to 50/50 now" hence why so many are suddenly available a such low prices... I really hope you and everyone who bought them did get true black long nose tangs but I doubt that's the case. Bottom line if everyone is happy with what they got then it really doesn't matter. One thing is for sure, fish that were fetching between 5-800$ don't suddenly become available for 250$. One thing is for sure with all of the black and scopas inbreeding soon you won't be able to tell a difference
I didn't buy one, like I said in an earlier post I currently don't have a tank running. I would have bought all three if I did. I have however had two BT's prior and both from under 2", I have also seen quite a few hybrids at that size as well. They can easily be distinguished between the two at that size. Although I have seen over a dozen hybrids and over 50 BTs in person and my prior experience with them helps as well. It was a one time special and the fish were from Quality Marine one of liveaquarias main suppliers. They were the real deal no hybrids. I was shocked at the price myself, considering my BT from 5 years ago was 550. My first BT bought in the mid 90's was 50 bucks, sold as a mutated yellow tang. That one lived for 12 years and the second one is currently thriving.
CoralsAddiction
Active member
Tell that to a fish store here in socal that's currently selling Lighting Maroon Clowns from PNG for $500. Just a few months ago Blue Zoo Aquatics was selling them $4500-$6000. Or chevron tangs selling for $98 when last year they were $170+. May be its a seasonal thing?
That being said I think there's a good chance that these are hybrid black tangs. They may not be easy to tell apart. Dmorty is just saying be careful and don't overpay for a hybrid.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
If everyone is happy with what they got for that price it makes no difference if they are hybrids or not. I didn't start this debate, it's been many years in the making. Congrats to anyone who snagged one for that deal... Again Alton I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you coralsaddiction, I am saying don't overpay if they are indeed hybrids, again it doesn't really matter either way if you/they/whoever are happy in the end
