Gem Tang

That is a great looking fish, wish I had 2500 lying around

my next trip to South Africa I will be going scuba diving, I hope to see one in its natural habitat
 
Yea I don't know what came over me to even suggest something I have been heavily researching for the past 3 years and I mean heavily. Anyways there are three others for sale near me besides the me at nyaquatic.
 
You could have been having your leg pulled by her. I am sure she does not need to find new customers to sell to. Perhaps she often gets inquiries that are pie in the sky, never to be heard from again. Not saying yours is though! I just know in my dealing with folks from small population areas, often times they will test you with outragous demands.
 
The price I was given and actually had paper work for was 1300 apiece. Shipped to Newark airport, but if we didn't get 10 gems other things had to be ordered. Some were fish that you can buy for 30-50 bucks but would have costed us 100-200 on the same fish. I had 9 people ready to go and couldn't find a tenth. In the meantime 3 people backed out, and as soon as the info of not getting 10 of them and we had to order other fish that pushed a few others away. What happens if ten people put their money in and 8 Gems come in?
 
I have ordered from Mauritius many times. The number is THREE, not five, not ten... THREE. You only get THREE. then you have to take other fish as well, and there isn't much else there worth while.

and they are rare. I've talked to numerous divers who have been to Mauritius, Madagascar, and Mosambique where they are found, and they are truly a rare fish.. If they were common, we would see more of them.

this is all coming from first hand experience. They are also exported out of Madagascar in very small numbers as well. Every once and a while Kenya will find one too.
 
also, they are much cheaper than 1300 each. even to HNL where i imported them. I did three separate orders from mauritius. 1 had 2 gems, 2nd had 3, 3rd had 4 (tiny)

Jaa, either you are being fed bad information, or you just dont know what you are talking about. lol

I tried to get 10+ but was rejected and resulted in only 3 maximum. I wish it was 10. lol
 
So in your two posts replying to mine the magic number is 3, yetyoupost that you got 2 in one shipment and 4 in another shipment, that comes out to 3 if you average it but you just showed that 3 is not the magic number, also it is not a rare fish, they are all over South Africa, yet they will not let you export them.
 
So in your two posts replying to mine the magic number is 3, yetyoupost that you got 2 in one shipment and 4 in another shipment, that comes out to 3 if you average it but you just showed that 3 is not the magic number, also it is not a rare fish, they are all over South Africa, yet they will not let you export them.

That is not true. I am in South Africa and I got my gem even from Mauritius
There are only breeding stock in deep waters 30cm gem tangs
If you want a small one only 2 have been collected her this season
Small gems are more rare here than Mauritius

C45CA896-A572-4F04-A2EA-210156E525C8-2375-000000C4C6F330A1.jpg
 
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Yes, its three, or as Yurid posted they ship what they have, if its 2, you get 2, if its 3 you get three, if its 5 by any stretch of luck you get 5. The point is, they are NOT common. If they were, you would see a lot more of them coming in... but you dont... weird for such a common fish...

It is not illegal to export from SA. special permits can be acquired but a lot of red tape to go through in order to do it.

This is not me researching, this is my personal hands on experience and having many friends who dive or have lived in Mauritius (also saying they are not common and have to search the reefs just to see one)
 
That is not true. I am in South Africa and I got my gem even from Mauritius
There are only breeding stock in deep waters 30cm gem tangs
If you want a small one only 2 have been collected her this season
Small gems are more rare here than Mauritius

C45CA896-A572-4F04-A2EA-210156E525C8-2375-000000C4C6F330A1.jpg

That's a nice size one..
 
Yes, its three, or as Yurid posted they ship what they have, if its 2, you get 2, if its 3 you get three, if its 5 by any stretch of luck you get 5. The point is, they are NOT common. If they were, you would see a lot more of them coming in... but you dont... weird for such a common fish...

It is not illegal to export from SA. special permits can be acquired but a lot of red tape to go through in order to do it.

This is not me researching, this is my personal hands on experience and having many friends who dive or have lived in Mauritius (also saying they are not common and have to search the reefs just to see one)
Well, now I know who you are and why aren't you using a vendor name? As for others sending me PM's please stop, I didn't collect all of this info and do all the research just to give it out to everyone else. As for only 2 small Gems being collected this year I call BS on that. I know where the smallest known one collected is sitting and I know where 2 others that are slightly larger are sitting. As for pulling my leg she knows I'm serious and knows about my fish collection and my intentions are serious.
 
Well, now I know who you are and why aren't you using a vendor name? As for others sending me PM's please stop, I didn't collect all of this info and do all the research just to give it out to everyone else. As for only 2 small Gems being collected this year I call BS on that. I know where the smallest known one collected is sitting and I know where 2 others that are slightly larger are sitting. As for pulling my leg she knows I'm serious and knows about my fish collection and my intentions are serious.

You do know that Aqua-Mauritius is the ladies brother and in the same company a diver?
Look at his response
 
I think you are wrong.
I doubt they will ever ship 5 Gem Tangs in one shipment , even last season which was a very good season for this fish which was caught in a good size for extended period of time, I'm not aware of them sending 5pcs/shipment.
And you're not talking 10 fish, maybe more like 10 boxes of fish or more.

In any case, this year the season is dull.


zebrasoma-gemmatum_product_zoom_thumb.jpg


Dejong just got another 5 in this week. And I just got back from the lfs and they had 3 left from the 5 or 6 they got last week. A few months ago there were some available too. I have never seen as many gems as I have seen lately.

They go around 1000$ here, or 800€.
 
fish mafia trying to keep prices high ? :D

funny how same happened to the thread from marshall Islands, I dont know what the fish mafia did to him :(
lol
 
zebrasoma-gemmatum_product_zoom_thumb.jpg


Dejong just got another 5 in this week. And I just got back from the lfs and they had 3 left from the 5 or 6 they got last week. A few months ago there were some available too. I have never seen as many gems as I have seen lately.

They go around 1000$ here, or 800€.
It's funny as I have seen more Gems around in the past two years than I have seen black tangs. Both are n the rarer side in the trade but usually you will see more BT's around than you would GT's
 
well if theres a GB happening again you can count me in, I am willing to pay 1300 for a gem, but please no 1 footer
 
I'd pay a grand. Maybe 1200. Over 3 G's though?! It's an amazing fish but I'd rather throw that $ towards a few wrasse trios
 
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