Looking to get a true black tang

M

MIDNwill

New member
Hi everyone I am in the process of stocking up my tank again from scatch after disaster struck while I was gone on vacation :( Thankfully none of the corals were affected. After a 2 month no fish layoff I am rebuilding stock and current have a mated pair of "gladiator" clownfish and a moorish idol (please no peeta comments about the idol, he is doing fantastic). I've wanted to get a black tang for some time and now have the chance to get him early on so he can establish himself in the tank before some of the other tangs come. Just doing some reading about them, I read that some black colored scopas tangs are being erroneously sold as true black tangs. Has anyone had any experience with this? Please share, thanks guys!
 
other tangs?

you have a 120 gallon tank judging by your profile, is this correct?

in that size tank i wouldn't be trying to keep other tangs with anything from the Zebrasoma genus (a black tank is a Zebrasoma rostratum). these guys are pretty feisty. i tried to keep a yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) in my 75 with a yellow eyed kole tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus), rookie mistake. it lasted for about three months before my YT sliced him up.

at any rate, you always want to add your more aggressive fish last. precisely so they don't have a chance to become established and territorial towards the others. unless you're planning on keeping something more aggressive than Zebrasomas, like, i dunno? sharks with laser feet or something?
 
I have true black tang, love him. You just have to know what to look for, and can still be a lil tough at times.
The nose and taller fins give it away. Get too small of one and they are closer looking, but as they get a lil bigger it's easier to spot the difference.

I'd say add both the tangs at same time to have the best chance.
In my old 560g I had prob 8-10 tangs in there. I'd always add 2-3 at a time to disperse aggression. All would work out fine doing so. And my purple was the first added, so aggression was def a possibility.
Also add near night time, so lights can go out and calm the quarrels
 
MondoBongo said:
other tangs?

you have a 120 gallon tank judging by your profile, is this correct?

in that size tank i wouldn't be trying to keep other tangs with anything from the Zebrasoma genus (a black tank is a Zebrasoma rostratum). these guys are pretty feisty. i tried to keep a yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) in my 75 with a yellow eyed kole tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus), rookie mistake. it lasted for about three months before my YT sliced him up.

at any rate, you always want to add your more aggressive fish last. precisely so they don't have a chance to become established and territorial towards the others. unless you're planning on keeping something more aggressive than Zebrasomas, like, i dunno? sharks with laser feet or something?
Click to expand...

That's my bad, I haven't been on rc in several years so it still had my old information like working for the government :P In my current 180 before the vacation disaster I had 1 blue tang, 1 powder blue tang, 1 yellow tang, and 1 chevron tang along with bellus angels and a small regal angel and everyone was great. Now the yellow tang (only survivor) will be going back in eventually but I want to get another blue and powder blue. So the status quo of tangs is maintained at 4.
 
d-man said:
I have true black tang, love him. You just have to know what to look for, and can still be a lil tough at times.
The nose and taller fins give it away. Get too small of one and they are closer looking, but as they get a lil bigger it's easier to spot the difference.

I'd say add both the tangs at same time to have the best chance.
In my old 560g I had prob 8-10 tangs in there. I'd always add 2-3 at a time to disperse aggression. All would work out fine doing so. And my purple was the first added, so aggression was def a possibility.
Also add near night time, so lights can go out and calm the quarrels
Click to expand...

Thanks for answering the original post :) Live aquaria shows they have black tangs in stock so I guess I can ask for pictures of the actual fish not just the generic one they have up. I noticed that true blacks seem to have a white crest where their body ties in to their dorsal fin. Is this the same in black scopas?
 
There is NO way I would in courage you to spend 7-800$ on a black long nose from LA... The going price for them is 350$ shipped and if there is a sale on them much less
 
Search around the internet, I would say PIA but he closed down to move to the east coast and start another company. Talk to people in your local reef clubs, everyone knows someone who can get good deals on fish. I can get a black long nose and a bandit angel for 350$ each from a local contact. Maze angel 500$ LA has blacks for 800$ Which is way overpriced unless it's a large adult. They also have Bandits for sale for 1200$ when they have them so needless to say they are far from the best prices around. Everyone talks about the guarantee but most all places that sell them will have one. You may only get a credit instead of a refund like LA does but is paying 4xs what a fish should cost worth it to you? It certainly isn't to me. I'm one of a very few that doesn't praise LA/DD for anything and everything they do
 
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Yeah and they are hardy so not super risky to get from a lfs if you a comfy with tangs- I have had handled 4 now - I Tt and the sell local - they are super fun fish here my tiny guy currently - I have got 2 for pia 1 GIANT ONE FROM ny aquatics and 1 local ---


 
Dmorty217 said:
You may only get a credit instead of a refund like LA does but is paying 4xs what a fish should cost worth it to you? It certainly isn't to me. I'm one of a very few that doesn't praise LA/DD for anything and everything they do
Click to expand...

Well said. In almost all cases it's not worth it. Some people don't have the option to buy cheaper so they go for it. I always get surprised by how quickly DD sells its lineatus wrasses for $380 and flame wrasses for $250. Where I am from they go for almost half of that.
 
CoralsAddiction said:
Well said. In almost all cases it's not worth it. Some people don't have the option to buy cheaper so they go for it. I always get surprised by how quickly DD sells its lineatus wrasses for $380 and flame wrasses for $250. Where I am from they go for almost half of that.
Click to expand...

It's truly amazing how much of a mark up they get for fish they hold for 2 weeks. It's not like they are QTed during that time for disease. To each their own
 
Great advice guys, thank you very much :) I'm glad to hear that black tangs are hardy as it is a sizeable investment for a fish...well at least for me haha
 
Dmorty217 said:
Search around the internet, I would say PIA but he closed down to move to the east coast and start another company. Talk to people in your local reef clubs, everyone knows someone who can get good deals on fish. I can get a black long nose and a bandit angel for 350$ each from a local contact. Maze angel 500$ LA has blacks for 800$ Which is way overpriced unless it's a large adult. They also have Bandits for sale for 1200$ when they have them so needless to say they are far from the best prices around. Everyone talks about the guarantee but most all places that sell them will have one. You may only get a credit instead of a refund like LA does but is paying 4xs what a fish should cost worth it to you? It certainly isn't to me. I'm one of a very few that doesn't praise LA/DD for anything and everything they do
Click to expand...

CoralsAddiction said:
Well said. In almost all cases it's not worth it. Some people don't have the option to buy cheaper so they go for it. I always get surprised by how quickly DD sells its lineatus wrasses for $380 and flame wrasses for $250. Where I am from they go for almost half of that.
Click to expand...

Please let's compare apples to apples.... LFS are not the same as direct contacts that wholesale or collect. Or friends that give you deals that the random person won't get. And I've been to the stores in LA.... yeah, some are crap tastic, but super cheap. I've gotten $6 anthias from xxxx in the past (14+ day unconditional guarantee is laughable here). I wouldn't recommend it to the casual hobbyist. Furthermore, I wouldn't simply say, on a national forum, that basically, you can do better because I can get X, Y, or Z.... Spill ALL the details about exactly what deals you are getting, and why, then let the consumer decide.

Of course, all that said, sure, shop around, read reviews of vendors, and then decide.
 
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SDguy said:
Spill ALL the details about exactly what deals you are getting, and why, then let the consumer decide.
Click to expand...


Ok, call Reef Raft USA in OC. You can get a female flame wrasse for $50-$60 and a supermale for $150...right now. In stock. Direct shipment from Hawaii. Not whole seller resale. You get a discount if you buy a pair.
But even that is irrelevant. You expect someone from a remote part of the country to drive to OC to save $100? No. And I acknowledged that in my post what's available to me is not necessarily available to all. Hence DD makes sales on items that in my eyes are priced outrageously high. It hurts to see posts from people shelling out $500-$800 for a colored anemone and it dies on them within a week. You don't feel their pain? I paid $150 for a blue Haddoni last week. It died. Did it hurt? Yes. It would've hurt more if I paid $500-$800 for it.
 
CoralsAddiction said:
But even that is irrelevant. You expect someone from a remote part of the country to drive to OC to save $100? No. And I acknowledged that in my post what's available to me is not necessarily available to all.
Click to expand...

Then we agree. Thanks.
 
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