Philippine Tang

[commodore]

My LFS carries a fish they call Philippine Tang. The small ones are bright yellow and similar looking to yellow tangs. Apparently, as they reach maturity, their color becomes less bright yellow. I think this tang has another name, but not sure what it is. My questions are how big does it get, how long will a juvenile retain the bright yellow colorand what colors are the adults

Thanks

 

[jaa1456]

I think they are just yellow tangs.

 

[JHemdal]

No, Zebrasoma flavescens is hardly ever found in the Philippines - its normal range is Hawaii to Japan, but the northern edge of that line. I do recall hearing of some flavescens coming out of the Philippines, but the question was were they simply being re-sold after being collected in Hawaii, or were they strays.

The fish is either a juvenile Acanthurus pyroferus, or more likely a juvenile Acanthurus olivaceous.

Jay Hemdal

 

[jaa1456]

I heard of them being released in the philipines to start a new colony(money maker) and from what I have heard also is that they ship them from there regularly now.

 

[JHemdal]

Since the OP reported that the fish's color fades as it matures, means it certainly isn't Z. flavescens. Also, the two fish that I mentioned are sold under the trade name of "Philippine yellow tang". Without a picture I can't be 100%, but all signs point to the fish being A. olivaceous....

J

 

[Ethan Music]

I know what your talking about the lfs i go to has a big one about 7 inchs atleast looks exactly like a yellow tang but its not nearly as bright almost looks like the color of a banana only thing i could think of not the peel yellow the actual banana next time I go i will get a picture. I thought it was sick maybe not.

 

[jaa1456]

Since the OP reported that the fish's color fades as it matures, means it certainly isn't Z. flavescens. Also, the two fish that I mentioned are sold under the trade name of "Philippine yellow tang". Without a picture I can't be 100%, but all signs point to the fish being A. olivaceous....

J

It could be a yellow tang, many that are not feed properly tend to fade out becoming a dull yellow. But one thing is 100% correct with no pic you can't be certain. And I doubt it is an orange shoulder tang as there is no mention of the orange marking. The new thing is actual selling yellow tangs from the phillipines

 

[cindre2000]

It should be pretty obvious if it is a 'hybrid' zebrasoma sp. or a acanthurus species just by looking. No one should be able to mistake one for the other. And I lean with Jay on this one, it seems more likely that a orange shoulder or mimic are being marketed as "Philippine yellow tang" to sell more of them.

And I like my Chocolate (Acanthurus pyroferus) better than any Yellow (Zebrasoma flavescens).

 

[Ethan Music]

yea if he is looking at the same fish I was its definatly not a orange shoulder. Its basically a yellow tang with a peel yellow all over not the bright yellow your use to. And the one I saw looked pretty healthy and it was a good 7inches swimming around in a 100g clear eyes no skin problems I could see. It was by itself so it might have been sick.

Hope the next time I go down there its still there and i will take a few pics.

 

[jaa1456]

The phillipine Yeloows I'm talking about are absolutely Yellow tangs, they look identical to the ones in Hawaii and having owned a few over 16 years I think I know what a yellow tang is. And yes there are some out there being sold as from the phillipines, Just like all emperor angels and purple tangs were once thought to only come from the red sea.

 

[JHemdal]

30 years ago, my Ichthyology Professor cautioned me to never try to identify a fish without having it "in hand" - where proper meristic measurements could be taken. So here we are; trying to ID a fish by ONLY a trade name, not even a photo available. I did the best I could do under the circumstances, and I still will say that the fish in question is NOT Zebrasoma flavescens given the information provided. There is simply no way to refute that without additional information~!

J

 

[Texastravis]

faded yellow tang? Sounds like a Scopas Tang to me

 

[palmer373]

faded yellow tang? Sounds like a Scopas Tang to me

actually i believe its "faded yellow tang? sounds like a picture is needed to me" lol

 

[jaa1456]

I believe it is a yellow from my prior knowledge and experience, Also an Orange sholder and a mimic or chocolate tang which ever one you would like to call it, Would not fade but actualy change to a new color.

 

[Pickupman66]

Our LFS gets those in very frequently. they are often the same color as the Std yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), but have a more elongated body and a different mouth structure. they look much closer to the body style of the Acanthurus pyroferus the JHemdal mentions. The only thing is that they dont have the marking on the gill cover.

 

[Moort82]

A lfs near me in England gets mimics in under that name. They are always yellow but do vary a bit. That's the problem with trade names as they come in under yellow tang. I guess they are yellow and a tang but not what you would normally associate with those two words.
I must admit i like them better though

 

[vt_snowman87]

how about this?

a bunch of these did arrived in my country (S'pore) as a 'hybrid' between yellow and scopas..

 

[Toddrtrex]

I believe it is a yellow from my prior knowledge and experience, Also an Orange sholder and a mimic or chocolate tang which ever one you would like to call it, Would not fade but actualy change to a new color.

How can you be so sure with a very brief description and no picture? I would hold off making such a strong call until a picture is shown.

 

[jaa1456]

How can you be so sure with a very brief description and no picture? I would hold off making such a strong call until a picture is shown.

I said in my experience, that is how i came to my conclusion, But if you READ my earlier post I said you can never be 100% sure unless you see a picture. But I have seen yellow tangs sold as phillipine yellows for almost 5 years now. So that is where I'm getting it from.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I said in my experience, that is how i came to my conclusion, But if you READ my earlier post I said you can never be 100% sure unless you see a picture. But I have seen yellow tangs sold as phillipine yellows for almost 5 years now. So that is where I'm getting it from.

I did "READ" your post -- along with most of your other ones too -- and you have made your opinion very clear, even without a picture, but that is par for the course.