Strange Tang ( PICS)

[ezcompany]

i've seen around 10 of these fish recently. they are genuinely black with a white tail. no white splotches on the forehead. i have no idea what they are called.

[Caleb Kruse]

That's cool easy company, I wonder if they are just starting to be collected? Where did you see them?

[achillesheel]

more info ez? as far as i know there is no known black and white zebrasoma.

[xtm]

Zebrasoma Rostratum with a color morph..?

[jmaneyapanda]

IMO this is simply a purple tang that has an unusual pigmentation problem (similar to albinism or hypermelanism), or is dietary deficient. Most fish species are classified by using meristics (calculation of scales, bones, fin rays, etc). Without having this fish in hand, it would be difficult to say. However, it certainly appears to be a Zebrasoma, rather than an Acanthurus or bristle tooth. However, I would say not a rostratum, as the nose is quite stubby. and not a hybrid, becuase it does not show any assymmetrical differences. Unusual- yes. New species- I highly doubt it.

[Mishap]

Scopas Tang (aberrant color form)

From: http://www.pbase.com/clippo/image/71784021

[copps]

Originally posted by jmaneyapanda
IMO this is simply a purple tang that has an unusual pigmentation problem (similar to albinism or hypermelanism), or is dietary deficient. Most fish species are classified by using meristics (calculation of scales, bones, fin rays, etc). Without having this fish in hand, it would be difficult to say. However, it certainly appears to be a Zebrasoma, rather than an Acanthurus or bristle tooth. However, I would say not a rostratum, as the nose is quite stubby. and not a hybrid, becuase it does not show any assymmetrical differences. Unusual- yes. New species- I highly doubt it.

Very well put Jeremy and I agree completely... definitely a Zebrasoma species... definitely not a Z. rostratum (black tang), definitely not a new species, and most likely an aberrant Z. xanthurum (purple tang)... the patterning is consistent with a purple tang with the only difference being in the pigmentation...

Was this fish purchased like this? Questioning the source of where the fish was purchased would help...

Aberrations in Zebrasoma are not all that uncommon, and many retailers use "hybrid" in place of "aberrant", causing confusion about many of these morphs... there are documented Zebrasoma hybrids, but most of these morphs are not true hybrids... Here's some other Zebrasoma aberrants...









Copps

[ACBlinky]

WOW, that's one pretty tang (IMO). I wonder how much something like that would go for? Snow white fish with yellow are just gorgeous to me - my absolute dream fish is this colour combo (Genicanthus personatus) and I'll certainly never have one, but I wonder how common and how spendy a white/yellow tang would be...

I'm certainly no expert, but as for the OP's fish, it doesn't look horribly sick to me, just an unusual colour/pattern.

[copps]

Hey Blinky, if you like personatus, I hope you caught this thread...

The "white tang" is a xanthic Zebrasoma flavescens (yellow tang) that is occasionally found in Hawaii... here are a few more specimens...







Copps

[tcmfish]

On all those morphs those fish have very bright colors though and this tang just looks very badly faded nothing is bright and it doesnt even look healthy. JMO.

[Caleb Kruse]

tcmfish, the thing is that the fish is healthy. It's very fat, with no signs of HLLE, and it eats great. I don't know what you think it doesn't look healthy?

[triggerfish1976]

I also agree that the fish doesn't look healthy. The coloring on the fish looks like it recently got over a bad case of something. The pics also do not do it justice.

[tcmfish]

Sorry I'm just judging from the pictures provided. Maybe you could post some updated shots. It just reminds me so much of fish that would come into the store and then after a few weeks would fade out. They would still eat and swim but looked faded pretty much how it looks and is being described. I may be wrong though just compared to the other morphs which are vibrant and that fish which is very, i dont know how else to put it, faded it doesnt seem like a color morph or a hybrid. Plus the morphs have other colors or colors out of place which this one doesnt all the colors are in the right spot just washed out. Where the other fish have color in places they would usually not have color in.

[kimoyo]

That fish doesn't look unhealthy, what are you guys judging that on?

[tcmfish]

The picture. The fish has faded colors and an almost see through face, but this is why I was wondering if there are any updated shots of the fish to go on.