Are purple or yellow tangs ever available?

[alex277]

This is my first saltwater tank, I’ve been slowly stocking and plan to do the tangs last, but I’ve been stocking and looking at liveaquaria for about 3 months and I don’t think I’ve seen either the purple or yellow tang in stock once. How rare are these guys exactly? I’m perfectly fine with being patient and waiting to pick one up, I just want to know if waiting for them to be available is ever going to have anything come of it lol. The cost is high but worth it to me, I’m just worried about ever being able to actually buy one. I’d really prefer to go through them, as they’re a good brand I trust and have good warranty, but am I wasting time waiting for these to come in? I have them on email notification and haven’t received notification, so it isn’t that I’m missing them while they’re there!

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Eh, you can get them. The yellows just won't be from Hawaii. I want to say red sea or pacific rim for the purple? The yellows are found captive bred easy enough via biota, they just sell out quick.

 

[Jekyl]

Better sites than liveaquaria out there. Check out drreefsquarantinedfish.com

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Yes as others have said there is better sites out there then live aquaria. Find what you want elsewhere

 

[Fishyfish22]

This is my first saltwater tank, I’ve been slowly stocking and plan to do the tangs last, but I’ve been stocking and looking at liveaquaria for about 3 months and I don’t think I’ve seen either the purple or yellow tang in stock once. How rare are these guys exactly? I’m perfectly fine with being patient and waiting to pick one up, I just want to know if waiting for them to be available is ever going to have anything come of it lol. The cost is high but worth it to me, I’m just worried about ever being able to actually buy one. I’d really prefer to go through them, as they’re a good brand I trust and have good warranty, but am I wasting time waiting for these to come in? I have them on email notification and haven’t received notification, so it isn’t that I’m missing them while they’re there!

Yellow tangs, you're most likely to get the ones from Biota. In the end though, I haven't been able to tell the difference between wild caught yellow tangs or tank bred ones, after the color comes on they look idescernible. Purple tangs you see around all of the time. They're not as rare.

I do, however, know that liveaquaria has declined in quality in the last few years. It used to be one of the top tier sites, now you see a new thread every day complaining about them.

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

They are frequently available at most LFSs and other online stores. You can even get captive bred yellows and purples on occasion (but expect to pay >150$ for the yellows and >300$ for the purples). I recommend Biota Marine for captive bred fish. You could also try DrReef or TSM Aquatics for pre-quarantined fish. I hope that this helps!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

They are frequently available at most LFSs and other online stores. You can even get captive bred yellows and purples on occasion (but expect to pay >150$ for the yellows and >300$ for the purples). I recommend Biota Marine for captive bred fish. You could also try DrReef or TSM Aquatics for pre-quarantined fish. I hope that this helps!

It is actually quite the opposite for price. 300$ for yello and 100$ for purple

 

[Fishyfish22]

It is actually quite the opposite for price. 300$ for yello and 100$ for purple

This is what I'm seeing. Purples 100-150, Tank raised yellows around 200+, and wild caught around 3-400. I swear they look the same when they grow a bit, fresh ones are still a little see through and tiny.

 

[ta88brian]

This is my first saltwater tank, I’ve been slowly stocking and plan to do the tangs last, but I’ve been stocking and looking at liveaquaria for about 3 months and I don’t think I’ve seen either the purple or yellow tang in stock once. How rare are these guys exactly? I’m perfectly fine with being patient and waiting to pick one up, I just want to know if waiting for them to be available is ever going to have anything come of it lol. The cost is high but worth it to me, I’m just worried about ever being able to actually buy one. I’d really prefer to go through them, as they’re a good brand I trust and have good warranty, but am I wasting time waiting for these to come in? I have them on email notification and haven’t received notification, so it isn’t that I’m missing them while they’re there!

Hawaii opened up they can harvest yellow tangs. Purples are available at Mike's by aquatic

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

It is actually quite the opposite for price. 300$ for yello and 100$ for purple

I meant for the captive bred ones. It is strange how the prices reverse when they are captive bred. I imagine that's because most tank-reared purples are from a different source.

 

[ta88brian]

Mike's by aquatic

 

[RedReefer]

I purchased a baby Biota Yellow Tang last week, very small… I have him the quarantine tank. I’m working on getting him fat. Purple tangs are available daily.

 

[ta88brian]

Mike's by aquatic

Mike's by aquatic

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

We have captive bred yellow tangs in small and med (199-259) small are 1-1.5" while med are 2".
We also have 4" Hawaii yellow tangs 399.99

Purple tang also about 4"
Drreefsquarantinedfish.com

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is my first saltwater tank, I’ve been slowly stocking and plan to do the tangs last, but I’ve been stocking and looking at liveaquaria for about 3 months and I don’t think I’ve seen either the purple or yellow tang in stock once. How rare are these guys exactly? I’m perfectly fine with being patient and waiting to pick one up, I just want to know if waiting for them to be available is ever going to have anything come of it lol. The cost is high but worth it to me, I’m just worried about ever being able to actually buy one. I’d really prefer to go through them, as they’re a good brand I trust and have good warranty, but am I wasting time waiting for these to come in? I have them on email notification and haven’t received notification, so it isn’t that I’m missing them while they’re there!

Saw both at Macna

There a few sources other than live aquaria that sell fish - Just watching pricing as some are crazy

Tangs/Surgeonfish - Page 1 - Michael's NYAquatic, LLC

www.nyaquatic.com

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Every 2nd week full moon
D

 

[Tamberav]

This is my first saltwater tank, I’ve been slowly stocking and plan to do the tangs last, but I’ve been stocking and looking at liveaquaria for about 3 months and I don’t think I’ve seen either the purple or yellow tang in stock once. How rare are these guys exactly? I’m perfectly fine with being patient and waiting to pick one up, I just want to know if waiting for them to be available is ever going to have anything come of it lol. The cost is high but worth it to me, I’m just worried about ever being able to actually buy one. I’d really prefer to go through them, as they’re a good brand I trust and have good warranty, but am I wasting time waiting for these to come in? I have them on email notification and haven’t received notification, so it isn’t that I’m missing them while they’re there!

You can get captive bred yellow tangs from Biota.

Purple is pretty common. NY Aquatic just had them for $100

Live Aquaria has been sold.. again... I wouldn't use them over others. They are a shell of their former self.

If you want to order from an amazing company then here you go:

Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)(Pre-order)

Approximately 3.5-4.5”

tsmaquatics.com

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I recommend nyaquatics and reef beauty's. Ive received fish from both with good success.
D

 

[i cant think]

This is my first saltwater tank, I’ve been slowly stocking and plan to do the tangs last, but I’ve been stocking and looking at liveaquaria for about 3 months and I don’t think I’ve seen either the purple or yellow tang in stock once. How rare are these guys exactly? I’m perfectly fine with being patient and waiting to pick one up, I just want to know if waiting for them to be available is ever going to have anything come of it lol. The cost is high but worth it to me, I’m just worried about ever being able to actually buy one. I’d really prefer to go through them, as they’re a good brand I trust and have good warranty, but am I wasting time waiting for these to come in? I have them on email notification and haven’t received notification, so it isn’t that I’m missing them while they’re there!

If you’re in the US, a captive bred yellow should be easy to find. I would wait till your LFS gets one in, also Yellow tangs aren’t all captive bred. Albeit they’re rare we do still get wild caught ones come in from Indonesia.
The purples are what the YT used to be, they’re becoming much more common now due to everyone going for them over the yellows. I wouldn’t go for a yellow or a purple personally but this is just because I have seen much nicer tangs as I did work in the LFS for a few years. Be warned, yes these are smaller for the large tangs however with that they still bring aggressive tendencies to your tank. A peaceful tang would be best from the Ctenochaetus genus.