Tang id

alepop1211 · Apr 25, 2019

Seen at a public aquarium

alepop1211 · Apr 25, 2019

alepop1211 said:
Seen at a public aquarium

What is it? Anybody know?

Highgrade · Apr 25, 2019

Sohal I believe

alepop1211 · Apr 25, 2019

Highgrade said:
Sohal I believe

No a sohal is lighter and wasin the tank next to it.
It is some large acanthurus species I just dont know what

Billldg · Apr 25, 2019

I'm gonna say it's an Atlantic Blue tang

ca1ore · Apr 25, 2019

Yep, looks like an Atlantic blue to me also.

Highgrade · Apr 25, 2019

I was wondering if it was an Atlantic Blue. Don't think I've seen one that large. Usually just see juveniles where the body is not as elongated.

alepop1211 · Apr 25, 2019

Highgrade said:
I was wondering if it was an Atlantic Blue. Don't think I've seen one that large. Usually just see juveniles where the body is not as elongated.

It was a bit too skinny to be an atlantic blue tang it was the biggest fish in thetank

alepop1211 · Apr 25, 2019

It must be a really uncommon fish I have seen it only this one time?

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Apr 25, 2019

Acanthurus nigroris ? Just wat I saw after searching blue zoo, live aquaria, and another site.
-d

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Apr 25, 2019

or maybe Acanthurus monroviae...looks like a common blue atlantic or blue eyed tang to me.

nereefpat · Apr 25, 2019

It sure looks like A. coeruleus to me. The completely blue body and the yellow scalpel give it away. Is the lack of height a distortion from the tank's glass or the camera, maybe?

The do get quite large, like 10" long.

BestMomEver · Apr 25, 2019

Atlantic Blue (I’m pretty sure) .... I saw one just like it a Sea World a few weeks back.

alepop1211 · Apr 25, 2019

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
or maybe Acanthurus monroviae...looks like a common blue atlantic or blue eyed tang to me.

It must've been that

Pbh-reef · Apr 25, 2019

Looks more like a nigroris than Monroviae, they have a biggish orange patch by the spine. But I think it’s probably a very big Atlantic blue. I’ve never seen on so large!

drstardust · Apr 26, 2019

It's an Acanthurus tang (lol "yeah, thanks, genius I know that"). The coloration really does look like A. coeruleus, but I agree that it looks too streamlined...though maybe that's just the angle?
I'll also go against the grain and suggest it could be Acanthurus thompsoni http://fishbiosystem.ru/PERCIFORMES/Acanthuridae/Foto/(Acanthurus thompsoni) 3f.jpg

scchase · Apr 26, 2019

Pic isn't quite good enough for a positive id but it is either Acanthurus mata or Acanthurus thompsoni. 100% positive it is not A. coeruleus. The giveaway is the mouth structure, both those species have a forward facing mouth compared to other Acanthurus tangs due to the plankton eating lifestyle. Would lean towards mata overall though

drstardust · Apr 26, 2019

scchase said:
Pic isn't quite good enough for a positive id but it is either Acanthurus mata or Acanthurus thompsoni. 100% positive it is not A. coeruleus. The giveaway is the mouth structure, both those species have a forward facing mouth compared to other Acanthurus tangs due to the plankton eating lifestyle. Would lean towards mata overall though

yeah, was thinking about mata too. Though can't really see the yellow eye stripe usually seen on mata.

scchase · Apr 26, 2019

drstardust said:
yeah, was thinking about mata too. Though can't really see the yellow eye stripe usually seen on mata.

That's why I am not positive, though it does have the small yellow spot by the scalpel that matas have when they get big.

Xanthurum · Apr 26, 2019

That is without a doubt an Atlantic Blue, Acanthurus coeruleus. They can easily grow to over 12 inches and although I personally think it’s just he angle of the picture that makes the fish look more slim, it is not the typical looking specimen.