What's the deal with Aberrant Tangs?

[zchauvin]

So after reading an article about David Saxbys tank he says he bought one for around $100. This was some time ago, and recently I see that there is a particular area where they are more common, I believe I read on Reef Builders. Anyways... if David Saxby, who has literally spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on his aquarium, says he paid too much for his aberrant at $100 how is it possible these fish are being listed and selling for way more?

 

[Maritimer]

What any particular fish is worth is determined largely by what the buyer is willing to pay and what the seller thinks they can ask.

Is a peppermint angelfish _really_ thousands of dollars worth of "more beautiful" than a flame?

Is a gem tang _that_ much prettier than a Red Sea purple tang?

Enough people have agreed that they think it is, for gems to sell for over a grand, while purples can be had for under a hundred.

~Bruce, who doesn't feel much attraction to the "koi" scopas or white yellow tangs, but whose pupils dilate when he takes in the elegance of an Achilles or pastel brilliance of a powder-blue.

 

[zchauvin]

What any particular fish is worth is determined largely by what the buyer is willing to pay and what the seller thinks they can ask.

Is a peppermint angelfish _really_ thousands of dollars worth of "more beautiful" than a flame?

Is a gem tang _that_ much prettier than a Red Sea purple tang?

Enough people have agreed that they think it is, for gems to sell for over a grand, while purples can be had for under a hundred.

~Bruce, who doesn't feel much attraction to the "koi" scopas or white yellow tangs, but whose pupils dilate when he takes in the elegance of an Achilles or pastel brilliance of a powder-blue.

Yeah figured this much considering that read and them becoming more available now than before. Ah well just one of those things. Crazy

 

[mort]

I was offered a black tang for what the guy paid for it £25, I didn't buy it because I just don't get them (told the guy what they went for, he thought I was mad but sold it for 500). I just don't find the aberrant tangs attractive at all (not to mention they can revert back to more normal looking fish) and can't understand why people would either want them or pay that much for them, so the fact it's turned into a collectors fish doesn't worry me at all because I'm not envious when I see one. They arent massively common which drives the price, a bit like hybrid angels or tangs. I think people just like them because they are unique.

The price has risen a lot due to the US and Asian markets, in Europe there are far fewer people chasing these fish and in fact rarer fish can sit at wholesalers for months on end.

 

[4FordFamily]

A fish is worth what people will pay. The truth of the matter is that something with little supply will be jacked up in price because there's assumedly not enough supply to fulfill demand.

Rare or otherwise unique fish are consumed by many people willing to pay for that.

I can't get past $350 for a fish, personally. Even with a ton of cash in hand. Doesn't mean it's foolish to do so, it's just not my cup of tea. Aberrant tangs are sometimes cool but I see more natural beauty in more uniformly marked tangs, personally.

But to those who buy expensive aberrant or otherwise fish, good for you! Keep sharing them with us, as we enjoy looking at them!

 

[pickupman66]

Yea, Definately not my deal. Id take a Sohal over one any day.

 

[ca1ore]

Also, rare isn't necessarily rare. The price anything commands is a function of supply and demand. Even if a fish is relatively common in the ocean, but hard to collect and thus 'rare' n the hobby it will command a premium. Fortunately there are plenty of fish that are quite common that look stunning.