Name this fish

[cool clown]

Hey I was wondering if someone could name this fish. The one on the left is a blue hippo tang (I think), but what is the one on the right? My marine atlas said they are they same fish if so why the difference in color? Please help. Thanks

 

[bdhough]

Could be age, could be hereditary, could be stress, could be a number of things. One male maybe one female. Regal Blue tangs tend to loose some of their brilliance as they get older, as do other fish. The belly is usually the first place.

 

[cool clown]

I was thinking male and female was just trying to get some other opions. Thanks for yours.

 

[bdhough]

Could be different seas, could be diet, could be the light
I've seen a tomato clown with a black vertical stripe on the end of his body. Just bread that way.

 

[dpittman]

yellow belly blue hippo is the same species but from the Indian Ocean. Much more rare and difficult to find...

 

[nm reef]

I believe DPittman is correct...they are listed the same but differ slightly in coloration....if I remember the one on the right is from the Atlantic and the left is the Indian Ocean type...but I've never seen one from the Indian Ocean.

 

[cool clown]

Thanks for all the help .

 

[terminus est]

Thats a Palette Blue Surgeon fish aka Regal tang. Atlantic blues look completely different in both body style and coloration.

 

[dpittman]

NM Reef wasn't confusing this fish with an Atlantic Blue tang, which is an acanthurus - but I do believe he meant South Pacific sea not Atlantic!

 

[blueface]

The one on the right comes from Africa. At least thats what I have read about it. I saw it for sale on a couple other web sites & thats why they said it was rare & expensive!!!