Tang Idenity
- Thread starter dockery07
- Start date
dpittman
Member
This thread has been driving me crazy! I have been staring at the picture too long! So I ran and grabbed the book "Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and their Relatives" by Rudie H. Kuiter and Helmut Debeliuis.
That fish is definitely an Acanthurus Xanthopterus. Yellowfin. Grows big. But a really cool looking fish as they mature.
That fish is definitely an Acanthurus Xanthopterus. Yellowfin. Grows big. But a really cool looking fish as they mature.
dpittman
Member
I did further research on this 'cause with all the conflicting opinions I began to think maybe I was wrong. See the faint white line on the base of the dorsal fin, the yellow pectoral fins, the faint white bar on the base of the tail fin and the blue around the caudal (sp?) peduncle, and the faint yellow on the face between the eyes.
Definitely a yellow fin or yellowmask. Acanthurus xanthopterus. This fish will turn into a striking adult fish. How big is your tank? The Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, WA has 3 large adults. They constantly school together and are awesome in appearance.
Definitely a yellow fin or yellowmask. Acanthurus xanthopterus. This fish will turn into a striking adult fish. How big is your tank? The Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, WA has 3 large adults. They constantly school together and are awesome in appearance.
fishfood
Member
DPittman- I don't know if you are right or wrong because i dont' know if I have a clue either. Here is another site that has some pics of tangs and well the juvenile that they have listed of the yellow fin doesn't look like the fish in question, although they do have question marks behind it, which confuses me even more. Here is the site: http://www.reefimages.com/Surgeons/Surgeons1.htm
I'm thinking that it may be from the genus Ctenochaetus
one other site that talks about these fish is:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ctenocha.htm
My point is that I don't know!!! It has been fun trying to find this damn thing on line since I'm limited with books.
dockery07 - since you have a larger tank you should just keep him until he actually does outgrow it. I mean if we are all wrong about it what is it going to hurt to keep it.
I'm thinking that it may be from the genus Ctenochaetus
one other site that talks about these fish is:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ctenocha.htm
My point is that I don't know!!! It has been fun trying to find this damn thing on line since I'm limited with books.
dockery07 - since you have a larger tank you should just keep him until he actually does outgrow it. I mean if we are all wrong about it what is it going to hurt to keep it.
dpittman
Member
FishFood,
When I first saw the pic I thought it was a Ctenochaetus as well. Thanks for the websites.
That picture of the juveniles with the question marks is actually Acanthurus mata, the Pale Surgeon. VERY similar to the Yellowmask and grows to about the same size. You can tell the juveniles by the black edging all around the fins, the distinctive horizontal lined pattern and the all black peduncular spine.
If you are a tang fan get that book I referred to earlier - lots of good color pics and juvenile pics as well - I'm sticking with my guess!
When I first saw the pic I thought it was a Ctenochaetus as well. Thanks for the websites.
That picture of the juveniles with the question marks is actually Acanthurus mata, the Pale Surgeon. VERY similar to the Yellowmask and grows to about the same size. You can tell the juveniles by the black edging all around the fins, the distinctive horizontal lined pattern and the all black peduncular spine.
If you are a tang fan get that book I referred to earlier - lots of good color pics and juvenile pics as well - I'm sticking with my guess!
