Trip to the LFS and wow "Black Tips"

rkm

rkm

Member
I walked in the back of the store, and I saw one of the main guys with a BIG fish net in a larg box. It looked like a shovel sticking out.:eek: . I knew he was getting a shark out of that box. They just finished a 2nd pond. I figured it was another Leopard. Ohh no. I was wrong. He pulled out about a 2 foot black tip.:happy: . Not 1 but 2:happy: I never seen these up close before. Man what a beautiful shark. Very active. I asked how much and he said around $1k-$1200. They would have to check.
They also had a small black tang with white spots. It was about 2 1/2 inches long. I forget the name, but it was very rare. He said it sells for $1k:eek: I couldn't believe it.
Anyway I ended up with a Large cocrea clam. Very bright. The green was beautiful , and faded out to a purple. I will have to get a pic of it soon. It's in my brothers tank. $175 clam I haven't seen one that awsome looking in a long time so he bought it. Must be nice.
 
rkm

rkm

Member
Sounds like a lot to me as well. However I am not sure, because I haven't shopped for a rare black and white spotted tang or a black tip. The clam is in the ball park for its size. I've actually seen the size go for more.
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member
The blacktips usuallly go for right around a G Note, give or take a bit. Have you ever seen an all black tang, sounds kinda like the one you saw, but the one I saw was pure black, totally jet black, with a white barb by his tail, I think he was a couple hundred where I saw him. There's a store in Lansing, MI that always has some "rare" stuff.
 
cincyreefer

cincyreefer

Active Member
Blacktips are over rated. $1000 is actually a real good price for a blacktip... especially if that is after shipping. That is extremely high priced for a black tang... unless it is some color variation of the one that is typically yellow and white sometimes called a "mutant yellow tang"
And what was the guy thinking when he netted the blacktip out?
 
rkm

rkm

Member
The tang was not a typical black tang. I have seen them many times before for sale. This little guy was black with white spots all over it. It looked awsome. Almost like a black with Ick. But the spots were bright and perfect. I will try to get a pic of it some day.
 
brooklyn johnny

brooklyn johnny

Active Member
I know the LFS well that Ryan is talking about. I was looking through old posts and figured I'd settle this.
The black tang with spots was actually an African "gem tamg" (Zebrasoma gemmatum). My buddy does their site, so here's the picture. This particular store gets the true black tang (Zebrasoma rostratum) and retails them for about $125 small which is an excellent price. This is a very rare fish in the industry too, but is common in comparison to the gem tang.
Gem tangs are the Holy Grail for many tang lovers, and the $800 to $1000 they sold them for was a good price, and they didn't last long. They come from Africa on the Indian Ocean side which equals expensive, and on top of that are not common anywhere in their range, which equals more expensive!
Many people will argue a yellow tang looks nicer, but it's cool to see a fish so rare in the industry in person...
 
brooklyn johnny

brooklyn johnny

Active Member

Originally posted by cincyreefer
unless it is some color variation of the one that is typically yellow and white sometimes called a "mutant yellow tang"

For those who are wondering what one of these babies looks like... still much cheaper than a gem tang though...
 
ross

ross

Active Member
Why do people pay $1000 for a shark? I'll go catch you a small one for $20. then just qtine it right? I dont understand....there wild animals....and not even rare. The ocean is absolutely full of sharks. You can catch them everywhere!
 
rkm

rkm

Member
Brooklyn Johnny, Did you see the post about Kalk reactors that I just placed? I was wondering if the unit I have will work. I want to get my auto top off/kalk reactor stuff all together so I can start adding more polyps, sps etc.
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
Im with ya ROSS! We catch blacktips here all the time & throw them back like a nuisance species! I catch them from 18" on up to 4 feet or so, if they're worth 1000 bucks a piece, Im in the wrong business!
KYle
:happyfish
 
calvindo

calvindo

Member
nice shot escape :) we should partner up and sell sharks. hehehe I fish in the San Francisco bay and we catch sharks all the time, not to mention sting rays the size of a coffee table. The one shark that havent caught my line are the Great White sharks. There is an aquarium near where i live that supposedly, the only public aquarium in the world that has a great white in captivity. They recently added him, so not sure if they can succesfully keep one. I am planning to go see this bad boy this weekend. I'll get some pictures and post it here.
check out the link below... great shots of him.
http://www.mbayaq.org/news/Default.asp?bhcp=1
 
sharkboy97

sharkboy97

Member
man im with everyone else e-mail me if you want to buy a bonnet or a black tip. We have caught 2-5 foot bonnets
1-5 foot black tips so e-mail if you want one
 
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