Hawaiian Fish pricing

[Coralgurl]

Is there a reason Hawaiian fish are more expensive right now? Bought a Juvi blue hippo tang as I'm sure my last one had a weird personality trait so trying again and just curious on the price. Pretty sure I paid too much....

[mrhasan]

Is there a reason Hawaiian fish are more expensive right now? Bought a Juvi blue hippo tang as I'm sure my last one had a weird personality trait so trying again and just curious on the price. Pretty sure I paid too much....

Snorkel bob needs to refill the chillers in the yachts :D

[George]

Did your LFS list the blue tang as coming from Hawaii? LOL. Blue tang is not even native to HI. I think there is something fishy here.

Is there a reason Hawaiian fish are more expensive right now? Bought a Juvi blue hippo tang as I'm sure my last one had a weird personality trait so trying again and just curious on the price. Pretty sure I paid too much....

[mrhasan]

Did your LFS list the blue tang as coming from Hawaii? LOL. Blue tang is not even native to HI. I think there is something fishy here.

"The Blue tang, Palette surgeonfish, Regal tang, Hippo tang, Indo-Pacific tang, Flagtail surgeonfish or Blue surgeonfish, Paracanthurus hepatus, is a fish often found in marine aquaria, the only member of the genus Paracanthurus. It has a royal blue body, yellow tail, and black ‘palette’ design. It grows to a maximum of generally 12.25 inches and is mostly herbivorous. Its range varies widely and can be around the reefs of East Africa, Hawaii, Japan, Samoa, New Caledonia, and the Great Barrier Reef."

Source: http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/science_1/fish/2578380/blue_tang/

I may be wrong though :)

[George]

You are not wrong. The source you quoted from may be wrong. Anyway, in the same source you quoted from, there is a paragraph about tangs (not sure they mean tangs in general or the blue tang)

"Tangs are found in the Atlantic Ocean from New York and Bermuda to the Gulf of Mexico, south to Brazil. They are also abundant in Florida, Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean it occurs near Ascension Island. It has also been introduced into Hawaii through the release of aquarium fish."

"The Blue tang, Palette surgeonfish, Regal tang, Hippo tang, Indo-Pacific tang, Flagtail surgeonfish or Blue surgeonfish, Paracanthurus hepatus, is a fish often found in marine aquaria, the only member of the genus Paracanthurus. It has a royal blue body, yellow tail, and black ‘palette’ design. It grows to a maximum of generally 12.25 inches and is mostly herbivorous. Its range varies widely and can be around the reefs of East Africa, Hawaii, Japan, Samoa, New Caledonia, and the Great Barrier Reef."

Source: http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/science_1/fish/2578380/blue_tang/

I may be wrong though :)

[Coralgurl]

Soo, avg pricing should be.......?

They are found in Hawaiian reefs as a result of dumping from aquariums, but no not native....

^^posted the same time as me...lol

[mrhasan]

You are not wrong. The source you quoted from may be wrong. Anyway, in the same source you quoted from, there is a paragraph about tangs (not sure they mean tangs in general or the blue tang)

"Tangs are found in the Atlantic Ocean from New York and Bermuda to the Gulf of Mexico, south to Brazil. They are also abundant in Florida, Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean it occurs near Ascension Island. It has also been introduced into Hawaii through the release of aquarium fish."

Eventually, the word "Hawaii" will become the "genre" of expensive fishes just like "rare", "deepwater" and "LE" :razz: And that's not far away from certain activities that are being carried out in Hawaii.

[mrhasan]

Soo, avg pricing should be.......?

They are found in Hawaiian reefs as a result of dumping from aquariums, but no not native....

I am guessing you bought it from ocean today evening?

[RumRunner]

Only buy captive breed livestock that originates from Hawaii or Australia...Please

[maron6977]

Getting back to your question : I've found blue tangs aren't cheap !
I haven't priced one lately but my guess is $40 - $90 depending on size .

[Coralgurl]

Only buy captive breed livestock that originates from Hawaii or Australia...Please

Mind providing a list or info on captive bred fish from Hawaii? I searched and this is all I could find.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+1500

Don't see tangs on this list....

And yes mrhasan, ocean's tonight.....will be going back tomorrow and having a chat.....

[Coralgurl]

Getting back to your question : I've found blue tangs aren't cheap !
I haven't priced one lately but my guess is $40 - $90 depending on size .

Thank you....well it falls in the high end of this pricing. She's smallish (2.5-3 inches), but not teeny. They had some really small babies but wasn't comfortable taking one that small as all my fish are quite a bit bigger and was concerned a tiny one would get picked on or just hide in the rocks and not eat.

[mrhasan]

Thank you....well it falls in the high end of this pricing. She's smallish (2.5-3 inches), but not teeny. They had some really small babies but wasn't comfortable taking one that small as all my fish are quite a bit bigger and was concerned a tiny one would get picked on or just hide in the rocks and not eat.

I bought a tiny tiny one from ocean for $42 or something. It used to school with chromis but was eaten by my maxi mini :(

[maron6977]

I think I paid $70 for a 3" about 4 years ago . I still have him & doing good . Just make sure he is eating good & not thin .

[Coralgurl]

I bought a tiny tiny one from ocean for $42 or something. It used to school with chromis but was eaten by my maxi mini :(

They are so cute when that small but my tank seemed to big to raise one. Sucks about the nem....:sad:

I think I paid $70 for a 3" about 4 years ago . I still have him & doing good . Just make sure he is eating good & not thin .

That's awesome!!

Ok, so maybe the price was not sooooo bad. I like to feed right after adding fish and she had quite the appetite :lol:. She's also pretty fat already and no issues with the other fish...Well my sailfin is raising her fins at her but no chasing.

[mrhasan]

They are so cute when that small but my tank seemed to big to raise one. Sucks about the nem....:sad:



That's awesome!!

Ok, so maybe the price was not sooooo bad. I like to feed right after adding fish and she had quite the appetite :lol:. She's also pretty fat already and no issues with the other fish...Well my sailfin is raising her fins at her but no chasing.

Sailfin's like "hey I have a different shape; don't fight with me" :lol:

[Coralgurl]

Sailfin's like "hey I have a different shape; don't fight with me" :lol:

And she's gorgeous when she does it too! Oceans had some little sailfins as well, even a yellow one. Mine eats from my hand.

[mrhasan]

And she's gorgeous when she does it too! Oceans had some little sailfins as well, even a yellow one. Mine eats from my hand.

Yah saw those. I was there today evening. I think you are the lady who brought in the fish who was getting picked?

[Coralgurl]

No that wasn't me. No one in the store when I was there, I think someone came in as I was paying tho, didn't see who.

[mrhasan]

No that wasn't me. No one in the store when I was there, I think someone came in as I was paying tho, didn't see who.

Ah wrong assumption :redface:

[albert_dao]

Wait... So let me get this straight - You saw the fish. You assessed the price. Then you decided it was acceptable and purchased the fish. And now, after a tepid and inconclusive dialogue on a public forum, you're going to back to the retailer to "have a chat"?

*head explodes*

I kid, I kid, lol.

[albert_dao]

Anyway, to offer some value into this discussion:

BLUE TANGS (given that the context is not actually about Hawaiian fish) ARE NOT CHEAP. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SINCE THAT DAMN MOVIE CAME OUT.

[mrhasan]

Anyway, to offer some value into this discussion:

BLUE TANGS (given that the context is not actually about Hawaiian fish) ARE NOT CHEAP. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SINCE THAT DAMN MOVIE CAME OUT.

Wait till finding dory comes out. Then you head will literally explode ;) I think a kit for "acclimating dory to freshwater" with tagline "dory in real life in your jam jar!" will be a big selling idea.

[Coralgurl]

Wait... So let me get this straight - You saw the fish. You assessed the price. Then you decided it was acceptable and purchased the fish. And now, after a tepid and inconclusive dialogue on a public forum, you're going to back to the retailer to "have a chat"?

*head explodes*

I kid, I kid, lol.

Well I didn't ask about the price (my bad yes) and wasn't told till after she was bagged up. Came home and checked online prices and went whoa...which was why I asked the question here. If you notice, I got nothing in related to my question on pricing for like 10 responses......The reason I was told it was at that price was because it was from Hawaii.

I also said maybe my price wasn't so bad after all with more feedback. The first one I had I got at a discounted price due to its condition at the store. I wasn't bashing the store or pricing as the owner has always treated me well and been very helpful. I spent a good deal of time talking to him about adding her bec of issues I had with the other one I sold. I just wanted to know their pricing......

I plan on going back tomorrow as he's getting a shipment in tonight.

Amazing how far off topic threads can go.......

[albert_dao]

Well, in general, fish not caught by cheap Asian labor will be more expensive. This is true of all the non Indo-Pacific reef regions (Australia, Red Sea, Central America and, of course, Hawaii).

As far as buying a Blue tang from Hawaii goes, I think it's safe to say that there is no additional perk to it being sourced from that region over any other given region, given the context. Strange that they would even order them from there *shrug*

[fishoholic]

I've seen fish differ by $80 or more depending on how much the supplier charges for shipping. Shipping also goes way up when weather is bad. Just be thankful you're in Calgary, regal tangs sell for $80-$150 in Edmonton.

[Delphinus]

The price of Hawaiian fish has been steadily increasing the last few years. Given the political situation regarding the collection of ornamentals from that region, it's lucky we can get fish from there at all.

[Coralgurl]

I've seen fish differ by $80 or more depending on how much the supplier charges for shipping. Shipping also goes way up when weather is bad. Just be thankful you're in Calgary, regal tangs sell for $80-$150 in Edmonton.

The price of Hawaiian fish has been steadily increasing the last few years. Given the political situation regarding the collection of ornamentals from that region, it's lucky we can get fish from there at all.

thank you both, this is what I was asking for! :lol: makes sense and I can live with with what I paid. :mrgreen:

[Coralgurl]

Well, in general, fish not caught by cheap Asian labor will be more expensive. This is true of all the non Indo-Pacific reef regions (Australia, Red Sea, Central America and, of course, Hawaii).

As far as buying a Blue tang from Hawaii goes, I think it's safe to say that there is no additional perk to it being sourced from that region over any other given region, given the context. Strange that they would even order them from there *shrug*

This too makes sense, given they aren't native to Hawaii, but I guess I'd have to do more research on the population of them there. She's beautiful anyway and very fat and active already.

[Delphinus]

And unfortunately, looking at the price our American neighbours pay for things can not help the mood after a purchase. Suffice it to say, Canucks get hosed on soooo many things it's just not funny. But it is what I is, I guess. As far as our hobby is concerned, once in a blue moon though, there are things Canadians will get better prices on than 'Mericans ... enjoy them rare occasions! Haha.

[albert_dao]

And unfortunately, looking at the price our American neighbours pay for things can not help the mood after a purchase. Suffice it to say, Canucks get hosed on soooo many things it's just not funny. But it is what I is, I guess. As far as our hobby is concerned, once in a blue moon though, there are things Canadians will get better prices on than 'Mericans ... enjoy them rare occasions! Haha.

On the flip side, our food is better :D

[lastlight]

On the flip side, our food is better :D

you're totally right. They use a different beef in their big macs over there.

[paddyob]

Hawaii is also not 3rd world. Therefore everything costs more.


Like Aussie corals.

[Skimmerking]

Well what did you pay for the fish if you dont mind me asking

[saltcreep]

The blue tang in question is more than likely from the Christmas Islands. Many of the exporters in Hawaii also import and wholesale product from many areas of the South Pacific. These areas are then included with shipments that are from Hawaii.

As for pricing, well, that's the discretion of the LFS.