Rare fishy

[Chris Bangs]

This is a rare color variation of a surgeon fish. It is usually ALL blackish. These were shot in Yap while the Mantas were off on vacation! not too good but ok for ID purposes

 

[archman]

Wow, that would look great in my aquarium!

I wonder if that thing was hybridized with a yellow tang?

 

[DennisW]

Very interesting fish. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Scuba Brad]

Thats a White Lips fish.........they are normally all black with yellow tails.

Sorry I couldn't resist...........I have NO idea.

Happy Diving

 

[maractwin]

This is probably the mimic surgeonfish, Acanthurus pyroferus. As juveniles they mimic several species of pygmy angelfish, often being mostly yellow and even adopting the rounded tail of the angels. When they outgrow the size of their models, they transition to much darker colors and their tails grow lunate like the rest of the surgeons. This photo looks to be a fish that is still in transition between these two phases.

No, I don't know this off the top of my head. The info is from Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and Their Relatives by Rudie Kuiter & Helmut Debelius.

-Mark

 

[Chris Bangs]

This is probably the mimic surgeonfish, Acanthurus pyroferus. As juveniles they mimic several species of pygmy angelfish, often being mostly yellow and even adopting the rounded tail of the angels. When they outgrow the size of their models, they transition to much darker colors and their tails grow lunate like the rest of the surgeons. This photo looks to be a fish that is still in transition between these two phases.

No, I don't know this off the top of my head. The info is from Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and Their Relatives by Rudie Kuiter & Helmut Debelius.

-Mark

After doing a lot of research I actually found a photo of this color variation in a 800 page Japanese fish book. The fish is (Ctenochaetus striatus) Stripped bristletooth. The one I saw is not a juvinile. My guide said the fish has been in the same spot for at least 5 years.