Help to Settle the Desjardinii Tang Debate -- WWC Purchase

[txmaverickmh]

Disclaimer #1: I absolutely love WWC, I have purchased majority of my fish and corals from them, always high quality, always representative colors as in pics on website, always watch their YouTube videos, I am a Raving WWC Fan! @WWC

Disclaimer #2: I know fish change colors/patterns from Juvenile to adults...in my SW aquarium obsession, I have had juvi French angels change, chevron tang change, currently have harem of lyretail anthias with two changed to males, I get it!

I purchased the much more expensive "Djibouti" Sailfin Tang from WWC, I love the colors, the black face, and it is representative of my HS colors, The Tigers !

But, what I received does not look anything like the "Djibouti," but much more like the more common "Sri Lanka" version of the Desjardinii Sailfin Tang, see pics:

I purchased the "Djibouti Desjardini Sailfin Tang 2.75-3.75" tang from WWC for my birthday on 12/26, here is the pic from the website:

I know that simple mistakes can be made, I reached out to WWC Customer Service, and they replied that the correct fish was sent, the colors will change as the fish matures...but, I have seen one in a local fish store, approx the same size as mine, and the colors were definitely difference than my Sailfin Tang "Ricardo."

I am curious to the Tang Fish experts thoughts? My family and I LOVE Ricardo, but I definitely want credit if the wrong Desjardinii Tang was sent in error.

Thanks in Advance,

Txmaverickmh

 

[tzabor10]

Yours would look better with the lighting WWC used. It’s a beautiful fish. You are blessed

 

[txmaverickmh]

Yours would look better with the lighting WWC used. It’s a beautiful fish. You are blessed

I know lighting can certainly play a role, I run 3 Radion XR30s on AB+, the stark differences in the black vs. white face and the color bars are what is throwing me and friends off

 

[twentyleagues]

I am not a Tang expert, I've had a couple and I've worked at a large lfs , I havent owned a Desjardini myself. My uncle had one years ago I dont remember the spots on the face being there or at least as pronounced as yours. I also dont remember seeing the ones we sold at the lfs being that pronounced either. Is that how you tell....I have no idea. Desjardini are one of my favorite Tangs along side the Naso so I do tend to look at them whenever I get the chance.

 

[kbnh]

Striping does look different

 

[KrisReef]

You need to take a similar close up picture of the tangs right side and compare closely the lines. I think you did get the same fish, but the pictures of your right side are too far away for accurate comparison. I think WWC (my daughter lives 5 minutes from their shop) has earned a fair to excellent reputation by sending what they promise so without better pictures I will second @tzabor10 unless a better picture says otherwise.

WWC is operated by humans so a switch accidental or otherwise can't be discounted. And lighting often makes fish and coral look drastically different so I agree there is hope for improvement in coloration if you dial yours in.

 

[KrisReef]

Striping does look different

I suspect this too, but my eyes can't clearly compare the differences due to size of image. The OP's fish may have grown and changed slightly but I see this, I think?

 

[txmaverickmh]

You need to take a similar close up picture of the tangs right side and compare closely the lines. I think you did get the same fish, but the pictures of your right side are too far away for accurate comparison. I think WWC (my daughter lives 5 minutes from their shop) has earned a fair to excellent reputation by sending what they promise so without better pictures I will second @tzabor10 unless a better picture says otherwise.

WWC is operated by humans so a switch accidental or otherwise can't be discounted. And lighting often makes fish and coral look drastically different so I agree there is hope for improvement in coloration if you dial yours in.

I completely concur with your comments about WWC, the reason for my disclaimer at the top of my post...in fact, I currently have a active BIG order with them...I am just confused with the significant black vs. white face...again, not throwing shade at WWC, love them, their customer service and quality of livestock/corals is top notch always!

MH

 

[Trixter227]

I would say it looks diffrent, quite a bit diffrent with the pictuees you have.

I have the same issue when looking for desjardini tangs. Vendors have these listed as WYSIWYG
top right and bottome left are same size and "same fish" but look completely diffrent pattern wise!

 

[i cant think]

Disclaimer #1: I absolutely love WWC, I have purchased majority of my fish and corals from them, always high quality, always representative colors as in pics on website, always watch their YouTube videos, I am a Raving WWC Fan!

Disclaimer #2: I know fish change colors/patterns from Juvenile to adults...in my SW aquarium obsession, I have had juvi French angels change, chevron tang change, currently have harem of lyretail anthias with two changed to males, I get it!

I purchased the much more expensive "Djibouti" Sailfin Tang from WWC, I love the colors, the black face, and it is representative of my HS colors, The Tigers !

But, what I received does not look anything like the "Djibouti," but much more like the more common "Sri Lanka" version of the Desjardinii Sailfin Tang, see pics:

I purchased the "Djibouti Desjardini Sailfin Tang 2.75-3.75" tang from WWC for my birthday on 12/26, here is the pic from the website:

I know that simple mistakes can be made, I reached out to WWC Customer Service, and they replied that the correct fish was sent, the colors will change as the fish matures...but, I have seen one in a local fish store, approx the same size as mine, and the colors were definitely difference than my Sailfin Tang "Ricardo."

I am curious to the Tang Fish experts thoughts? My family and I LOVE Ricardo, but I definitely want credit if the wrong Desjardinii Tang was sent in error.

Thanks in Advance,

Txmaverickmh

There’s a difference? I thought it was just the ‘Indian’ and ‘Pacific’ Ocean Sailfins?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

looks like WWC used some deceptive, yet successful Photoshop.
looks like a similar fish, but different lighting and filtering... always be weary of fish and coral pics.
Also if you look at the vertical lines coming from the tail end of the WWC pic, you can see the 4th line is shorter, but on your fish the 3rd line is shorter, so with that being said, your fish that you received is NOT the fish in the advertisement picture.

 

[MoshJosh]

I am by no means an expert on tangs. . . but to the layman the patterning here:

is not consistent with the fish in your tank.

 

[twentyleagues]

Ok so we all know fish stress, right? They go lighter or darker depending on mood. We all know lighting and camera angle can impact what a pic looks like.
@txmaverickmh How long was the fish in the tank when you took those pics? Maybe stress has lightened him up (alot). The pic from wwc looks to me like the fish is angling its top fin away from the camera and its bottom fin toward the camera. In your pics look almost straight on, But the belly spots seem different by a lot (even if you are getting a better belly shot from wwc).

 

[Heathd]

Beautiful fish, but what you received is not what you ordered. The color and patterns are pretty different.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Beautiful fish, but what you received is not what you ordered. The color and patterns are pretty different.

Agree with this ^^

 

[Reef By Steele]

Looking at their website, it does not appear that they are selling them as WYSIWYG so quite possible that this is the right fish and coloration etc may may morph with time.

 

[littlefoxx]

You know Ive always wondered about this. Ive considered that fish before too but when looking for the name only picture on google that looked like that was theirs, I kinda concluded that they were just selling a red sea sailfin under a different name and that fish was a manipulated picture of one.

 

[twentyleagues]

You know Ive always wondered about this. Ive considered that fish before too but when looking for the name only picture on google that looked like that was theirs, I kinda concluded that they were just selling a red sea sailfin under a different name and that fish was a manipulated picture of one.

probably not "manipulated" that sounds like a purposeful misdirection. I think the photo is probably a stock photo of a exquisite specimen in the right conditions.

 

[littlefoxx]

probably not "manipulated" that sounds like a purposeful misdirection. I think the photo is probably a stock photo of a exquisite specimen in the right conditions.

Hum maybe, I just found it odd that none of the other pictures when searching even looked like that one fish. Youre probably right and it is probably a very unique fish but I have doubts if thats actually what those fish will look like. It would be really cool as its a gorgeous fish, Im just very skeptical!

 

[Trixter227]

probably not "manipulated" that sounds like a purposeful misdirection. I think the photo is probably a stock photo of a exquisite specimen in the right conditions.

Currently i found 3 "different" sailfin desjardini tangs on WWC all with diffrent price points. That feels like purposeful misdirection to me if they are all in fact the "same" fish diffrent conditions.
With wrasse they will atleast use the term "supermale" to denote a "super" specimen not have a diffrent name attached to up the price.