Sudden availability and price drops on Gem tangs

[79chopperdr]

I've admired these fish for years that seems to be available very rarely and fetch 4 figure prices. Over the last year or two the prices have dropped below 1k and even more recently I've seen two LFS in Nor Cal bring in groups of up to 10 and are selling at $250-400.

Curious if anyone knows what has changed on the collection side that has caused the dam to break and flood the market? I love it, i will soon have a fish i always thought out of my reach.

 

[sabor]

Good for consumers. Can’t wait til the day all fishes go down to $50!

 

[Zoajohn]

I've admired these fish for years that seems to be available very rarely and fetch 4 figure prices. Over the last year or two the prices have dropped below 1k and even more recently I've seen two LFS in Nor Cal bring in groups of up to 10 and are selling at $250-400.

Curious if anyone knows what has changed on the collection side that has caused the dam to break and flood the market? I love it, i will soon have a fish i always thought out of my reach.

Idk about the collection side of things, but certainly seems like price has adjusted to demand. Several sites that had them for upwards of $1k didn’t seem to move them...

 

[79chopperdr]

Idk about the collection side of things, but certainly seems like price has adjusted to demand. Several sites that had them for upwards of $1k didn’t seem to move them...

I asked about collection because I'd always seen basically singles being brought in. Now there getting groups like yellows!

 

[TopShelfAquatics]

That new Madagascar collection station seems to be up and running well now.

Gem tangs were expensive because the wholesalers used to have to import them from the Mauritius Islands. You would also have to purchase lots of fish to make the shipment worth while(or honestly so they would even sell to you). Lots of those fish were fish that could be sourced from other regions for much cheaper. Since the freight made them incredibly expensive but no one would pay the adjusted price for those it was transferred on to the Gems(AKA the only reason to make an order from Mauritius). Then a retailer bought them and also had to make their markup. Hence the 2500-4000 price. Back in the day it was like pulling teeth to get wholesalers to bring in Gems, now we see them every week.

Now that Madagascar is open most wholesalers can get their hands on them and I would expect them to get less expensive than even purple tangs in the coming years.

 

[79chopperdr]

@TopShelfAquatics Thanks!

 

[Keenan]

@TopShelfAquatics do you think the same will eventually happen with the Mauritius Polyzona Tang?

 

[Dempsey941]

Now that Madagascar is open most wholesalers can get their hands on them and I would expect them to get less expensive than even purple tangs in the coming years

You might say the gem tang is losing its luster.

 

[TopShelfAquatics]

You might say the gem tang is losing its luster.

LOL, still a gorgeous fish IMO just more attainable to the general public

 

[siggy]

You might say the gem tang is losing its luster.

Never, I still gotta get me a yellow

 

[Michael Gray]

Beautiful fish if I had a large tank I'd love to have one. But my kole and blue are it for me

 

[User1]

I think if they fall off another $100 or so I'd pick one up. However, I have a pretty unfriendly Scopas so maybe never....

 

[Dave Cureton]

Which LFS have stock in NorCal?

 

[vanpire]

I just ordered a gem. I love my yellow and purple tangs also....just because they are cheap doesn’t mean they are not cool....

 

[79chopperdr]

Which LFS have stock in NorCal?

Violet sea in San Jose and Aquatic Collection in Hayward

 

[Dave Cureton]

Gotcha. Thanks!

 

[sde1500]

Yea the price drop has been exciting to watch for a fish on my bucket list. Of course, tank to hold it is on my bucket list still too, but all in good time.

 

[User1]

Yea the price drop has been exciting to watch for a fish on my bucket list. Of course, tank to hold it is on my bucket list still too, but all in good time.

Well, now that the fish has gone down in price you we can all upgrade Instead of paying 4k for the fish we can divert that money to the new tank Always a plus....

 

[sde1500]

Well, now that the fish has gone down in price you we can all upgrade Instead of paying 4k for the fish we can divert that money to the new tank Always a plus....

I like the way you think.

 

[ttbuc40]

I just ordered a gem. I love my yellow and purple tangs also....just because they are cheap doesn’t mean they are not cool....

Will you have all of these in the same tank? I have a purple and was thinking of adding the Gem in a 220.