Move over Casper the white tang because World Wide Corals has just one upped you with the trump card of Zebrasoma mutants: a xanthic yellow tang and a melanistic black tang. Like the amelanistic white tang before them, the xanthic Zebrasoma flavescens and melanistic Z. rostratum are truly one of a kind surgeonfish.
The xanthic yellow tang is brighter than your average flavescens with an eye that is all yellow, a tail spine that is also yellow, and in person the xanthic yellow tang just looks like it’s glowing. The melanistic black tang is equally peculiar because it is so black that it just disappears. Normally a black tang of its size would have a silver streak right beneath the dorsal fin but since melanistic describes fish with an overabundance of black pigment, this long nose tang absorbs all light completely and it disappears save for its tony little white tail spine.
WWC paid beaucoup bucks for their xanthic yellow and melanistic black tangs and we doubt that they will be offered for sale any time soon. However, if you’re in the Orlando area be sure to check out these spectacular Zebrasoma in person and to thank WWC for producing this video.
