Majestic Creatures Reef has sent Reef Builders images and video of a very unusual White Scopas Tang, Zebrasoma scopas, which they’ve affectionately named Frosty. They received the 5.5” long fish as a wild-caught fish that was exported via Jakarta in Indonesia, and MCR tells us that the fish was found in the Indo-Pacific.
We did a double take at the photos first as the whole images look very black and white, but MCR has also sent images of Frosty under blue light, and video since. We’d like to see more of it under other lights, we’re still scrutinizing it now, but allowing for the weird lighting, based on what we’ve seen, it’s Ivory in color at its darkest, it sports the tiny white dot patterning of a Scopas tang, with ever so feint yellow highlights on the fins. The video reveals more and there it looks white, especially in contrast to the Anthias that appears behind it.
We haven’t documented a white scopas since 2011, so this very pale fish is a rare fish indeed, and with no traces of black (melanin,) yet like some other Koi tangs. The jury is out on how (if at all,) Frosty’s color and patternation may change as it matures, and we’d love to get some fresh photos and video as well as an update on Frosty from his new home in the future.
Origin
Stretching from Africa right around to the Central Pacific Ocean, the Indo-Pacific is a vast area so the divers who caught it may be keeping their cards close to their chests when it comes to revealing exactly where Frosty came from. But aberrant Koi Tang hotspots include the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, and Java, in Indonesia, which is a lot closer to Jakarta too. Either way, it made it safely to Majestic Creatures Reef, where after much deliberation they sold it on to a private collector for a five-figure sum.
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