Surge Marine Life catapulted itself into the marine aquarium trade with its audacious contribution of a new hybrid Zebrasoma tang in 2024, the Scopas X Purple Tang hybrid. While the hybrid has come down from its initial introductory price, these are still the captive-bred rarity, currently fetching $1,999.00 price tag direct from the hatchery.
Most of us probably aren’t eager to spend four figures on a rare aquarium fish that has no wild counterpart, but many aquarists are eager to support captive-breeding efforts, and would like an aquacultured tang for their aquariums. This month, Surge Marine Life has an offer for the rest of us, becoming what I think is just the third aquaculture facility on the planet to produce captive-bred Purple Tangs, Zebrasoma xanthurum.
Surge Marine Life is currently asking just $249.00 for a captive-bred Purple Tang, SHIPPING INCLUDED!. They also shared an updated video on Facebook showcasing these gorgeous purple beauties—watch here! As a small, closed-system breeding facility, Surge Marine Life founder Kevin Barden says, “We consider our fish to be quarantine clean. They’re delivered straight from the farm and ready to go directly into a display.”
It’s amazing to think that after perhaps 30-40 years of research effort, we shared stories on the first availability of captive-bred tangs just 9 years ago. In just 9 years, we now have multiple man-made hybrids and the production of species by multiple companies! What a great time to be a marine aquarist!
