Where can I find these blue angelfish?

[Master Photographer]

I've been searching for these for some time, and trying to find a source here in the U.S. that ships. I'd place an order with Cory @Aquarium Co-op, but they don't ship.

I've become obsessed with their coloration and want them for my 75 gallon tank, when I get it setup.

Edited July 22, 2020 by David Humphrey
Added additional image

[Bill Smith]

Those look a lot like the platinum blue angel. But the lighting in your pictures misrepresents how blue they really are. I have one as a centerpiece, and they are white with pearlscales, with some bluish striping in the fins once they color up. He is truly gorgeous. But not blue. 🙂

Your pics look like they're under blue light.

There are definitely a bunch at one of the shops in my area (San Diego).

 

[Master Photographer]

7 hours ago, Bill Smith said:

Those look a lot like the platinum blue angel. But the lighting in your pictures misrepresents how blue they really are. I have one as a centerpiece, and they are white with pearlscales, with some bluish striping in the fins once they color up. He is truly gorgeous. But not blue. 🙂

Your pics look like they're under blue light.

There are definitely a bunch at one of the shops in my area (San Diego).

 

Bill, Thanks for your information and insight.The lighting may be part of the equation.

The first picture could be blue light, with yellow plants in the background. The blue light would render them green. 

The second image, has a strong magenta cast to the white cone behind the fish, and the double shadow cast by the fish has a purple cast, which could be caused by blue light.

The last image though doesn’t have the blue cast in the shadows or the foreground, although there is a bit of a cyan cast to the foreground. If someone manipulated the image in Photoshop, and removed the color cast, that could explain the lack of blue on the bottom of the tank. But the light directly hitting the fish from the front doesn’t seem to suggest this. The only other situation that would account for the blue, would be if someone accidentally, or deliberately, set their camera’s white balance to tungsten, then used daylight balanced light to photograph the fish. This would render an enhanced blue color.  

I guess I should’ve considered that someone could’ve enhanced the images.  Being a Certified Master Photographer, I’m very familiar with image “enhancement”. I just wasn’t prepared to think that someone would do this with images of fish. Silly me!! 🤪

[Bill Smith]

Hi David:

Yeah, and I was thinking that first image has the greenery so far behind it (it's out of focus) that it's possible blue light wasn't even hitting it. 

It has been suggested in some of the reading I've done and livestreams I've listened to that it is a somewhat common practice for fish sellers to adjust their lighting in order to bring out desirable colors for photography. It's a lot of work getting a fish into a fully conditioned state where their colors are naturally that good!

That being said, I still believe the platinum blue angel is probably the most beautiful angel I've ever seen, even as a juvenile, and makes a truly stunning centerpiece fish for my tank.

Here's mine, unretouched (and very perturbed being woken up so early for a photo shoot):

I'll try to get some better pics later tonight. Looks like I lucked out and got a male (hump on the head), and I'm hoping maybe his eyes will turn red also as he matures further!

Bill

Edited July 23, 2020 by Bill Smith

[Master Photographer]

Hopefully he doesn’t hold a grudge! 🤣

Nice looking scape, too. I appreciate you sharing the images of your fish, and your scape.

David

[Master Photographer]

As a side note, blue light travels farther than any other wavelength. Reds disappear first, followed quickly by orange and yellow. I learned this years ago when I was scuba diving. 😉

[Bill Smith]

Here's the best pic I could get of him where you can really see the blue in the dorsal fin:

Definitely a male; I can see about four of the markers.

Edited July 25, 2020 by Bill Smith