Tangs/Surgeonfish
Clown Surgeonfish (tang):
Total size: around 14"
Scientific Name: Acanthurus lineatus
A large, but very interesting fish. Not often found in stores. If kept, it's best as a single clown tang per tank. It's more energetic than many other tangs, and not quite as hardy. It's a good addition to a reef, or fish only tank.
Tank mates:
Angelfish
Other tangs
Most aggressive fish
Most community fish
Yellow Tang: (Yellow Sailfin Tang)
Total size: 5 - 5 1/2in.
Scientific Name: Zebrasoma flacescens
Probably the most popular fish in marine history. Yellow tangs are found in tanks from fish restaurants to large public aquariums, to your home aquarium. Yellow tang are a great fish to have. They will take a big interest in any other yellow fish such as lemon peal dwarf angels. The rule to remember is: keep one tang in your tank. If you want more, then get three or more. Two doesn't work, because one will become dominant and constantly harrass your second. With more then no one tang is constantly picked on. This also goes for shape, meaning don't have just two fish from the same genus. Yellow tang, along with all the sailfin tangs such as the Purple tang (yellow fin tang), or Pacific tang, are well suited for your reef aquarium. They are all hardy lively fish. I can't imagine any home aquarium, whether reef, or fish only, with out a tang from this genus.
Tank mates:
All community fish
*Watch for other fish with a similar color.
Blue Tang (Surgeonfish): (Regal Tang, Hippo Tang)
Total size: around 9in.
Scientific Name: Paracanthurus hepatus
Another commonly seen tang, they are found in the wild swimming in large schools around reefs. They are energetic fish that get along with most everything. They have a striking blue color that is very hard to miss, with a yellow tale that compliments a yellow tang. Blue tang can be kept safely with color, and are suited to by in any reef tank, or fish only tank. If you have a juvenile tang, then try getting some Ocaporo. This is a hard coral that the blue tang will slip into at night to sleep. Eventually the fish will grow faster than the color, and no longer fit. For some tank, a 10in long fish is very large. So keep in mind when buying this fish, that it needs room, so supply it with some space.
Tank mates:
Most community fish
Most aggressive fish
Yellow Eye Tang:
Total size: around 6in.
Scientific Name: Ctenochaetus strigosus
A very lively fish. It lacks in color when kept in a reef tank because it's the same dark purple as the live rocks it swims around. It's a great consumer of algae, with a mouth similar to that of a freshwater pleco. It has a bright yellow circle around its eye, and is very detailed when looked at a close distance. This fish resembles the yellow tang's body shape, and behavior, but is not in the same genus. The Yellow eye tang can be kept in both reef and fish only tanks.
Tank mates:
Some other tang
Angelfish
Some aggressive fish
Other community fish
|
|
|
|
