Care Level: Advanced
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Reef Compatible: Yes
General Description: The Clown Tang, also referred to as the Lined or Blue-banded Surgeonfish, has a wide distribution across the Indo-Pacific, Australia and Hawaii. A stunning fish, the Clown tang is unmistakable for its oval-shaped body decorated with interchanging horizontal blue and yellow-orange stripes. Clown tangs have more specialized tank requirements compared to most other tang species. Most important is ensuring that the environment has high levels of dissolved oxygen for this extremely active fish. An adult Clown tang can reach a size of approximately 12″. Note: All of our Clown tangs are quarantined and treated accordingly for 28 days to prevent ich and ensure you’re receiving a healthy specimen. Maintaining extra high quality water parameters will also keep your aquarium’s environment optimal and in turn, a happy and healthy Clown tang long term.
Diet Requirements: In the wild tangs are primarily herbivorous. A diet largely consisting of algae-based foods is absolutely necessary to maintain optimal health, coloration, immune function, and reduce aggression. If not, tangs often develop head and lateral line erosion from such deficiencies. Vegetable based flake foods or frozen foods, that may also include spirulina algae, are excellent options. We also recommend offering dried seaweed on a rock or clip three times a week minimum. Clown tangs will consume various other protein-based frozen foods. If inadequate food is provided, Clown tangs have been observed to nip at large polyp stony (LPS) corals.
Care Requirements: An established minimum 200 gallon aquarium with 18+ inch width is ideal. Smaller specimens can be temporarily raised in smaller quarters (no less than 125 gallons) as long as it is upgraded accordingly. This tang enjoys a variety of rock work and crevices to take refuge, but also should be provided with ample unobstructed swimming space given its activity level. Clown tangs are intolerable of excessive nitrates and deteriorating water parameters. Clown tangs are often sought after to add to a reef aquarium for their natural tendency to graze upon algae build up, specifically hair algae. Typically, a Clown tang will not conflict with other tank-mates unless they have a similar body shape or feeding behavior. However, Acanthurus often have issue with conspecifics (including other species within the genus) and even other tangs. If you want to house various types of tangs together, especially multiple Acanthurus species, it is best to add them all at once, or closely together at the very least, for the best success. Recommended water conditions, 72-78° F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025.
Purchase Size:Â Small: 1″ to 3″; Medium: 3″ to 5″; Large: 5″ to 7″; XLarge: 7″+
Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase sizes are approximate.