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Achilles Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus achilles)
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Tank: Fish only; live rock-based fish-only system; reef aquarium with care. Provide 120 gallons or larger and should be kept singly.
Aquarium Behavior: Will dominate the aquarium.
Maximum Length: 19.5 in
Food & Diet: Meaty foods such as; brineshrimp enriched with spirulina and Omega 3. Once settled should accept variety of foods; dried macro-algae is extremely useful in maintaining body weight and will satisfies this species grazing instincts.
Reef Compatibility: May nip at corals due to its grazing instincts.
Quick Notes: Not an easy species to maintain in captivity. Be sure this species is feeding on meaty foods before you buy. This fish can be targeted by other surgeonfishes and tangs already in the tank.
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Atlantic Blue Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus coeruleus)
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Juvenile Atlantic Blue
Tank: Fish only; live rock-based fish-only system; reef aquarium with care. Provide 106 gallons or larger and is best kept singly. In a very large system it can be maintained in small groups of three to five.
Aquarium Behavior: Can be highly territorial and harass newly introduced fish to their death. Should be one of the last introductions to the tank and allow plenty of room!
Maximum Length: 5-10 in (average)
Food & Diet: Provide plenty of dried algae, supplemented with particulate foods such as brineshrimp, mysis, and chopped shellfish.
Reef Compatibility: May nip at polyps if sufficient dried algae is not present.
Quick Notes: Juveniles have a yellow base color with a pale blue pigment around the pupil of the eye that darkens with age and comes the characteristic blue coloration of Atlantic and Caribbean surgeonfish. Adding a specimen that is significantly smaller or larger than the existing fish helps to reduce territorial aggression.
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Goldrim Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus japonicus)
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Tank: Fish only; live rock-based fish-only system; reef aquarium with care. Provide 132 gallons or larger and should be kept singly.
Aquarium Behavior: Can be aggressive and should be stocked last.
Maximum Length: 8.25 in
Food & Diet: Provide alternatives such as mysis or brineshrimp until this fish can accept dried forms of algae. They graze primarily on marine algae.
Reef Compatibility: May nip at tentacles on polyps.
Quick Notes: Should not mix members of the same genus. Tangs might initially react aggressively towards this species. This species is not as common as the powder blue but is a wonderful alternative.
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Powder Blue Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus leucosternon)
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Tank: Fish-only or live rock-based fish only system. Provide 120 gallons or larger and should be kept singly.
Aquarium Behavior: Introduce this fish last, it is highly territorial and aggressive.
Maximum Length: 9 in
Food & Diet: In the wild, feeds almost exclusively on macro-algae and dried forms are essential for the long-term wellbeing. Also provide brineshrimp, mysis, chopped shellfish, and dried foods.
Reef Compatibility: Unlikely to harm any sessile invertebrates or ornamental shrimp, however when first introduced this species is likely to be infested with protozoan parasites. Where copper medication is a BIG NO NO where corals are present! Use caution as with any fish with reef aquariums!
Quick Notes: Did you know this species has a pair of scalpel-sharp modified scales located at the base of the tail with which it can seriously injure other fish! This fish requires a high degree of care and its temperament makes selection and stocking regimes critical!
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Clown (lined) Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus lineatus)
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Tank: Fish-only or live rock-based fish only system; or reef aquarium, with care. Provide 200 gallons or larger for long-term care. Should be kept singly.
Aquarium Behavior: Introducing the most benign fish to an aquarium housing a dominant clown surgeonfish can result in disaster, pariticularly if the resident is a large specimen. Its tail spines are capable of inflicting terrible damage and even robust fish can be killed by a territorial surgeonfish.
Maximum Length: 15 in
Food & Diet: Feeds mostly on algae. Accepts mysis or brineshrimp. Feed a few times a day!
Reef Compatibility: May nip at polyp tentacles.
Quick Notes: As will all Acanthurus species, take care where corals are present, as these fish are prone to infestations by protozoan parasites.
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Pacific Ocean Mimic Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus pyroferus)
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Tank: Fish-only or live rock-based fish only system; or reef aquarium. Provide 120 gallons or larger and keep singly.
Aquarium Behavior: One of the most peaceful representatives of this otherwise territorial genus.
Maximum Length: 10 in
Food & Diet: Dried algae; offer brineshrimp, mysis, and flake.
Reef Compatibility: Should not harm corals.
Quick Notes: Juveniles mimics the leonpeel angelfish as they are a much brighter yellow when young. Avoid skinny looking specimens in dealer tanks. Should settle well when introduced into the home aquarium.
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Sohal (Arabian) Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus sohal)
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Tank: Fish-only or live rock-based fish only system; or reef aquarium. Provide 200 gallons or larger and keep singly.
Aquarium Behavior: Very aggressive and should be one of the last introductions to your aquarium.
Maximum Length: 16 in
Food & Diet: Meaty foods and dried forms of algae; they also accept frozen preparations containing vegetable material.
Reef Compatibility: May nip at button polyps or large-polyp stony corals.
Quick Notes: Introducing a specimen significantly larger or smaller than the existing aquarium occupants can help to minimize any conflict. This species proves to be hardy in the home aquarium.
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Indian Ocean Mimic Surgeon Fish
(Acanthurus tristis)
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Tank: Fish-only or live rock-based fish only system; or reef aquarium. Provide 80 gallons or larger and keep singly.
Aquarium Behavior: Fairly laid back, direct threat are members of the same species.
Maximum Length: 10 in
Food & Diet: Offer chopped shellfish, brineshrimp, mysis, and dried algae.
Reef Compatibility: Should not harm sessile invertebrates or ornamental shrimp.
Quick Notes: A juvenile mimics a (Centropyge eibil). It is possible to house this fish with dwarf angelfish it mimics.
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Orangespine Unicorn Fish
(Naso lituratus)
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Tank: Fish-only; fish-only with live rock; or a large reef aquarium with plenty of swimming space. 210-238 gallons is sutiable for all but the very largest specimens. Should be kept singly but its relaxed temperament means that you could house pairs or even groups, given you provide a very large tank.
Aquarium Behavior: Peaceful
Maximum Length: 18 in
Food & Diet: Offer mysis, brineshrimp, dried algae. Feed several times a day. Once settled this species should accept dried foods.
Reef Compatibility: May nip at corals.
Quick Notes: Large individuals are capable of moving unsecured pieces of rockwork or coral base rock as they browse on the algae growing there.
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Regal (Pacific blue) Tang
(Paracanthurus hepatus)
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Tank: Fish-only; fish-only with live rock; or a large reef aquarium with plenty of swimming space. Provide 130 gallons for long-term care. Small species will outgrow small aquariums quickly. House large specimens singly or in pairs. Small juveniles school naturally and can be kept in large number, given you provide a large aquarium.
Aquarium Behavior: Less aggrressive than most tangs and surgeonfishes, but will dominate less assertive species.
Maximum Length: 8 in
Food & Diet: Zooplankton as juveniles. Offer them plenty of algae and they readily accept dried forms.
Reef Compatibility: Can nip at polyps of sessile invertebrates and clam mantles. Offer plenty forms of dried alage to satisfy its browsing instincts.
Quick Notes: This species is one of the most common marine fish due to its striking coloration. Provide excellent water conditions to keep its color vibrant.
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