Related FAQs: Acanthurus, Acanthurus Tangs 2, Acanthurus Tangs
3, Acanthurus ID, Acanthurus Behavior, Acanthurus Compatibility, Acanthurus Selection, Acanthurus Systems, Acanthurus Feeding, Acanthurus Disease, Acanthurus Reproduction, Surgeons In General,
Tang ID, Selection, Tang Behavior, Compatibility, Systems, Feeding, Disease,
This Article Began as Part 1: Tangs of the Genus
Acanthurus
Related Articles: Tangs, Surgeons,
Doctorfishes, family Acanthuridae, species of Acanthurus:
A. leucosternon (Powder Blue),
A. sohal, A.
nigricans & A. japonicus, other tang genera: Ctenochaetus, Naso,
Paracanthurus, Prionurus, Zebrasoma, The Surgeon Family, Acanthuridae
/The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
The "Bad", Unknown and Just Too Dang Big Tangs,
Surgeons, Doctorfishes, of the Genus Acanthurus, Part 2 of 3
Bad Acanthurus and Unknowns:
Part 1, Part 3,
Good to Medium Acanthurus: Part 1,
Part
2
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By Bob Fenner
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Surgeonfishes: Tangs for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available
here
by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
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Acanthurus
leucosternon Bennett 1832, the Powder Blue Tang. I can
hear some of you screaming, "this isn't a difficult
fish!" "I've known people to keep the Powder Blue
for years!" Most specimens don't make it even through
capture and shipping. Those that are well received and cared for
sometimes do live for a good long time. Two maxims for success:
One to a tank, and lots of live rock with algae. Link to Bigger Pix
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Acanthurus lineatus (Linnaeus 1758), the
Striped, Pajama/Pyjama, Clown Surgeonfish. Indo-Pacific; with
exception of Red Sea (replaced by similar Sohal). An aggressive
species that causes trouble often with growth in aquariums. To
fifteen inches in length. Lives along reef edges of high water
movement, and oxygen concentration. At right: in Nuka Hiva,
Marquesas, Polynesia. Below: Specimens from the Seychelles,
Maldives, Australia, and Fiji. |
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Acanthurus
nigricans (Linnaeus 1758) Whitecheek to science, Powder
Brown Surgeonfish to aquarists. Formerly mis-identified as A.
glaucopareius. Pan Pacific. To about eight inches maximum length.
See article on this and the very similar, but more
pet-fish-appropriate A. japonicus. At right in
Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia. Specimens below from
Australia, the Cooks (Roratonga) and Baja, Mexico. Link to Bigger Pix |
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Acanthurus olivaceus Forster &
Schneider 1801, the Orange Spot/Shoulder Tang. A hardy fish out of
Hawaii and elsewhere, but unfortunately, a behavioral terror in the
ranks of A. lineatus. This is an active fish that grows to
more than a foot in length. Place only with MEAN tankmates. A
juvenile, sub-adult and adult pictured, Fiji, Hawai'i and
Hawai'i respectively. |
Bad Acanthurus and Unknowns:
Part 1, Part 3,
Good to Medium Acanthurus: Part 1,
Part
2
Surgeonfishes: Tangs for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available
here
by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
|
|
|