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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 3 of 3
Bad Acanthurus and Unknowns:
Part 1, Part 2,
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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The "Unknowns": Are these good/bad, or
otherwise? Who knows. They're not often seen in the trade, or so
poorly elucidated that I couldn't, wouldn't, didn't have
enough confidence in my opinion to place them in either bad/good
categories.
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Acanthurus chirurgus (Bloch 1787), a/the
Doctorfish; from the western Atlantic. Bluish to brownish in
color, and though common in the wild, rarely offered in the
trade. Always barred in appearance; though these may be light. Bonaire and Bahamas pix.
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images to go to the larger size. |
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| Acanthurus
guttatus Forster 1801, the Spotted or
Mustard Surgeonfish you might easily take for a Sailfin Tang
(Zebrasoma) member for its circular outline, broad bars and active
swimming behavior. I've encountered mixed results with this
species; some batches living well others dying mysteriously. To
about ten inches total length. |
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| Acanthurus nigroris
Valenciennes 1835, the Bluelined or Cuvier's
Surgeonfish. Found throughout Oceania. To ten inches in length. A
beauty that is often rare in the wild and absent in aquarium
use. Hawai'i images, juvenile and adult individuals
showing prominent black spot behind dorsal fins, and darker
individual/subadult in the middle. |
Bigger PIX:
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to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images
to go to the larger size. |
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Black-Eared Surgeon, Acanthurus polyzona,
Acanthurus melanosternon, Acanthurus tristis; Indian Ocean Surgeon,
Acanthurus nubilis, the Pinstriped tang, and others I know only from
sparse scientific accounts.
Disqualified Due To Size:
That is, too large for home systems. Ask the folks who
collect surgeonfishes (All are wild caught, driven by scuba divers into
mist/barrier nets mainly); they all have two key traits in common. High
activity and copious defecation. "Emptying out" acanthurids
is important before "tanking", definitely ahead of bagging
and shipping. I intend that this points up the fact that tangs are
continuous feeders and defecators in the wild... and for their size, in
captivity as well.
The following Acanthurus species are purposely
non-suggested for the fact that they attain big proportions. No, they
will not "stay small", "due to the size of an
aquarium".
| Acanthurus auranticavus Randall 1956, the
Ring-Tail Surgeon. Indo-West-Pacific; Seychelles, Malaysia, GBR. To
35 cm. total length. This one in Mabul, Malaysia. |
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Acanthurus gahhm Forsskal 1775, the Monk
Tang, from the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden. To 50 cm.
This black shoulder-banded fish is almost identical Acanthurus
nigricauda. See Randall (1987) for taxonomic help.
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Acanthurus leucocheilus, the Pale-Lipped
Tang. To only a foot in length, but an unsuitably aggressive aquarium species.
Bali 2014 at right, aquarium shot below.
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Acanthurus monroviae, the Monrovian tang;
the only eastern Atlantic surgeon species. To 45 cm.
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Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker & Mohr
1929, the Brown-Eared Surgeonfish (note the stripe behind the
eye); the most carnivorous Surgeon. Found in close association
with barracudas, even sharks in the Red Sea. Feeds on meat scraps
and small demersal animals. Grows to a length of twenty inches.
One off of Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia, another in N. Sulawesi,
and last in the Maldives.
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Acanthurus tennenti; the Lieutenant
Surgeonfish. Also gets to 45 cm.
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| Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes 1835,
(pualu) the Yellowfin Surgeonfish. Similar to the Ringtail and
Eyestripe Surgeonfishes, but lacks the other two's light caudal
coloration. This is the largest member of the genus Acanthurus, to
about 22 inches long. A specimen in the Cooks. |
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Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked
to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images
to go to the larger size. |
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%20MD.JPG)
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Bad Acanthurus and Unknowns:
Part 1, Part 2,
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 |
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