Among the family acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes), there a few that truly stand out as exceptional beauties. The blue tang is among those that are consistently treasured for their striking coloration along with their famous cousin, the yellow tang. These two surgeonfish are the faces of the surgeonfish family, as such, they are very popular among marine aquarium hobbyists.
Given the scientific name Paracanthurus Hepatus, the blue tang is a common offering in the marine trade that is collected in large numbers from the Indo Pacific. Because of this, they generally are considered a cheaper than usual surgeonfish to purchase. Expect to pay between $30 to $50 per specimen depending on size. They are also known as the Regal tang and the blue hippo tang.
They are strikingly colored. Their entire body is a bright electric blue with a prominent black marking on its upper half of the body that stretches near to the back of the fish. The caudal fins on this species are all yellow. There are some variants that are known as the blue bellied blue tangs that do come into the trade from time to time. These specimens usually fetch quite a bit more than regular specimens.
Considered a large fish, they can top out at a length of 12 inches in captivity. Fishes in captivity usually do not reach lengths of wild caught specimens to expect an average adult length of about ten inches. Like all members of the surgeonfish family, they can be susceptible to marine parasites and lateral line erosion.
Lateral line erosion is thought to be a consequence of a nutritional deficiency which is why it is very important to try and mimic their natural diets in the wild. They are a grazing fish that form large shoals in their habitats where they roam the reef in search of algae to graze on.
As they are primarily herbivorous, such bias must be shown during feeding to ensure a long and healthy life in captivity. They are generally easy feeders and will accept a wide variety of foods including dry pellets, frozen meaty items as well as seaweed.