Acanthurus mata

(Cuvier, 1829)

Elongate Tang/Surgeonfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea and Natal, South Africa east to Marquesan and Tuamotu Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Size: 20 inches (50 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits steep slopes, often in turbid water and usually found at depths between 15 - 150 feet (5 - 45 m) where it feeds in mid-waters on plankton.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade having a laterally compressed body and a small mouth, such as angelfishes and butterflyfishes and having a greyish-blue body with numerous lengthwise tannish lines and yellow through the eyes.

Can be maintained in reef or fish-only aquariums having wide-open swimming areas and turbulent, well-oxygenated water flow.

Requires a varied vegetable diet, including fresh macroalgae, Spirulina, zucchini, broccoli, dried seaweed (Nori), and enriched vegetable flakes, and requires two or three feedings per day. Will browse on filamentous and microalgae, and consume meaty foods such as pieces of fish flesh and mussel meat.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Acanthuroidei

Family: Acanthuridae

Genus: Acanthurus

FYI: One per tank.

Has a sharp forward pointing spine on each side of the caudal peduncle, which folds into a groove. Erected when excited. Handle with care!

Can be quite aggressive towards others in the family.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Diet: Herbivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Moderately aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 350 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.025

pH: 8.0 - 8.5