Common Name: Black Tang / Surgeonfish
Species Name: Acanthurus gahhm (Forsskål, 1775)
Range: Endemic to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
Size: Up to 16 in (40 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabit outer lagoon areas and reef slopes
General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 72 - 83°F (22 - 28°C) and has a natural diet of film algae. Requires well-oxygenated water and a large living space. Needs a varied diet, including fresh macroalgae, Spirulina, dried seaweed (nori), and enriched vegetable flakes and some meaty foods with two or three feedings per day. Rarely seen in the trade
Aquarium Suitability: * * & * * * *
Anemonefishes - Angelfishes - Anthias - Assessors - Bannerfish - Basslets (Dottybacks and Grammas) - Batfishes - Blennies - Boxfishes - Brotulas - Butterflyfishes - Cardinalfishes - Catfishes - Cuttlefish - Damselfishes - Dartfishes - Dragonets - Drums - Eels - Filefishes - Flashlight fishes - Flatheads - Frogfishes - Goatfishes - Gobies - Groupers - Hamlets - Hawkfishes - Helmut Gurnards - Jacks - Jawfishes - Lion fishes - Livebearing Brotula - Lizardfishes - Mollies - Moorish Idol - Parrotfishes - Pinecone fishes - Pipefishes - Porcupine fishes - Pufferfishes - Rabbitfishes - Rays - Sand Perches - Scats - Scorpionfishes - Seabasses - Seahorses - Sea Moths - Sharks - Shrimpfishes - Snappers - Soldierfishes - Spinecheeks - Squirrelfishes - Surgeonfishes (Tangs) - Sweetlips - Tilefishes - Triggerfishes - Trumpetfishes - Wrasses
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* - Suited for the reef aquarium;
** - Better suited for the fish-only aquarium;
*** - Better left in nature;
**** - Needing an aquarium larger than 125 gallons; and,
***** - Needing their own private environment/special tankmates.