Related Articles: Surgeonfishes, Acanthurus, Ctenochaetus, Naso, Zebrasoma,

Indonesian Surgeons, Tangs and Doctorfishes

Acanthurus dussumieri Valenciennes 1835, the Eyestripe or Dussumier's Surgeonfish. This is a highly variably colored fish. Some are drab gray, whereas some I've seen from Hawai'i sported brilliant yellow around their body margin with beautiful royal purple highlights. This surgeon is more like the genus Ctenochaetus in its feeding habits, sifting sand and detritus in addition to algae scraping. Specimens off Maui, in an a hobbyist tank and a profile of one off Queensland, Australia. To eighteen inches long in the wild.

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.

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.

Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forsskal 1775), the blackish Brown or Spot-Cheeked Surgeonfish. Manageable size (to eight inches), and moderate behavior toward other fishes qualify the Brown Tang as a desirable aquarium species especially as an algae controller. Unfortunately it is a rather plain fish. Red Sea images of individual and group feeding together to overwhelm more aggressive, territorial fishes. 

Acanthurus thompsoni (Fowler 1923), the White-Tailed Surgeonfish, a good name for this species except for its populations in Hawaii which bear no white on their tail areas. Another name for this planktivore is Thompson's Surgeonfish. Though not a striking beauty, this Whitetail tang is a good feeder and stays moderate small (to ten inches). Rarely imported into the trade. A Hawaiian specimen, one from the Cooks and Australia's northern coast pictured.

Acanthurus triostegus (Linnaeus 1758), (manini) Convict Tang or Manini (Hawaiian). One of the best Acanthurus for use in reef tanks for its size, easy going temperament and habit of consuming fine, filamentous algae. Reserved for native Hawaiian use in Hawai'i, but available from elsewhere. Juvenile in Hawai'i and a marauding school on the prowl in the Cooks.

Acanthurus tristis Randall 1993, the Indian Ocean Mimic Surgeonfish. Indian Ocean; Maldives, Chagos, Andaman Sea to Indonesia. To 25 cm. Aquarium pix. http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/
speciesSummary.php?ID=12782&genusname=
Acanthurus&speciesname=tristis

Ctenochaetus binotatus Randall 1955, the Blue-Eye or Two-Spot Bristletooth for the two dark areas at the rear of the dorsal and anal fin bases. Sometimes brought in from the Philippines. Below: A juvenile in Mabul, Malaysia and adult pix in Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia and Fiji.

Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus Randall & Clements 2001. West Pacific; Ogasawaras through the Philippines, Indo. N. Australia and Noumea east to Samoa and Marshalls. 13.7 cm. These in N. Sulawesi. http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/
speciesSummary.php?ID=59486&genusname=
Ctenochaetus&speciesname=
cyanocheilus

Ctenochaetus tominiensis Randall 1955, the Tomini Bristletooth (3), is occasionally brought in from the Philippines. Of the four regularly available species of Ctenochaetus, the Tomini Bristletooth, is the most difficult to keep. Only Ctenochaetus with angular dorsal and anal fin ends. Rarely imported. Aquarium and N. Sulawesi pix.

Naso brevirostris (Valenciennes 1835),  sometimes called the Shortnose Unicorn Tang, is mis-named both scientifically and colloquially; it has a long nose as an adult. There are Naso species with much shorter, even absent the "horn" on the head. This grayish-green bodied fish is occasionally imported from Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific. To two feet long. Hawai'i and Fiji pix.

Naso lituratus, the Naso Tang to most aquarists; it is also known as the tricolor or lipstick tang. There are some who claim that "blonde" and "streamer" versions are different species; they're all Naso lituratus. To eighteen inches in the wild. Below, a Naso in an aquarium, he business end of a Naso in Hawai'i, and a beautiful "streamer" (male) there getting cleaned by a Cleaner Wrasse. 

Naso vlamingi (Valenciennes 1835), Vlaming's Unicornfish has naught but a convex nose bump for a horn. Adult males are especially beautiful with bright blue and white highlights over a dark blue body. Juvenile in Moorea, French Polynesia and Female in Pulau Redang, Malaysia shown.

Zebrasoma scopas (Cuvier 1829), the Brown or better, Two-Tone Sailfin Tang. The former common name can be a bit of a misnomer; I have seen scopas specimens as brightly yellow as a flavescens and as dark as a rostratum. As young they're different still, with light colored fronts grading to dark variable spots and lines. Occasional "dirty" or mixed-color crosses between the brown and Z. flavescens are encountered along their contiguous distributions. Widely ranging in the Indo-Pacific. Shown: Two juveniles in the (tiny one inch one in Australia, larger in the Maldives), and a mid-adult in captivity to show color range.