Achilles Tang

Care at a glance

Overview

This tang ranks among the more aggressive surgeonfish in the hobby, not just toward its own kind but toward other tangs in general, so it should be the only Acanthurus or Naso species in the tank. It's reef safe and needs a diet built around marine algae and nori to stay healthy. Achilles tangs are considered one of the toughest tangs to keep long term and are a well known ich magnet that reacts badly to any dip in water quality, so this is an expert-only fish that calls for a mature, stable tank, strong flow, and a long quarantine before it ever reaches the display.

In the wild

Achilles tangs live in the surge zones of Pacific reefs, the shallow, wave battered edges where oxygen-rich water crashes over the reef crest. They range from Oceania and the Hawaiian Islands out to Pitcairn Island, usually alone or in small loose groups picking algae off rock in the wash. This background makes strong water movement essential in the aquarium, along with at least 680 litres (180 US gal) of swimming room.

Good to know

Acanthurus achilles is named for the bright orange-red teardrop marking near its tail, sitting just in front of the sharp scalpel spine that gives surgeonfish their name. The rest of the body is a deep blue-black with electric blue edging along the fins. Its surge-zone lifestyle means it evolved for strong, turbulent water flow and high dissolved oxygen, conditions that are hard to fully replicate in a closed aquarium.

Did you know

Wild achilles tangs live where breaking waves keep the water in constant, violent motion, which is why hobbyists aim extra powerheads at them. Recreating that home-reef turbulence is one of the few things that seems to keep this fish truly content in captivity.

Related species

• 

  Powder Blue Tang

  Acanthurus leucosternon

  9.1 in (23 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Clown Tang

  Acanthurus lineatus

  15 in (38 cm)238 gal (900 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Sohal Tang

  Acanthurus sohal

  15.7 in (40 cm)180 gal (680 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Convict Tang

  Acanthurus triostegus

  10.6 in (27 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Powder Brown Tang

  Acanthurus japonicus

  8.3 in (21 cm)129 gal (490 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Mimic Tang

  Acanthurus pyroferus

  11.4 in (29 cm)129 gal (490 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)