TankBud

Powder blue tang

Acanthurus leucosternon

Also known as Powder Blue Surgeonfish, Whitethroat Surgeonfish

SaltwaterFish

Powder blue tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
9.1 in
23 cm
Minimum tank
124 gal
470 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Acanthuridae
Origin
Indian Ocean

Overview

The powder blue tang is an Indian Ocean surgeonfish for a large, mature reef tank. It is one of the harder tangs to keep alive, so it suits experienced keepers.

Did you know

On wild Indian Ocean reefs, powder blue tangs sometimes gather in dense grazing schools of dozens of fish. In the closed world of an aquarium, the same species turns fiercely territorial and will not tolerate another tang.

Caring for the powder blue tang

Give a powder blue tang at least 124 gal (470 L) in a long, mature tank with lots of algae-covered rock. It is built for constant swimming in strong flow, so it needs vigorous water movement and high oxygen.

Keep the water pristine at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It ships poorly and is notoriously prone to marine ich and other skin parasites. Quarantine it before it goes into the display.

Feed dried marine algae heavily, plus varied meaty and prepared foods. It is reef safe with corals and invertebrates.

The powder blue tang is very aggressive toward other tangs and surgeonfish, far more so than most. Keep it as the only tang in the tank unless the system is huge.

Good to know

Acanthurus leucosternon is instantly recognizable for its powder-blue body, bright yellow dorsal fin, black face and white throat. Its species name, leucosternon, means white chest. It carries the paired caudal scalpels of the surgeonfish family.

In the wild

Powder blue tangs range across the Indian Ocean on clear, high-energy reef flats and upper slopes. They graze filamentous algae in bright, well-oxygenated, surging water.

Common questions

What size tank does a powder blue tang need?

A powder blue tang needs at least 124 gal (470 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a powder blue tang need?

A powder blue tang is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a powder blue tang eat?

A powder blue tang eats dried marine algae, fed heavily, plus varied meaty and prepared foods.

How big does a powder blue tang get?

An adult powder blue tang reaches about 9.1 in (23 cm).

Related species