Powder Brown Tang
Acanthurus japonicus
Also known as White-faced Surgeonfish, Japan Surgeonfish, White-nose Surgeonfish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F (24–27°C)
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 8.3 in (21 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 129 gal (490 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Origin
- Western Pacific reefs, from southern Japan to Indonesia
- Family
- Acanthuridae
Overview
Generally docile and a bit shy around other kinds of fish, but it will spar with other tangs or surgeonfish of similar shape or coloring, so keep only one per tank unless the aquarium is very large. It is reef safe and leaves corals and invertebrates alone. Feed dried seaweed or nori several times a week along with meaty frozen foods to round out the diet. Tangs as a group are among the more ich-prone marine fish, and this species is no exception, so a full quarantine and stable water quality matter more here than with hardier fish.
In the wild
Native to clear lagoon and seaward reefs across the western Pacific, usually in water less than 20 m deep where algae turf grows thick on rock and rubble. It forages over open ground during the day and retreats to a crevice at night, so the tank needs a long, uninterrupted swimming lane as well as plenty of live rock coated in film algae to graze between meals. A tank of at least 490 litres (130 US gal) gives it the room it needs long term.
Good to know
Like every member of the surgeonfish family, it carries a scalpel-sharp spine folded into a groove on each side of the tail base, which locks upright when the fish is threatened or sparring with a rival tang. It reaches about 21 cm and has a small terminal mouth with fine, comb-like teeth built for scraping algae film off rock rather than taking large bites.
Did you know
It has a near-twin in the whitecheek surgeonfish, and where their ranges overlap in the Philippines and the Ryukyu Islands the two species interbreed, so some wild fish show a blend of both patterns.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- LiveAquaria Freshwater and saltwater fish, inverts and corals
- Saltwaterfish.com Marine fish, corals and inverts shipped overnight
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
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Related species
Mimic Tang
Acanthurus pyroferus11.4 in (29 cm)129 gal (490 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Atlantic Blue Tang
Acanthurus coeruleus13.8 in (35 cm)151 gal (570 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Orangeshoulder Tang
Acanthurus olivaceus13.8 in (35 cm)180 gal (680 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Whitecheek Tang
Acanthurus nigricans13.8 in (35 cm)129 gal (490 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Powder Blue Tang
Acanthurus leucosternon9.1 in (23 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Achilles Tang
Acanthurus achilles9.4 in (24 cm)180 gal (680 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)