Purple tang

Care at a glance

Overview

A hardy algae grazer that is reef safe with corals but has a reputation as one of the pushier Zebrasoma tangs, especially toward other tangs and similarly shaped fish. Keep only one per tank and add it last, and avoid pairing it with yellow or scopas tangs unless the system is very large. Feed dried marine algae (nori) on a clip daily in addition to whatever it grazes off the rock.

In the wild

A Red Sea and Arabian Sea surgeonfish that grazes filamentous algae over shallow rocky reefs and coral flats, often in loose groups on the wild reef but territorial in the confines of a tank. It roams constantly and needs long, open swimming lanes plus live rock covered in algae to browse. Strong flow and high oxygen suit it well.

Good to know

Zebrasoma xanthurum carries a scalpel-sharp, retractable spine at the base of the tail on each side, the surgeonfish hallmark, which it uses in disputes and which can inflict a nasty cut on a careless handler. Its deep purple body and contrasting yellow tail make it one of the few solid-purple reef fish, and the color comes from structural and pigment cells rather than diet.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Gem tang

  Zebrasoma gemmatum

  8.7 in (22 cm) · 151 gal (570 L)

  8.7 in (22 cm)151 gal (570 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Black tang

  Zebrasoma rostratum

  8.3 in (21 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)

  8.3 in (21 cm)119 gal (450 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Sailfin tang

  Zebrasoma veliferum

  11.8 in (30 cm) · 145 gal (550 L)

  11.8 in (30 cm)145 gal (550 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Scopas tang

  Zebrasoma scopas

  7.9 in (20 cm) · 90 gal (340 L)

  7.9 in (20 cm)90 gal (340 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Yellow tang

  Zebrasoma flavescens

  7.9 in (20 cm) · 100 gal (380 L)

  7.9 in (20 cm)100 gal (380 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Red Sea sailfin tang

  Zebrasoma desjardinii

  15.7 in (40 cm) · 180 gal (680 L)

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