Sohal tang
Acanthurus sohal
Also known as Sohal Surgeonfish, Red Sea Surgeonfish, Majestic Surgeonfish, Zebra Surgeonfish
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 15.7 in
- 40 cm
- Minimum tank
- 180 gal
- 680 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Own kind
- One per tank
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Acanthuridae
- Origin
- Red Sea and western Indian Ocean including the Gulf of Aden and Persian Gulf, on surge-swept seaward reef edges.
Overview
Give a single sohal an aggressive-community tank of at least 680 litres with long open swimming lanes, keeping temperature 24 to 28 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4. It is one of the most territorial tangs, so add it last and pair it only with fish that can defend themselves. Feed heavily on dried seaweed, spirulina and marine algae with some meaty foods. It grazes nuisance algae and leaves corals alone, but its aggression, not coral safety, is the reason to plan carefully.
In the wild
The sohal tang lives along the shallow reef front where wave surge is strongest, feeding through the day on filamentous algae and Sargassum. Adults hold and defend large feeding territories against other grazers. It is a powerful open-water swimmer that patrols the same stretch of reef daily. Both dorsal and ventral scalpels near the tail base are large and used in fights.
Good to know
Acanthurus sohal is one of the larger Acanthurus species, reaching about 40 cm. Like all surgeonfish it carries a hinged blade on each side of the tail base for defense. It is endemic to the Red Sea and surrounding waters.
Did you know
The bright orange sweep around the tail blade acts as a warning flag, and a slash from a startled sohal can cut a careless hand.
Common questions
What size tank does a Sohal tang need?
A Sohal tang needs at least 180 gal (680 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Sohal tang need?
A Sohal tang is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a Sohal tang get?
An adult Sohal tang reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm).
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