All fish / Acanthuridae

Achilles Tang

Acanthurus achilles

Also known as achilles surgeonfish, red-tailed surgeonfish, achilles tang, achilles surgeon, red tail tang, ゴマニザ, アキレスタン, 阿基里斯刺尾鲷, 鸡心吊

A velvety black surgeonfish with white edges to the fins and gill cover and a bright orange teardrop patch in front of the tail. It is prized for its striking colours and active swimming, and it grazes algae in reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

18 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

700 litres

Keep as

Single specimen; avoid other tangs of similar shape

Diet

Herbivore: marine algae, nori, spirulina-based flakes and pellets, with some mysis and brine shrimp

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Central and western Pacific Ocean, mainly Oceania and Hawaii

Breeding

It spawns in open water in the wild, releasing pelagic eggs. It has not been bred in home aquariums in any meaningful way, so almost all fish are wild caught.

Good to know

Needs very high oxygen, strong water movement and a long, mature tank; it is prone to marine whitespot and is often aggressive to other tangs. The tail spine is sharp, so handle with care.