All fish / Acanthuridae

Eyestripe Surgeonfish

Acanthurus dussumieri

Also known as dussumier's surgeonfish, eye-stripe surgeonfish, eyestripe tang, dussumieri tang, pencilled surgeonfish, ornate surgeonfish, yes, クログチニザ, 杜氏刺尾鱼, 额带刺尾鱼

A large tang with a brownish body covered in fine blue lines, a bright yellow band through the eye, a yellow-edged dorsal fin and a blue tail with dark spots. It is kept by owners of very large reef or fish-only tanks for its striking colours and its habit of grazing algae.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

35 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

1500 litres

Keep as

Singly, or with other tangs only in very large systems

Diet

Herbivore: algae sheets, marine greens, spirulina flakes and pellets, plus some mysis

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to Hawaii, southern Japan to Australia

Breeding

It spawns in pairs or groups in open water, releasing eggs that drift with the plankton. It has not been bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

Grows to 35 cm or more and needs a very long tank with plenty of swimming room; the scalpel-like spine at the tail base can cut hands and tankmates. Often aggressive towards other surgeonfish.