All fish / Acanthuridae

Lined Surgeonfish

Acanthurus lineatus

Also known as clown tang, clown surgeonfish, striped surgeonfish, pyjama tang, blue lined surgeonfish, lined tang, zebra surgeonfish, ニジハギ, botana garis, 纹倒吊, 彩虹倒吊, 线纹刺尾鱼

A striking tang with bold yellow and blue horizontal stripes edged in black, a pale violet belly and a lyre-shaped tail. It is kept for its vivid colour and active swimming in large reef or fish-only systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

25 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

1000 litres

Keep as

Keep singly; one surgeonfish of this type per tank

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to Hawaii and French Polynesia, north to southern Japan, south to Australia

Breeding

It spawns in groups in open water on the reef, releasing pelagic eggs. It has not been bred reliably in home aquariums.

Good to know

One of the most aggressive tangs, it needs a very large tank with strong water flow and lots of swimming space, and will fight other surgeonfish. The scalpel spine at the tail base is sharp and mildly venomous, so take care when handling.