All fish / Acanthuridae

Chevron Tang

Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis

Also known as chevron tang, hawaiian bristletooth, black surgeonfish, chevron surgeonfish, hawaiian chevron tang, chevron bristletooth, チャイロヒレナガハギ, シェブロンタン, 夏威夷栉齿刺尾鱼, 雪佛龙倒吊

Juveniles are bright orange with fine purple-blue chevron lines, and they slowly turn a dark olive to almost black colour as adults. People keep it for its striking juvenile colouring and because its bristle-like teeth make it a very good grazer of film algae and detritus on rock.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

700 litres

Keep as

Singly, or one per tank unless the tank is very large

Diet

Herbivore: grazes film algae and detritus; offer nori, spirulina and algae-based pellets and frozen foods several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Central and western Pacific: Hawaii, Micronesia, Marquesas, Pitcairn and nearby islands

Breeding

It spawns in pairs or groups in open water, releasing tiny eggs that drift with the plankton. It has not been bred in home aquariums, so almost all specimens are wild-caught and fairly expensive.

Good to know

Adults reach about 20 to 28 cm and need a long tank with plenty of swimming room and live rock to graze; they can fight with other tangs, especially bristletooths. The orange juvenile colour fades with age, so buyers should not expect it to last.