All fish / Acanthuridae

Striated Surgeonfish

Ctenochaetus striatus

Also known as striated surgeonfish, striated bristletooth, lined bristletooth, striped bristletooth, bristletooth tang, striated tang, lined bristletooth tang, サザナミハギ, 栉齿刺尾鱼, 条纹栉齿刺尾鱼

A dark olive-brown tang covered in fine bluish lines along the body, with small orange spots on the head and a yellowish ring round the eye. Its bristle-like teeth let it comb film algae and detritus off rockwork, so reefkeepers value it as a hardy, useful grazer.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

600 litres

Keep as

Keep singly unless the tank is very large

Diet

Herbivore: grazes film algae and detritus from rock, plus nori, spirulina-based foods and some mysis

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, from East Africa to French Polynesia

Breeding

It spawns in pairs or groups in open water, scattering pelagic eggs that grow into long-lived planktonic larvae. It has not been bred reliably in home aquariums, so the fish on sale are wild-caught.

Good to know

It needs a long tank with plenty of swimming room and mature rock to graze, and it can quarrel with other tangs, especially other bristletooths. Like all surgeonfish it carries a sharp spine at the base of the tail, so take care when netting it.