Blue tang
Paracanthurus hepatus · Acanthuridae
Also known as Regal blue tang, Hippo tang
Advanced
The film-famous blue tang: an active, nervous swimmer that outgrows most home tanks.
- Minimum tank
- 680 L
- Temperature
- 24–27 °C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 25 cm
- Group size
- 1+
Will it fit your tank?
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Sign in to check my tanksReef & marine husbandry
- Specific gravity
- 1.023–1.026
- Reef safety
- Reef safe
- With corals
- Reef safe.
- With inverts
- Reef safe.
- Minimum in a mixed reef
- 680 L
- Minimum fish-only (FOWLR)
- 600 L
- Aggression
- Skittish rather than aggressive, but spars with tangs.
- Feeding
- Nori daily plus two feeds.
Care requirements
- Minimum tank volume
- 680 L
- Temperature
- 24–27 °C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Hardness
- 8–12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 8–20 years
- Diet
- Herbivore-leaning omnivore — nori, algae pellets, mysis.
- Care level
- Advanced
Origin & habitat
- Native region
- Indo-Pacific including the Indian Ocean
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Biotope
- Current-swept reef with branching coral cover
- Natural conditions
- Very high flow and oxygen; long tank.
Behaviour & stocking
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Minimum group
- 1 fish
- Swims
- All levels
- Good tank mates
- ClownfishWrassesFoxface
- Avoid
- Other tangs in small tanksNano systems
Breeding & difficulty
- Breeding difficulty
- Advanced
- Sexing
- No external difference.
- Notes
- Bred commercially in tiny numbers; not at home.
- Common ailments
- Marine ichMarine velvetHLLE
