Gold Rim Tang

The gold rim tang is easy to recognize thanks to its dark navy-black body, the horizontal white patch just below its eye and the thin golden-yellow lines running along the bases of the dorsal and anal fins; the area around the scalpel on the tail base is yellow as well. It resembles the powder brown tang (A. japonicus), but that species has a white face band and an orange band on the dorsal fin. In the wild it feeds on filamentous algae in clear lagoon and outer reefs and can hybridize with the achilles tang. Larger sizes are also mentioned in the literature; specimens are wild-collected.

• At least 500 liters and 150 cm in length; strong flow and high oxygen.
• Salinity specific gravity 1.023–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C.
• A 4–6 week quarantine is a must; it is prone to marine white spot.
• Reef-safe: It leaves corals and invertebrates alone.

Herbivorous. Every day, dried seaweed, granules containing spirulina and algae to graze on mature rock; frozen mysis can be given as a supplement.

Aggressive towards its own species and similarly shaped Acanthurus species; it usually gets along with fish of a different shape.

Good companions: A single tang from the genus Zebrasoma or Naso (in a large aquarium), dwarf angelfish, anthias, wrasses, clownfish.

Avoid: Other Acanthurus species (especially the powder brown and powder blue tang), small aquariums.