Elongate surgeonfish

The elongate surgeonfish is a large tang of the family Acanthuridae, distributed widely across the Indo-Pacific. It has a streamlined blue-grey to brownish body that can pale or darken rapidly, fine longitudinal lines, and a yellow-edged caudal spine on either side of the tail base. It is an active, open-water fish that browses on zooplankton and algae and needs considerable swimming room. It can be territorial toward other tangs but is generally manageable with tankmates of similar size in a large system. Given its adult size, it requires a very large reef or fish-only tank with strong flow and excellent water quality. Its diet should combine dried marine algae and seaweed with meaty planktonic foods. Like other surgeonfish it is prone to skin parasites under stress and is not bred in captivity.