| Care: |
Medium
|
| Temperament: |
Semi-Aggressive
|
| Reef Safe: |
Yes |
Max Size:
|
14" |
| Tank Size: |
180gal |
The Orange Shoulder Tang is a fascinating species of Acanthurus tang that changes its coloration dramatically with age. Juveniles start out with vibrant golden yellow coloration, with only a tiny hint of the orange spot from which they take their name. As they age, they shift to a two-toned warm gray, and develop the distinctive orange and indigo markings behind the eyes.
Care
Orange Shoulder Tangs are a large species and are active swimmers, growing up to 14". As such, they require an aquarium of 180gallons or larger with plenty of open space for swimming, and rock for grazing. Like most tangs, they're considered moderately difficult to care for, semi-aggressive, and reef safe. Unlike many Acanthurus tangs, the Orange Shoulder is generally not aggressive with other tangs, and should be one of the first tangs added to allow it to safely establish itself.
Diet
Orange Shoulder tangs, like most tangs, will thrive on a diet of frozen and prepared foods, but should also be supplied with plenty of rock for algae grazing as well as supplemental nori algae sheets.
