Why is my Powder Blue Tang covered in white spots?

Powder Blue Tangs are notorious for their thin slime coats, making them highly susceptible to marine ich (Cryptocaryon irritans). Stress from poor water quality, bullying, or inadequate diet can trigger an outbreak. Treatment typically requires moving the fish to a hospital tank and using copper-based medications or hyposalinity.

Can I keep a Powder Blue Tang with a Yellow Tang?

Mixing surgeonfish is always a risk. If attempted, it should only be done in an exceptionally large aquarium (over 600 litres), and all tangs should ideally be introduced at exactly the same time to prevent one from establishing dominant territory over the other.

How often should I feed my Powder Blue Tang?

They should be fed multiple times a day. As constant grazers, providing a sheet of dried marine algae (nori) on a grazing clip every day ensures they always have food available. Supplement this with high-quality spirulina flakes or pellets.

Will a Powder Blue Tang eat my corals?

No, they are completely reef-safe. Their mouths and digestive systems are designed exclusively for cropping algae from rocks, and they will ignore both soft and stony corals.

Why does my tang constantly swim up and down the glass?

This pacing behaviour is often a sign of stress. It can be caused by the tank being too small, insufficient swimming space due to rockwork, seeing its own reflection, or responding to poor water parameters.

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Powder Blue Tang

Acanthurus leucosternon

The Powder Blue Tang is a breathtaking marine fish renowned for its vibrant blue hue and highly active nature, requiring dedicated care and a spacious aquarium.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 24 – 28 °C
pH range: 8.1 – 8.4
Hardness: 8 – 12 dGH
Salinity: 1.023 – 1.025 SG
Adult size: 18 – 23 cm
Minimum 450 litres for an adult, though 600+ is preferred to accommodate its active swimming habits.: 450 litres+
Lifespan: 10 – 15 years
Diet: Herbivore
Water flow: High
Preferred setup: Reef or FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) featuring extensive open swimming space alongside mature live rock for grazing.

About the Powder Blue Tang

Instantly recognisable by its pastel blue body, bold yellow dorsal fin, and striking black face mask, the Powder Blue Tang is a highly sought-after species for large reef aquariums. Like all surgeonfish, it features a retractable 'scalpel' at the base of its tail used for defence and establishing dominance. Despite its beauty, it demands respect from aquarists due to its notoriously delicate constitution during acclimation and its aggressive territoriality once settled. This is undoubtedly a centrepiece fish for those willing to commit to its stringent husbandry requirements.

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Where Powder Blue Tang comes from

Native range

Indian Ocean

Countries / regions

Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kenya

Habitat

Shallow, clear coastal reefs and reef flats with abundant sunlight and algal growth.

Widespread across the Indian Ocean from the eastern coast of Africa to the Andaman Sea and southwestern Indonesia.

Similar species

Achilles Tang
Acanthurus achilles
Whitecheek Tang
Acanthurus nigricans
Sohal Tang
Acanthurus sohal

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

View all compatibility

Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Peaceful, occupies a different ecological niche, and poses no territorial threat to the tang.
Great
Canary Wrasse
Halichoeres chrysus
Active but peaceful; they ignore one another and share the reef environment harmoniously.
Great
Yellow Tang
Zebrasoma flavescens
Mixing surgeonfish is risky; requires a very large tank and simultaneous introduction to mitigate severe territorial disputes.
Compatible with caution
Seahorses
Hippocampus spp.
Seahorses require low flow and peaceful, slow-moving tank mates. The tang's high activity and strong flow needs are completely incompatible.
Not recommended
Other Powder Blue Tangs
Acanthurus leucosternon
Fiercely intolerant of conspecifics in captivity; they will typically fight to the death.
Not recommended

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