Convict tang

The convict tang, Acanthurus triostegus (Linnaeus, 1758) is easily recognizable for its unique black and white striped coloration.  It is one of the less common Acanthurus tangs in the industry but its reasonable size, peaceful demeanor, and voracious algae eating habits make it a wonderful addition to most aquariums.  In the wild, convict tangs school together and spend their days grazing on filamentous algae and small microorganisms.  In the home aquarium, these fish can be easily transitioned to prepared foods.  At the Sustainable Islands project, we condition these tangs to our hatchery diet, frozen brine and mysis, as well as nori.  Convict tangs will do best if housed in a large aquarium with live sand and live rock on which to graze.  They are a great addition to most tanks as they will eat nuisance filamentous algae and are reef safe.

Physical Description– Convict tangs are aptly named for their white coloration intersected by six brownish-black vertical bars.  Some specimens may have a yellow hue on their dorsal fin as they mature.

Temperament– These are one of the few tangs that can be housed together, provided they are all added at the same time as juveniles, and there is ample space (at least 100 gallons per fish).  They will still quarrel amongst themselves to establish a hierarchy.  They may become aggressive to other tangs as they mature but get along with most other peaceful fish, large and small alike.

Size– Convict tangs can reach a maximum size of 10 inches, with most specimens growing to about 8 inches.  This smaller size makes them a popular choice for the home aquarium.

Diet– At the Sustainable Islands project, we condition these tangs to our Hatchery Diet, frozen brine and mysis, as well as nori. 

Distribution– These fish have a fairly large range, covering the eastern and Indo Pacific.  Our specimens normally come from Kenya or Bali.