Surgeonfish, Angelfish, and Butterflyfish
Purple Tang
Zebrasoma xanthurum
Photo: Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Temperature24–27 °C
- pH8.1–8.4
- Minimum tank500 l
- Adult size25 cm
- Difficulty★★★☆☆
- TemperamentAggressive
- WaterMarine
- Reef safeYes
Full profile
- Family
- Acanthuridae
- Origin
- Red Sea and Persian Gulf
- Size
- 25 cm
- Temperature
- 24 – 27°C
- pH
- 8.1 – 8.4
- Salinity
- 1.023 – 1.026
- Difficulty
- ★★★☆☆
- Water type
- marine
- Swimming level
- medium
- Behavior
- Aggressive (toward other surgeonfish, especially Zebrasoma)
- Minimum number of individuals
- 1
- Minimum aquarium size
- 500 L
- Diet
- herbivore (algae, nori, plant-based food)
- Reproduction
- oviparous; does not reproduce in the aquarium
- Reef Safe
- ✅ Yes
Notes: Deep purple with a yellow tail. Requires a long aquarium for swimming and daily algae feeding. Prone to lateral line erosion with poor diets.
