Acanthurus leucosternon
- Small fish safe: yes
- Small invert safe: yes
- Coral safe: yes
- Minimum tank size: 379L
- Adult size: 22.9cm
- Diet: Herbivore
Be aware of: Very prone to Ich
The Powder Blue Tang is an iconic marine aquarium fish prized for its vibrant colouration and bold markings. The Powder Blue Tang has a pleasing oval-shaped body showcasing several varying shades of beautiful blue colouration. A band of bright yellow colouration highlights the dorsal and pectoral fins for a fantastic pop of colour. The Powder Blue Tang sports an adorable black mask that is wonderfully accentuated by a patch of white colouration along its chin. The Powder Blue Tang is a reef-associated species typically inhabiting shallow coastal and inland coral reefs occurring individually or as a large feeding aggregation.
Though popular among marine aquarium hobbyists, the Powder Blue Tang also has a reputation of being difficult to keep as it typically has to travel a long distance from collection, exposing the Powder Blue Tang to an array of potential stressors, making it highly susceptible to ectoparasites. Therefore, it is essential to properly quarantine and condition your Powder Blue Tang and to house it in a large aquarium with near pristine water quality. For best care, the Powder Blue Tang should be housed in an established, well-filtered aquarium.
To best recreate a natural reef environment for your Powder Blue Tang, aquascape generously with live rock but be sure to arrange your reef aquarium landscape so there are open areas with ample room to swim. Consider enhancing water movement for your Powder Blue Tang by employing powerheads or wavemakers. Like all Tangs, this member of the Acanthuridae family demonstrates territorial aggression towards its own species, or Tangs in general. Therefore, it is best to keep just one Powder Blue Tang per aquarium, unless multiple Powder Blue Tangs are introduced simultaneously into a very large system.