Spotted Yellow-eyed Tang

Care

Spotted Yellow-eyed Tangs display an orange-brown body colour that is covered in small light yellow to blue spots. Another closely related species, the Pacific Ocean Yellow-eyed Tang (C. strigosus), is very similar in appearance; it has a spotted head but its body is instead covered in fine light stripes. Both species have the distinctive bright yellow rim around the eyes, and for some time they were thought to be geographical variants of the same species. In the wild, Indian Ocean Yellow Eyed Tangs are encountered at sheltered inner reef crests and slopes, browsing amongst large corals. Although attaining a moderate size, this is not a particularly aggressive species and it should get on well with most tankmates - the exceptions being others of its own kind and close relatives. For this reason, keep only one specimen per tank, and not with any other Ctenochaetus tangs, although young fish in particular are often found in the company of Zebrasoma and Acanthurus tangs as mixed-species groups. The aquarium should be spacious, mature, and aquascaped with plenty of live rock. High water quality and areas of powerful flow are essential. A healthy growth of microalgae will be extremely beneficial as this lively herbivore spends a large part of the day grazing with its flexible comb-like teeth. It is important that this fish receives a generous amount of vegetable matter in its diet in order to help prevent head and lateral line erosion. Juvenile specimens are bright yellow in colour.

May be seen as Indian Ocean yellow eye tang, Silver spot tang, or either variation paired with Bristletooth.

Feeding

Feed a varied diet, consisting mainly of quality dried food, in small amounts 3 times per day. Although this species will browse on algae within the aquarium, its diet must be supplemented with frozen herbivore rations, green marine flake, Spirulina (blue-green algae), Spirulina-enriched brineshrimp, Nori (dried seaweed) etc. It will also take small meaty frozen foods, but be sure that it is receiving enough green food to prevent HLLE. Adding a specially formulated vitamin supplement to any frozen foods will be beneficial.

Breeding

Unknown