Acanthurus nigrofuscus, also called the lavender tang, brown tang, or spot-cheeked surgeonfish is a tang from the Indo-Pacific and Hawaii. It generally makes its means into the aquarium commerce. It grows to 21 cm in size.
Recently, an enormous bacterium found in its gut, Epulopiscium fishelsoni, has been discovered to develop as giant as 600 by 80 μm, a bit smaller than a printed hyphen, which controls the pH of its host’s intestine, thereby influencing its host’s potential to digest meals and take in vitamins.
Acanthurus nigrofuscus has a bluish-brown body, barely concave head profile, spherical black spots above and under the tail base, orange spots on the head, dorsal and anal fins with light blue margin.
Similar A. nigroris (Greyhead Surgeonfish) has more trace moderately than spots on the face, and Ctenochaetus striatus (Lined Bristletooth) lacks spots on the tail base. Very frequent on sheltered reefs and bommies.
Acanthurus Nigrofuscus Distribution
Indo-Pacific: the Red Sea south to Transkei, South Africa and east to the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and Rapa (Austral Islands).
Acanthurus nigrofuscus Diet
The lavender tang is an herbivore that grazes totally on benthic algae. In captivity, they can even feed on animal matter corresponding to brine shrimp and mysis shrimp.
Acanthurus nigrofuscus description
Dorsal spines (whole): 9; Dorsal mushy rays (whole): 24-27; Anal spines: 3; Anal mushy rays: 22 – 24. Brown in coloration when preserved; with or without positive bluish-grey longitudinal traces on the body; pale pectoral fins with higher edge narrowly black; pelvic fins brown.
Lips blackish brown; median higher enamel is typically pointed. Dorsal fin base with an outstanding black spot bigger than half of the eye diameter; a smaller spot on the base of the anal fin. The groove of the caudal backbone encircled with a slim black margin. Gill rakers on anterior row:20-24; on posterior row:18-23.
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Acanthurus nigrofuscus Biology
Found on laborious substrates of shallow lagoon and seaward reefs from the decrease surge zone to a depth of more than 15 m. Benthopelagic. Feed on filamentous algae.
Form spawning aggregations. Adults often in small teams, however, type giant colleges in some oceanic places. Juveniles are sometimes seen in combined species aggregations.
Species on the backside of the ‘pecking order’ amongst surgeonfishes, and consequently employ the strategy of feeding in giant colleges that overwhelm the territorial defenses of different herbivores. Caught with nets. Can be eaten each uncooked and cooked. Maximum depth reported at 25m. Learn more about hoodwinker sunfish.