The Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus Leucosternon) is an extraordinarily beautiful marine fish, that is commonly referred to as Powder blue surgeonfish, and Powder-blue surgeonfish. Their beautiful coloration, impressive size, and graceful presence make them one of the most sought after fish in the hobby.
Powder Blue Tangs display a disk shaped body, featuring a bright light blue body with a yellow dorsal fin and caudal peduncle, and a darker face outlined in white and large eyes, making a great addition to any marine aquarium. The powder blue tang features peduncle spines near the tail in a small size, unlike other tangs which have bigger spines. It's used for protection from predators, as well as a way of establishing itself with tank mates. Caution should be used when handling Surgeonfish as a cut from its scalpel can cause discoloration and swelling of the skin with a high risk of infection.
The most important factors in keeping the powder blue tang are ample space, good water quality, and nutrition. The Powder Blue Tang can grow to be about 9″ and requires a tank no less than 125 gallons as a fully matured adult. A minimum 70 gallon tank will be OK temporarily for a juvenile, as they are rather slow growers, but keep in mind that too small of an environment can stunt their growth and they can develop ‘behavior issues’.
The Powder Blue Tang is a peaceful fish in nature, it will get along with most other peaceful tank mates, though it will aggressively defend its territory against other Surgeonfish and Tangs. Unless your tank is quite large (150 or bigger), if you want a powder blue, it should be the only tank in your tank. As well, most Surgeonfish and Tang fish like water with a moderate to heavy flow, creating currents to swim in.
The Powder blue tang inhabits shallow, clear coastal and island coral reefs at a depth of 0-25 meters / 0-82 feet. It is typically encountered on reef flats and along upper seaward slopes. It lives alone or form big aggregations that feed together.
