| The blue tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) is a popular | | | | about 75 gallons of water per fish to swim |
| salt water fish in its own right because of its | | | | through. As a schooling fish, it would do well to be |
| intense cobalt blue color lined with a black pattern | | | | with other blue tangs in the tank. But be careful in |
| that reaches up to the edges of its yellow tail. A | | | | introducing them. It is advisable that they be |
| member of the surgeon fish family, this fish has | | | | introduced in the tank at the same time for they |
| that lethal tail fin that is as sharp as a surgeon's | | | | are also quite territorial fish and can be aggressive |
| blade. Being a peaceful type of fish, the blade is | | | | to other blue tangs in your aquarium. |
| normally tucked flat on the fish's body, and | | | | Before adding the fish to the tank, make sure |
| comes out only when the fish is in danger. | | | | that your tank has completed its nitrogen cycle. It |
| Because of this, the fish can get easily stuck | | | | does not do well in newly set-up aquaria, but will |
| inside a net and can be quite hard to remove. | | | | be quite hardy once it as acclimatized itself in the |
| During transfer, you must softly and carefully | | | | tank. It feeds mainly on marine algae, so give |
| move the net back and forth. Eventually, the BT | | | | your tang plenty of grazing area by giving your |
| will calm itself down and retract its tale blade, | | | | tank some large rocks for algae to grow. You |
| allowing it to swim free from the net. | | | | may want to give your fish some supplement for |
| Also called blue barber, blue doctor, yellow barber, | | | | it not to lose color, but lettuce is not among them. |
| yellow doctor fish, blue tang surgeon fish, this fish | | | | Nori would be preferable as a supplement for |
| would start young with bright yellow coloring | | | | your fish. |
| speckled with blue spots just near the eyes. As | | | | BT's costs around 25 when young, and around |
| they grow old, the color changes to electric or | | | | 75-80 when fully grown. You may want to |
| cobalt blue. The tale, however, keeps its yellow | | | | quarantine your marine fish for around 2 weeks |
| color. As peaceful creatures, they would need a | | | | before adding them in your set for they are |
| rock or two to rest or hide in. Nevertheless, they | | | | highly susceptible to disease such as marine itch. |
| are active swimmers, and one fish would require | | | | |