Tangs

Few fish do as much for a reef tank as a tang. Also called surgeonfish for the scalpel-like spines at the base of the tail, these are the active, open-water grazers that keep the rockwork clean while giving a display its sense of constant motion. Most spend their days picking film and filamentous algae off live rock and glass, which makes them as functional as they are good-looking, and the family covers a huge range of personalities and looks. You have got the bold, high-energy showpieces like the Sohal and Clown, the easygoing open-water cruisers like the Nasos, the hard-working little bristletooth detritivores in the Ctenochaetus group, and crowd favorites like the Yellow and Blue Hippo that have pulled countless people into the hobby in the first place.

A few things hold true across most of the family. Tangs want swimming room above almost everything else, so a long footprint and open lanes matter more than raw gallons, and the right tank size scales with the adult fish rather than the juvenile you bring home. They graze constantly, so a steady supply of algae and nori alongside their prepared foods keeps both their color and their temperament in good shape. Many can be territorial toward other tangs and similarly shaped grazers, which is worth planning for when you stock. Browse the species below for the specifics, since care level, temperament, and tank requirements vary quite a bit from one tang to the next.