Convict Tang

The Convict Tang boasts an elegantly simple colour scheme comprised of a stately ivory-grey body colour with hints of creamy yellow colouration that accentuates the dorsal half of the fish. This neutral backdrop provides the perfect stage to showcase six bold vertical black bars, giving the Convict Tang a handsome minimalist appearance. The Convict Tang is highly-prized over more colourful and flamboyant Tangs for its relatively peaceful temperament and voracious appetite for algae, making the Convict Tang a fantastic clean up crew for nuisance algae.

The Convict Tang is a reef-associated species typically found in shallow waters, often forming large aggregations as it grazes on algae. Convict Tangs are often found near freshwater runoffs where algae grow in abundance.

For best care, the Convict Tang should be housed in an established, well-filtered aquarium. To best recreate a natural reef environment for your Convict Tang, aquascape generously with live rock but be sure to arrange your reef aquarium landscape so there are open areas with ample room to swim. Consider enhancing water movement for your Convict Tang by employing powerheads or wavemakers. Though significantly diminished, this member of the Acanthuridae family can demonstrate territorial aggression towards its own species, or Tangs in general. Therefore, it is best to keep just one Convict Tang per aquarium, unless multiple Convict Tangs are introduced simultaneously into a very large system.

Although the Convict Tang will accept meaty foods it is important to offer your Convict Tang plenty of marine-based seaweed and algae foods. This will help strengthen its immune system, reduce aggression, and improve overall health. At least 3 times per week, offer dried seaweed or Nori by way of veggie clip along with Spirulina or algae pellets.

This species can be mistaken for the Zebra Tang (A.polyzona) however the Convict Tang has 6 Dark vertical bars whereas the Zebra Tang has 9 or more.