White-faced SurgeonfishJapan Surgeonfish ~ Powder Brown Tang
White-nose Surgeonfish ~ Powder Black Surgeon

Habitat: Natural geographic location:     The White-faced Surgeonfish or Japan Surgeonfish was described by Schmidt in1930. They are found in a large geographical range in the Indo-West Pacific; southern Japan, Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan; Sulawesi (Indonesia) to the Philippines; Tuamoto and Hawaiian Islands; New Caledonia and Rapa.
     In their natural habitat they are found at depths between 16 to 65 (5 - 20 meters) feet along outer reefs, in coastal areas, and in lagoons. They inhabit areas of full coral, and live singly or in small to large groups.      They co-occur with their similar looking cousin, the Gold-rimmed Tang (Whitecheek Surgeonfish) A. nigricans, in southern Japan and the Bonin Islands.    

Status:      These fish are not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:      The adult White-faced Surgeonfish or Japan Surgeonfish has a disk shaped body of varying browns to black. The dorsal, anal, and ventral fins are black and edged with a beautiful blue. There is a red band near the back of the dorsal fin and a yellow stripe running along the body just above and below the dorsal and anal fins. There is a yellow spot just under the pectoral fin and a white band from just under the eye to the top of the mouth. The caudal fin is white fading to blue and is edged with white.
     On each side of the caudal peduncle is a single spine or "scalpel" used for defense or dominance. When not in use the spine is folded down into a groove. Caution needs to be exercised when handling surgeonfish as a cut from its scalpel can cause discoloration and swelling of the skin with a high risk of infection. The pain lasts for hours then still ends up having a dull ache.
     The juvenile is where we get the name "Powder Brown Tang ". It is very colorful as well, with shades of yellow around the top and bottom of the body shading into a light brown in the middle. The anal fin has a yellow and dark brown combination. The yellow dot at the pectoral fin is present as well as the white on the face, but not as pronounced as the adult; and there is a little line of white extending from the head to about mid dorsal.

Length/Diameter of fish:      Adults reach 8.3 inches (21 cm).

Maintenance difficulty:      The White-faced Surgeonfish is a delicate fish when first obtained and can be difficult to acclimate. Though it is unknown exactly why, it is possibly related to stress induced during collection and shipment. They are not too picky about foods once they get settled. Offer lots of marine algae, a really good macro algae to get them eating initially like gracillaria is a good idea as most tangs can't resist it. Other good algaes are Japanese Nori, kombu, and spirulina. Make sure there are plenty of crevices for the fish to hide in to feel secure
     It is generally hardy and can handle a wide range of water parameters once it is acclimated. However it will do best in an environment that provides consistency, not only in water conditions and quality, but also in decor and fellow inhabitants. It can be housed in a fish only tank or in a reef environment as it will not harm corals.
     There are some Acanthuridae members that are delicate and will require more specific care, but most will respond well if you employ a few technical considerations. All surgeonfish need an aquarium with plenty of aeration, a strong current will help to provide good oxygenation. Provide plenty of space, especially for adult specimens, along with lots of rocks/ corals with crevices for retreating and for sleeping. This decor will also lend itself to algae growth which surgeonfish enjoy grazing on, making them a valuable addition to a reef environment.
     Surgeonfish and tangs are continuous feeders and they need to be provided a proper diet. They are susceptible to nutritional disorders which may cause color loss and LLD (lateral line disease). Supplementing their diet with the addition of vitamin C to their food or adding a vitamin supplement directly to their water can help to avoid or aid in reducing these ailments. They are also susceptible to bacteria resulting from organic buildup which deteriorates water quality. Consequently they will need vigorous filtration, protein skimming, and regular small water changes.
     Many of the Acanthuridae members are very colorful, active, and attractive to aquarists. But they do not produce as much skin mucus on their bodies as other fish and can be susceptible to diseases such as Marine Ich and Marine Velvet. Surgeonfish are definitely a candidate for quarantine when you first receive them. They can be treated successfully with medical care or copper drugs, but because they have an important microfauna in their digestive system, prolonged or continuous use of a copper treatment is not advisable.
     In the wild a cleaner wrasse (Labroides sp.) will help them by taking parasites from their bodies, however these wrasses are extremely difficult to sustain in captivity. Alternative fish such as Neon Gobies (Gobiosoma spp.) or cleaner shrimp can help them by providing this cleaning service in the home aquarium.

Diseases that Surgeonfish and Tangs are susceptible to:
Marine Ich (white spot disease), Marine Velvet and Lateral Line Erosion (LLE)

Foods:      The White-faced Surgeonfish are primarily herbivores. In the wild they mostly graze on algae. In the aquarium the majority of their intake will be vegetable matter, but they do need some meaty foods as well. Provide lots of marine algae, prepared frozen formulas containing algae or spirulina, frozen brine and mysid shrimp, and flake foods. Japanese Nori, kombu, or other seaweed can be adhered to the aquarium glass with a vegetable clip. An occasional live rock with micro and macro organisms will be greatly appreciated. Culturing macro algae like chaetomorphia in the tank is also a great idea. Feed 3 times a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. As continuous grazers, they will benefit from this and it will also keep the water quality higher over a longer period of time.
     Providing a vitamin supplement (including vitamin C) can help provide for their nutritional needs, and vitamin C can help prevent or reduce Lateral Line Erosion (LLE). This can be done by soaking dried pellets with liquid vitamins, adding vitamins to the food, or adding a liquid vitamin into the water. It is also said that pellets soaked in garlic may help fend off Marine Ich. Some hobbyists also report success with supplemental foods such as previously boiled or frozen zucchini, broccoli, spinach, and leaf lettuce.

Maintenance:      A quick and agile swimmer it will spend a good deal of its time in the open water and moving in and out of crevices. Frequent water changes are not necessary, rather normal water changes at 10% biweekly or 20% monthly are fine.
     For more information see, Marine Aquarium Basics: Maintenance

Aquarium Parameters:
     All surgeonfish/ tangs are quick agile swimmers and need lots of open areas. To feel secure they also need rocks/ corals with many nooks and crannies to hide in and to wedge themselves into at night for sleeping. This fish will not bother corals or inverts but it will graze on algae, so it highly useful in a reef environment. However keep corals glued down, as their quick speeds may topple a coral or two. They thrive well in tanks with algae growth.
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
     A minimum 75 gallon (284 liters).
Light: Recommended light levels
     It nature it is found in areas of full sunlight. It can be kept under normal lighting conditions in the aquarium, but can also be kept under very bright light as long as some dimly lit spaces are provided.
Temperature:
     This species lives in tropical areas. Temperatures between 76 -82 ° F (24 - 28 ° C) will serve them well.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
     All surgeonfish and tangs thrive with good water movement, need lots of oxygen, and love to have the water rushing over their gills at times. Provide strong movement in at least one area of the tank.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
     Swims in the middle of the aquarium. It will spend time in the open water and darting in and out of the rocks/ corals. It will sleep in crevices at night.

Social Behaviors:      The great thing about the White-faced Surgeonfish is that they are fine in a reef setting with corals and they will graze on the algae. It is one of the more peaceful surgeonfish and its moderate behavior makes it a good companion in a community tank. It can be kept with a variety of tank mates, but will be aggressive towards others of its own genus so should be kept singly. Depending on the individual, it may get along with some of the other genus' of peaceful surgeonfish but will have trouble with other aggressive tangs. Avoid lionfish and groupers as tank mates.
     Surgeonfish and tangs can be territorial, sometimes just with their own kind and sometimes with other species. Introducing a new surgeonfish into an aquarium that already houses one or more is usually a problem. It is best to initially introduce several species together rather than adding a new one later on. Though a large aquarium can help alleviate many problems, be aware of the social behaviors of any species you are considering to prevent compatibility problems.
     At times you may put surgeonfish and tangs together with different genus' as long as there are no similarities. For example a large tank can house a Naso Tang, Yellow Tang, and a Hippo Tang with out incident. Adding them together initially works best. When adding a new member to an established group, changing the rock work will often alleviate any aggression to the "new guy". A little chasing will occur, but usually nothing detrimental.

Sex: Sexual differences:      No sexual difference is noted for this species.

Breeding/Reproduction:      Some species of surgeonfish have spawned in public aquariums and there have been a few scattered reports of spawnings in home aquariums, but regular spawnings and the rearing of the young has not yet been reported.
     Though the White-face Surgeonfish has not yet been bred in captivity, this species has been observed performing group spawnings in the ocean. Usually in the evening these fish will form a group and spawn in the open water, scattering fertilized eggs. Each egg has a single oil droplet to keep it floating, thus making them pelagic.   In 26 hours they hatch into little clear larvae 2 millimeters in length. After a few days then evolve into a post larvae stage called "acronurus". Over several weeks time they gradually evolve, changing into juveniles at 20 mm.
     For information on breeding and the development of the fry, see: Marine Fish Breeding: Tangs.

Availability:      The White-face Surgeonfish or Japan Surgeonfish is often available at retailers and it is also possible to order one. They are priced around $40.00 USD and up.

Authors: Carrie McBirney and Clarice Brough, CFS