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Sohal Tang

Red Sea Clown Tang Family: Acanthuridae

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Acanthurus sohal Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   This is a beautiful fish that is rarely seen. Notice the orange 'tang' on the caudal peduncle just in front of the tailfin. Also the fluorescent blue fringe on the edges of the fins. Isn't the Sohal Tang or Red Sea Clown Tang magnificent!

   The Sohal Tang or Red Sea Clown Tang is from the Red Sea and the Western Indian ocean. Although fish from the Red Sea are generally more expensive, they are always net caught and are handled with more care, which gives them a much better survival rate. These fish are somewhat difficult to keep, but you should be able to obtain a very healthy specimen which increases the chances of this fish surviving in the aquarium.

For more Information on keeping marine fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance difficulty:
   The Sohal Tang or Red Sea Clown Tang is easy to moderately difficult to keep.

Maintenance:
   It is important that you feed Tangs a good variety of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods with emphasis in vegetable and spirulina. Best to feed small amounts several times a day.

Foods:
   Mainly found grazing on algae.

Social Behaviors:
   Can get territorial especially if another tang is added to a tank with an already established tang.

Sexual differences:
   Unknown.

Light: Recommended light levels:
   No special requirements.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Probably will not be accomplished in captivity. See the description in the Breeding Marine Fish page.

Temperature:
   No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine is fish between 75 and 79 degrees.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Sohal Tang or Red Sea Clown Tang adults can grow to 40 cm (16 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 100 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements.

Buy Sohol Tang From LiveAquaria.com

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   Swims all over the aquarium.

Availability:
   The Sohol Tang is occasionally available at retailers but is rather expensive. They are priced about $100.00 USD and up.

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Latest Comments
I have just added a sohal to my tank, 75 gal. It houses an ashfur angel, purple tang and a blonde tank. They all get along perfect, they're all around 3-4 inches in size. I have them in a well set up reef tank, the four fish together, just incredable. I plan to get a golden butterfly to wrap it up, wish me luck. thomas fabin 2009-06-07
My sohal tang is about 6-7". I put it in the tank. It was fine for about a month then I added a king angel, french angel, blueface angel and rock beauty angel. The sohal tang went nuts and started attacking all the angels and my other tangs that were in the tank with him previously. So I had to take him out and put it in my QT. hongt713 2008-11-25
Sohal Tang, what a fish. got him in a tank with 2 clown fish, 1 yellow tang, and a marine betta (comet). all get along just fine. he cost me £50.00 and he is about 2 1/2" inch, so plenty to grow as yet. The way it swims and with his electirc blue band that outlines him, it is a fantastic sight to see this fish swim. feeds on dryed seaweed, brine shrimp (live), also frozen food. This is an amazing fish and deserves respect. please make sure that it has plenty of swim room, approx 100 gallons as these fish can get very large. j.culling 2006-07-17
i have bought 3 sohal tangs in 3months my first one was 8inches and was very peaceful and didnt attack any new tank mates after he was in so the water must of been good to keep him happy and well fed. my second one was 8inches and he was very aggressive as soon as he was put in. my 3rd one was 12 inches and was very peaceful and didnt attack a 1inch mandarin and a 3inch collared butterflyfish which was totally incredible. one gie in a shop in scotland and i am in southampton, thought i was just lucky. andrew james pole 2006-04-13
The Sohal tang adds a very interesting movement to the tank as well as being just plane stunning. Mine is housed with 2 purple tangs, 2 bicintus clowns, 30 green chromis, and a Red Sea sailfin tang. All are happy. The tank is a 130 gallon tank with a 115 gallon sump, a 75 gallon purge and a 35 gallon purge system. I have about 100#s of live rock in the sump and about 150#s in the tank itself. The unique movement of the Sohal coupled with its beauty add quite a bit to the tank. eb851 April 2006 eb851 2006-04-04
Some of the coolest comments:
The sohal tang is my favorite fish, and i think the $150 I spent on it was a good deal for the quality and beauty that this fish has. Mine is reef safe and active and kind to its tank mates, I keep it with a mated pair of percula clowns, coral beauty angel, lawnmower blenny, hermit crabs, snails, and chocolate starfish. I think every one should have one. Anonymous 2004-05-17

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