Acanthurus triostegus (reef safe)

The Convict Surgeonfish Acanthurus triostegus is one of the smaller tangs available for the aquarium. This surgeonfish seldom gets much larger than about 6 2/3 inches (17.0 cm) in length. It is a widespread Indo-Pacific and Pacific species stretching from the west at Kenya into Indonesia, at the Hawaiian Islands, and east to the lower Gulf of California to the Panamas. It rarely exceeds 7.87 inches (20 cm) with only rare specimens reported at 10.62 inches (27 cm). Although it is not as striking in coloration as many of the tangs you will see, it is certainly distinctive. It has a white body with six vertical narrow black bars, five on the body and one on the head running through the eye. It is aptly named the Convict Tang, but another common name is the Fiveband Surgeonfish. The basic black and white pattern is the same for all specimens across this vast expanse, but there are some geographical variations. There is a black mark at the base of the pectoral fin which can vary from a spot or short dash in most species, but forms a line in the Hawaiian form.