Sohal Tang - Med

The Sohal Tang is slim across the cross-section, like other tangs, making it incredibly agile and swift along the reef. On both sides of its tail, it possesses a horizontal, blade-like spine that folds within the fish and points anteriorly towards the head. Tangs flick their spines at other fish or intruders during defense and aggression, causing bodily harm. The surgeonfish's spine is shaped like a scalpel. Hence the name. It has striking white lines running horizontally along it’s black canvas body. It’s fins are tipped in an aqua blue colour.

This is not an easy fish to keep, so experience is recommended.

They are native to the Western Indian Ocean from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf.

Tank Recommendations for your Sohal Tang

A very large tank of 700 Litres or more is essential to its long term survival.

It grazes from live rock all day, so having plenty of live rock in the aquarium is recommended too.

This fish enjoys strong water movement and it likes to swim fast, so a long tank is a good idea.

Suitable Tank Buddies

Tangs are bullies and innately aggressive, so good tank buddies would be fish of similar size or a little bigger with similar aggression. Smaller, more placid fish will most certainly be subject to excessive stress.

Usually Compatible

Other aggressive fish like Triggerfish, Angelfish or a Tuskfish will mix well with your Sohal Tang. It won’t be any problem for smaller fish like Clownfish or Boxfish as it’s a herbivore, but it may display some aggression to smaller fish.

Sometime Compatible

If you introduce your Sohal Tang to the tank last, it may adapt to other fish. Likewise if you introduce two Tangs at the same time they can often accept the situation. They are unlikely to share their space with another Sohal Tang though. It may be too aggressive for the likes of Butterflyfish or Cardinalfish.

Rarely Compatible

Don’t pair them with Pipefish or Seahorses as they share the same food source and are likely to starve them as the won't be quick enough to compete for food. Sharks are also not a good idea as it is likely to create a very aggressive scenario.

Feeding your Sohal Tang

It’s a herbivore, so its basic diet consists primarily of vegetation, with the rare addition of animal flesh. Clam mantles and soft large-polyp and small-polyp stony corals have been found to attract Sohal Tangs on rare occasions. This shouldn’t put you off adding them to a live coral environment, as they are considered to be reef safe. You can also feed them common vegetables like peas and lettuce.