Squaretail Bristletooth

About

The squaretail bristletooth (Ctenochaetus truncatus) is a smaller member of the bristletooth tangs, a group well known in the hobby for their almost tireless grazing on film algae and detritus. As the alternate name 'Indian gold-ring bristle-tooth' hints, this one hails from the Indian Ocean, where it picks its way across sheltered inner reef crests and slopes, often tucking into gullies or working around large coral formations. You'll typically find them alone or in loose small groups in the wild, which translates reasonably well to aquarium life. Most keepers do fine keeping a single specimen without worrying about conspecific aggression in a standard reef setup. Like others in the Ctenochaetus genus, the squaretail uses its flexible, comb-like teeth to rake up algal films and organic material from rock surfaces, making it a genuinely useful addition to a reef tank rather than just a display fish. It stays on the smaller side for a tang, which puts it within reach of mid-sized systems. Care is intermediate. Not a fish for brand-new saltwater keepers, but not demanding either, provided water quality is solid and there's enough live rock to keep it grazing through the day.