Longnose Tang

About

The longnose tang (Zebrasoma rostratum) is one of the more unusual members of its genus, immediately recognizable by its uniform jet-black coloration and the noticeably extended snout that gives the fish its common name. It hails from a scattered chain of remote Eastern Central Pacific island groups, from the Line and Marquesas Islands down through the Society and Tuamotu archipelagos to the Pitcairn group. In the wild it occupies both lagoon environments and the more exposed seaward faces of reefs, living a benthopelagic lifestyle that keeps it cruising close to the substrate in search of food. That elongated snout is more than a curiosity. It pairs with fine, numerous pharyngeal teeth that are well suited to grazing filamentous algae from rocky surfaces. In the aquarium this fish needs the same thing: consistent access to algae-based foods, supplemented with dried seaweed and quality prepared foods. Because it comes from some of the most isolated reef systems on the planet, it is not a species you encounter often in the trade, and specimens tend to command a premium. Its size and need for genuine swimming room make it a fish for spacious, well-established reef or FOWLR systems, best suited to keepers with some tang experience already under their belt.