Surgeonfishes, tangs and unicornfishes in captivity

These are the fish I have seen at some of the aquariums I have been to:


North Carolina Aquarium At Fort Fisher:

Atlantic Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)
Doctorfish Tang (Acanthurus chirurgus)
Tomini Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus tominiensis)


Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium:

Bluespine Unicornfish (Naso unicornis)
Chocolate Surgeonfish (Acanthurus pyroferus)
Convict Tang (Acanthurus triostegus)
Orangeband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)
Pacific Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum)
Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus japonicus)
Red Sea Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma desjardinii)
Royal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Short-Nosed Unicornfish (Naso brevirostris)
Sohal Surgeonfish (Acanthurus sohal)
Whitecheek Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans)
Whitespotted Surgeonfish (Acanthurus guttatus)
Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)


SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium:

Bignose Unicornfish (Naso vlamingii)
Clown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)
Doubleband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus tennenti)
Humpnose Unicornfish (Naso tuberosus)
Orangeband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)
Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus)
Pacific Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum)
Red Sea Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma desjardinii)
Ringtail Surgeonfish (Acanthurus blochii)
Royal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Sohal Surgeonfish (Acanthurus sohal)
Striated Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus)
Tomini Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus tominiensis)
Whitecheek Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans)
Whitespotted Surgeonfish (Acanthurus guttatus)
Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)


Sea Life Park Hawaii:

Bluespine Unicornfish (Naso unicornis)
Convict Tang (Acanthurus triostegus)
Eyestripe Surgeonfish (Acanthurus dussumieri)
Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)
Orangeband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)
Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus)
Pacific Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum)
Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
Yellowfin Surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus)


Waikiki Aquarium:

Achilles Tang (Acanthurus achilles)
Clown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)
Convict Tang (Acanthurus triostegus)
Eyestripe Surgeonfish (Acanthurus dussumieri)
Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)
Lavender Tang (Acanthurus nigrofuscus)
Orangeband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)
Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus)
Pacific Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum)
Powder Brown Tang (Acanthurus japonicus)
Royal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Short-Nosed Unicornfish (Naso brevirostris)
Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
 
Last monday ( Oct. 18 ) I visited a new collection for me in the Czech Republic : Morsky svet which is also know as the Sea World Aquarium Praha.
A Nice collection and also the Surgeonfishes, Tangs and Unicornfishes were represented by a nice number of species. I saw 7 species and 2 more were signed but I didn't find them ( :( ).
- Orangespine unicornfish - Naso lituratus
Orangespine unicornfish - Naso lituratus

Orangespine unicornfish - Naso lituratus

Oct. 18 2021
- Brushtail tang - Zebrasoma scopas
Brushtail tang - Zebrasoma scopas

Brushtail tang - Zebrasoma scopas

Oct. 18 2021
- Yellowtail tang - Zebrasoma xanthurum ( 1 specimen. in bad condition )
Yellowtail tang - Zebrasoma xanthurum

Yellowtail tang - Zebrasoma xanthurum

Oct. 18 2021
- Yellow tang - Zebrasoma flavescens
Yellow tang - Zebrasoma flavescens

Yellow tang - Zebrasoma flavescens

Oct. 18 2021
- Elegant unicornfish - Naso elegans
Elegant unicornfish - Naso elegans

Elegant unicornfish - Naso elegans

Oct. 18 2021
- Indian sailfin tang - Zebrasoma desjardinii
Indian sailfin tangs - Zebrasoma desjardinii

Indian sailfin tangs - Zebrasoma desjardinii

Oct. 18 2021
- Palette tang - Paracanthurus hepatus
Indian sailfin tangs - Zebrasoma desjardinii

Indian sailfin tangs - Zebrasoma desjardinii

Oct. 18 2021
Sohal surgeonfish - Acanthurus sohal and Blue tang - Acanthurus coeruleus were both signed but I didn't manage to find them. Well possible they were there ( several hidding-places ).
 
That first image looks like another Elegant Unicornfish. And your Palette Tang image didn't appear (just the Indian Sailfin image again).
 
@Hix : I was also not sure about the Orangespine unicornfish but because it was signed as being such I named it that. You could be however very well right that it might be also an Elegant unicornfish.
For the Palette tang, there must be went something wrong but here he is ;) :
Palette tang - Paracanthurus hepatus

Palette tang - Paracanthurus hepatus

Oct. 18 2021
 
vogelcommando said:
Captive breeding members of this family still is a very rare event but I found an ( old ) article about the breeding of the Palette surgeon fish :) :

MASNA Educational Series - Gearing towards the aquaculture of the Palette Surgeonfish.pdf

and the Yellow tang :

https://reefbuilders.com/2015/10/20/yellow-tangs-finally-captive-bred-oceanic-institute/
Click to expand...

Yellow Tangs are becoming increasingly available captive bred nowadays. The Purple Tang has also been captive bred now, at least once.
 
birdsandbats said:
It's always shocking to me how many extremely common aquarium reef fish have never been bred in captivity. Wow, glad to hear any time a species may be able to be sourced from captive breeding in the future.
Click to expand...

A lot of the problem is due to the weeks-long pelagic stage many species go through as larvae. They require more careful rearing and tiny food than most hobbyists can afford, unlike freshwater. Many bigger facilities have been putting in a lot of effort to crack the code on these species however, and we are seeing a steadily increasing number of reef fish becoming available captive bred and at least successful captive rearings.
 
Also 2 species of triggerfish have been captive bred as well including the well known clown triggerfish
 
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