Fish Profile: Desjardin's Sailfin Tang – Zebrasoma desjardinii
December 12th, 2008 | 
Author: Species name: Zebrasoma desjardinii
Common names: Desjardin’s Sailfin Tang, Red Sea Sailfin Tang, Indian Sailfin Surgeonfish
Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes)
Subfamily: Acanthurinae
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 15.7 in.
Minimum tank size: 150 gallons
Hardiness: Easy. One of the hardiest of the surgeonfish. Juveniles seem to acclimate well but adults will often not adapt to the live in captivity.
Aggressiveness: peaceful. Should be added last. Keep it singly as it does not mix with others of its same genus.
Reef Compatibility: Excellent
Distribution: Indian Ocean: Red Sea south to Natal, South Africa and east to India, Java, and Cocos-Keeling Islands, but not Christmas Island.
Diet: In the wild they feed on filamentous algae. Its diet should consist of marine algae, dried or frozen herbivore foods, leaf lettuce, Spirulina, broccoli, zucchini, and dried seaweed. They are susceptible to nutritional disorders which may cause color loss and lateral line disease. Feed 3 times a day.
Additional information:
In the wild, the Desjardin’s Sailfin Tang live in the Indian Ocean region where it is found in lagoon and seaward reefs at depths between 7 to 98 feet. Adults specimens usually occur in pairs or small groups in rocky regions while juveniles are seen singly among staghorn corals in areas with strong currents.
It is hard to tell the difference between Zebrasoma desjardinii and Zebrasoma veliferum. Very similar when both young, the adult Zebrasoma desjardinii will change stripes for spots and lightens in color while Zebrasoma desjardinii Zebrasoma veliferum retains its juvenile coloration. Zebrasoma veliferum have yellow tail while Zebrasoma desjardinii have a more spotted grey tail. The sure way is to find out its origin; Z. desjardinii is from Red Sea/Indian Ocean while Z. veliferum is from the Indo-Pacific or South Pacific.
Zebrasoma desjardinii is one of the largest and least aggressive members of the family. According to FishBase, Zebrasoma desjardinii has “…beautiful striped patterning, narrow lines of yellows, blacks, and whites. The striping runs vertically on the upper 1/2 to 2/3’s of the body and in horizontal arches on the anal and dorsal fins, following the line of the outer edge of these fins. There are also two broader dark vertical bands, one running through the eye and a second just behind it. On the lower portion of the body extending onto the anal fin are yellow or orangish spots, and light spots on the caudal fin. The overall coloration of the juvenile is darker, often without the spotting. On each side of the caudal peduncle is a single spine or “scalpel” used for defense or dominance. When not in use the spine is folded down into a groove.”
It’s a grazer and should only be introduced to well-established tanks with plenty of quality live rock to feed on.
The ideal aquarium should be rich in oxygen and have plenty of water movement. Water temperature should be at 72 to 78ºF, specific gravity at 1.020 to 1.025 and pH between 8.1 and 8.4. They are quick swimmers so lots of swimming space is needed. Many hiding places to retreat into and for sleeping at night is a must.
Fish such as Neon Gobies or cleaner shrimp can help them by providing a cleaning service.
Videos and Photos available at AquariumsLife.com
rticle written by www.aquariumslife.com
Videos and Photos available at <a href="http://www.aquariumslife.com">AquariumsLife.com</a>
rticle written by www.aquariumslife.com
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