Elongate surgeonfish - Acanthurus mata

Species Name: Acanthurus mata

Synonyms: Chaetodon meta, Acanthurus mata, Acanthurus bleekeri

Common Names: Elongate surgeonfish

Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subFamily: Acanthurinae

Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)

Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)

Max.Size: 50.0 cm / 19.7 inches

Environment: Marine reef

Origin: Western and Eastern Indian Ocean Northwest, Western Central and Eastern Central Pacific

Temperament: Relatively agressive

Company: Acanthurus mata (Elongate surgeonfish) is not a good fish to keep with similar species, lionfishes or groupers.

Aquarium Setup: Acanthurus mata (Elongate surgeonfish) require plenty of room to thrive, at least 50 gallons per adult individual. They also prefer a very stable environment where physical, chemical and social variations are kept to a minimum. Buffer the pH and keep it in the 8.0 – 8.4 range. Temperature should be maintained in the seventies to low eighties Fahrenheit. Strive to keep the ammonia and nitrate levels close to zero and don’t allow more than 25 ppm of nitrate. Vigorous aeration and strong water movements are necessary.

Food: Acanthurus mata (Elongate surgeonfish) feed on plants, benthic algae, zooplankton and invertebrates. These fishes require frequent feedings spread out over the day. A lot of Elongate surgeonfish keepers install an automatic feeder or buy algae stones to make this possible.

Breeding: There is no information available regarding the breeding of Acanthurus mata (Elongate surgeonfish) in aquariums.