What it looks like. Deep black body with a vivid orange teardrop near the tail and orange highlights on the fins. One of the most striking surgeonfish in the hobby — and notoriously expensive ($300–800+).

In your tank. Difficult specialist. Comes from the surge zones of the Hawaiian and central Pacific reefs, where they constantly swim in strong, oxygenated current. In captivity they need 180+ gallons, surge-style flow, and exceptionally stable water quality. Prone to ich and HLLE; quarantine is non-negotiable.

Care notes. Will not thrive in a typical reef tank with moderate flow. Build the system around the fish or skip the species. Aggressive toward other tangs of similar shape; usually housed singly. Will graze film algae but needs supplemental nori or prepared herbivore foods.

Sourcing and feeding. Wild-collected only; aquaculture has not been commercialized. Hawaii-sourced specimens have largely disappeared from the market following the 2017 ban; current supply comes from other Pacific locations with variable shipping mortality. Confirm the specimen is eating before purchase.