Desjardini Tang - Medium (Zebrasoma desjardinii)

The Desjardini Tang (Zebrasoma desjardinii), also called the Red Sea Sailfin Tang, is the big, dramatic cousin of the Pacific Sailfin Tang. Bold vertical bands lined with fine golden stripes run down the body, and the face and chest are covered in tiny pale dots, the easiest way to tell it apart from the Pacific species. When it flares its huge dorsal and anal fins it looks twice its size. It is a hardy, reef-safe algae grazer that does a real job keeping rockwork clean. This is a medium-size fish. Care level is intermediate and temperament is semi-aggressive. Browse our other live fish and saltwater supplies to round out the tank.

Care Guide

• Tank size: plan on 180 gallons or more for an adult. Desjardini Tangs can reach about 15 inches and need long, open swimming room, so a 6-foot tank is the realistic long-term home.
• Water parameters: 72 to 78°F, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 1.020 to 1.025, alkalinity 8 to 12 dKH. Strong water flow and high oxygen keep tangs healthiest.
• Feeding: herbivore. Offer dried seaweed on a clip every day, plus a marine herbivore frozen food like Formula Two. Add some meaty foods a few times a week. A well-fed tang keeps better color and resists stress.
• Live rock: mature rock with film algae gives it something to graze between feedings. It will happily work over algae on the rocks and glass.
• Health: like all tangs it can be prone to ich and lateral line erosion when stressed or underfed. Stable water, good nutrition and plenty of room go a long way.

Specifications

Compatibility

• Good tank mates: clownfish, anthias, wrasses, dwarf and large angels, rabbitfish, and most peaceful to semi-aggressive community fish.
• Other tangs: keep it away from other Zebrasoma such as the Purple Tang or Scopas Tang unless the tank is very large and they go in together. Tangs with different body shapes mix more easily.
• Corals and inverts: reef safe. It ignores corals, shrimp and snails, and grazes nuisance algae.
• Avoid: cramped tanks and very aggressive fish that will keep it from eating.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Two Little Fishies SeaVeggies Purple Seaweed with a feeding clip
• Ocean Nutrition Formula Two
• Piscine Energetics PE Mysis for a meaty treat
• CaribSea Moani Live Rock for grazing surfaces

FAQ

What is the difference between a Desjardini and a Sailfin Tang?
They are close relatives. The Desjardini comes from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, gets a little larger, and has small pale dots covering the face and chest. The Pacific Sailfin Tang has a plain face and a yellower tail.

Is it reef safe?
Yes. It grazes algae and leaves corals and invertebrates alone.

How big does it get?
About 15 inches as an adult. It grows fairly quickly with good feeding, so plan for a large tank from the start.

What should I feed it?
Seaweed every day is the foundation, backed up by a frozen herbivore blend and an occasional meaty food.