naso tang
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jumpfrog
Active Member
The spines you're referring to probably aren;t the top (dorsal) fins. Naso's have two spines (scalpels) next to the caudul peduncle which remain unsheathed at all times. Most tangs only have one which they keep closed and sheathed. In the attached pic you can see the orange scalpels toward the rear of the fish:
fishtanker
Member
why is it that naso's are one of the few or only tang that keep its scalpels' out at all times. is it some type of territory thing? i believe that in the wild naso's don't typically school usually its one per area of the reef. maybe they keep them (scalpels) erect to let other fish know its their territory.
just thinking out loud
just thinking out loud
fishtanker
Member
nice fish btw jump.
fishtanker
Member
brooklyn johnny
Active Member
"The genus Naso contains all the unicorn tangs which generally swim in large schools feeding on zooplankton. The exception is Naso literatus, the "lipstick tang", which feeds on algae and usually lives in pairs. Many of the unicorn tangs don't develop horns, and some only develop horns on the male fish."
A quote from another online source. Fishtanker according to this source and my personal experiences I think you are right regarding N. literatus... I thought about this for a little as I've personally seen schools of tangs in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Galapagos, and always remember seeing the common naso (Naso literatus) in Hawaii only singly or in pairs... interesting to see that this guy is different.
And by the way it was something seeing huge adults in the wild and the size of their scalpels... beautiful fish...
My first introduction was when I was 13 and I got in the water at Hanauma Bay in Hawaii, dropped my head under, and saw a HUGE school of achilles tangs. If you see the way these guys move in the surge zone you'll definately have misgivings about keeing acanthurus species in small tanks... the nasos would just sort of wander around, while the convicts and achilles flew!
A quote from another online source. Fishtanker according to this source and my personal experiences I think you are right regarding N. literatus... I thought about this for a little as I've personally seen schools of tangs in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Galapagos, and always remember seeing the common naso (Naso literatus) in Hawaii only singly or in pairs... interesting to see that this guy is different.
And by the way it was something seeing huge adults in the wild and the size of their scalpels... beautiful fish...
My first introduction was when I was 13 and I got in the water at Hanauma Bay in Hawaii, dropped my head under, and saw a HUGE school of achilles tangs. If you see the way these guys move in the surge zone you'll definately have misgivings about keeing acanthurus species in small tanks... the nasos would just sort of wander around, while the convicts and achilles flew!
fishtanker
Member
wow..i school of achilles tangs i would love to see. when i was in nassua bahamas snorkling i saw a lot of common blue tangs schooling and its true they really cruise around. the achilles school must have been a real sight. one of my favorite tangs
mine is still in QT
mine is still in QT