🐠 Naso Tang (Naso lituratus)
A Grey Body With Bold Orange Facial Markings • Sharp Blade-Like Tail Spines • A Valuable Algae Grazer for a Large Tank
 
📋 The Naso Tang, also known as the Orangespine Unicornfish or Lipstick Tang, has a striking appearance: a light-to-dark grey body, a bold yellow patch on the forehead, accented orange lines running from the eye toward the mouth, and vivid orange tail spines.
It comes from reef flats and slopes across the Central and Western Pacific, including Hawaii, Japan, and the Great Barrier Reef, typically found in pairs or larger groups at depths from shallow water down to around 90 metres. Every Naso Tang we ship is feeding well.
Like all surgeonfish, it carries sharp, blade-like spines at the base of the tail, capable of inflicting a deep cut, so we recommend care during handling and tank maintenance, with a rigid container safer than a net. It's generally peaceful toward unrelated fish but doesn't tolerate other tangs or surgeonfish well. It's a valuable algae grazer for a reef tank and generally leaves sessile invertebrates alone. One detail worth knowing: this species' close Indian Ocean relative, Naso elegans, looks nearly identical and is sometimes confused with it in the trade. It reaches up to 46cm, so plan on at least 680L.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Grey Body With Orange Facial Markings: An elegant, distinctive large tang
🔪 Sharp Blade-Like Tail Spines: Handle with care, and use a rigid container
🌿 Reef Safe: Generally leaves sessile invertebrates alone
🥬 A Valuable Algae Grazer: effective at controlling nuisance algae
🍽️ Ships Feeding Well: A confident grazer for a large tank