Acanthurus Leucosternon (Powder Blue Tang)

A true beauty, The Powder Blue Tang is sought after by most saltwater aquarium keepers due to it's remarkable colors. From the yellow dorsal fin to its dark colored face and powder blue body, this fish is something to behold. Be prepared to spend some serious jack on this fish though. They usually run anywhere from $60 to over $100 depending on the size of the fish. As well as being beautiful, they are also quite finicky and can be very difficult to keep for even the advanced saltwater aquarium keepers.
They are notorious for getting ich (cryptocaryon) and velvet usually due to the fact that they don't transport well. Let them sit in the dealers tank for several weeks and ask to watch them eat before laying down your hard earned cash for one of these tangs. Inspect them closely for any signs of ich or velvet and make sure they are actively swimming.
If all goes well at the fish store, once you bring them home you'll want to slowly drip acclimate them to your quarantine tank's water. It should go without saying that a quarantine is not optional with this fish. Tangs in general and the Powder Blue Tang especially are susceptible to marine ich, which means that it's a good idea to house your new fish in a quarantine tank for several weeks before introducing them into your display tank. It can be a really good idea to get some cleaner shrimps too. The skunk cleaner shrimp does a good job.
The may be finicky when it comes to food and you'll want to provide plenty of algae grazing opportunities and also supplement their diet with dried algae using a veggie clip. Leave the dried seaweed in the tank for prolonged periods when they are first introduced. They might accept flakes and pellets and should go after frozen and live foods. We feel that live rock is absolutely needed when keeping this fish because they like to pick at algae on a nearly continuous basis during the daytime hours. It may also be a good idea to let some algae grow on one of the side panels of the tank, just in case.
Like all Tangs, the Powder Blue needs highly oxygenated water. You can achieve this using multiple power heads. Watch the tank temperature though and remove a powerhead if the aquarium water temperature gets too high. They will also appreciate high water flow throughout the aquarium and they need a large tank to allow for large swimming lanes. They are quite fast swimmers.
This can be a very difficult fish to keep and we strongly urge you to research this fish fully before acquiring one. We would recommend this fish only to advanced saltwater hobbyists with a large tank that is well established and stocked with plenty of live rock, high aeration and high water flows.