Tomini Tang

Tomini Tang – Ctenochaetus tominiensis

Physical description:
The Tomini Tang displays a refined gray to olive-gray body with subtle golden flecking around the face and head, giving it a soft yet detailed coloration. Its most distinctive feature is the bright golden-yellow tips on both the dorsal and anal fins, which create a clean contrast against the muted body tones, while the white caudal fin adds further definition. As it matures, the gray body coloration becomes more pronounced and uniform, enhancing its sleek profile. This is an active bristletooth tang that spends much of its time grazing across rockwork and surfaces, and it reaches an adult size of approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in the aquarium.

Behavioral description:
A generally peaceful but somewhat territorial species, the Tomini Tang may assert dominance over other tangs, especially those in its own genus.  It is an active grazer, constantly browsing over rockwork and surfaces for algae and detritus. While it’s hardy, it thrives best in a well-established reef system with stable water quality.

Suitable tank description:
Tomini Tangs do best in a mature, stable reef aquarium with both ample live rock for grazing and open swimming areas. Most hobbyists recommend adding them after your system has cycled fully. A minimum tank size of 70 gallons (≈ 265 L)is suggested to provide enough swimming room and territory. 

Diet Description
The Tomini Tang is an herbivorous grazer that thrives on a steady diet of marine-based algae and high-quality prepared foods. Offer frozen foods such as Ocean Nutrition Formula 2, Rod’s Food Herbivore Blend, and San Francisco Bay Brand Emerald Entrée, along with staple pellets like New Life Spectrum AlgaeMax Pellets to ensure balanced nutrition and consistent grazing support. Regular feedings of Julian Sprung’s Sea Veggies are highly recommended to promote digestive health, enhance coloration, and support natural grazing behavior.

Approximate product size:
Available around 2–3″ (juvenile)

We maintain a rigorous, veterinarian-approved quarantine program that includes proactive treatments, careful observation, and daily monitoring to ensure the highest standards of fish health. Our biosecurity practices reduce the risk of any cross-contamination between systems, meaning our fish are ready for your display tanks.