Pictured in this week’s AquaNerd Picture of the Week is a Yellow Eye Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus) seen virtually floating in place. This fish has a deep purple body with bright yellow eyes and hints of darker yellow lining each of its fins. The fish also possesses blue dots on it face that gradually turn into horizontal lines that run the entire length of its body. As far as tangs go, the Kole Tang is an excellent algae grazer for aquariums about 75-gallons or more, the target here being at least a four foot long tank. They reach a maximum length of roughly 7″ and will devour various types of algae from just about every surface in the tank, including the glass, rocks, and equipment. I personally feel the Kole Tang is one of the most underrated tangs in the hobby, as it is obviously very attractive and very useful in the aquarium. I’ve even seen this fish eat dinoflagellates without any of the typical repercussions seen when other animals eat the algae, such as snails dying. This tang is quite hardy, but sometimes shy and a bit too passive for tanks with more aggressive inhabitants.
