Care
The flamboyant Blonde Lipstick Tang is a very active fish that requires a great deal of swimming space. Adults have been known to grow to a foot and a half, and that is not taking into account the long flowing tail filaments of the males. If you are blessed with a system of enormous proportions, the Blonde Lipstick Tang could make a wonderful centrepiece. The tank should contain plenty of live rock which this fish will enjoy grazing upon. Include plenty of hiding places that are large enough for the Blonde Lipstick Tang to retreat into quickly should it feel threatened, at the same time aiming for an aquascape that allows plenty of open swimming space along the front of the aquarium for such a powerful swimmer. Blonde Lipstick Tangs are not overly aggressive towards tankmates, except their own kind; for this reason it is best to house just one specimen per tank. There are good reports of this fish mixing with tangs of other genera; however it is recommended that the Blonde Lipstick Tang is the last addition to a set up, as it can be a little territorial to newcomers, especially similar fish species. It is best to source a medium sized specimen (i.e. over 4" in length) as they are more likely to acclimatise well to life in captivity. Conversely, extra large specimens may have a difficult time settling in, so aim for a healthy-looking fish that is neither too small nor excessively large. Avoid any specimens that appear "pinched" in the belly area, and do ask your retailer to show you that your chosen fish is feeding well prior to purchase. Blonde Lipstick Tangs have a high metabolism and require small frequent feeds throughout the day. Powerful filtration/circulation and a high level of oxygenation are therefore essential for this energetic, voracious eater. Be sure to keep on top of water quality as this fish will not tolerate deteriorating water conditions. A large refugium with living rock can be most useful: macroalgae can be cultured on this rock and these pieces rotated with pieces from the main tank, so that the Blonde Lipstick Tang has a continual supply of natural foodstuffs to graze upon. Take care when handling Blonde Lipstick Tangs, as their caudal spines are particularly large and can inflict a very painful wound. A period of quarantine can be a valuable procedure for the acclimatisation of all livestock, and it is of particular importance for the Blonde Lipstick Tang which can be fairly susceptible to developing marine whitespot. This can be difficult to treat in the reef aquarium. Ideally the fish should be quarantined and carefully observed in a separate aquarium for at least a fortnight before being introduced into your main display tank. May also be seen on sale simply as Lipstick Tang.
Feeding
Offer a varied diet, consisting of mostly vegetable matter, in small amounts 3 times per day. In the wild, Blonde Lipstick Tangs mainly consume brown leafy macro-algae (Dictyota and Sargassum) along with a few other algae types and planktonic meaty fare. Although this species will browse on some algaes within the aquarium, it is of utmost importance to supplement the diet with a variety of foods including frozen herbivore rations, dried marine algae/Nori (especially brown varieties), green marine flake, Spirulina (blue-green algae), Spirulina-enriched brineshrimp, cucumber, lettuce etc. Include occasional feedings of Mysis shrimp and finely chopped krill. Adding a specially formulated vitamin supplement to any frozen foods will be beneficial to help prevent deficiencies which may lead to HLLE.
Breeding
This fish has not been bred in the home aquarium.
