Chronixis Mimic Tang Care Guide
Acanthurus chronixis is a rare Western Pacific surgeonfish possibly endemic to Kapingamarangi Atoll, reaching about 28 cm and listed by IUCN as Vulnerable.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Acanthurus chronixis, the Chronixis surgeonfish, is a rare member of the family Acanthuridae. According to FishBase it is possibly endemic to Kapingamarangi Atoll in the Caroline Islands and reaches a maximum total length of 28 cm. The species is noted as rare and not commercial.
Taxonomy
- Family: Acanthuridae
- Genus: Acanthurus
- Scientific name: Acanthurus chronixis
- Described by: Randall, 1960
Habitat
The species is marine and reef-associated in the Western Pacific, recorded only from Kapingamarangi Atoll. FishBase reports it over sand and coral bottoms of clear channels at depths of 0-6 m, with juveniles likely inhabiting reef flats.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 600 L (158 gal)
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- Carbonate hardness: 8-12 dKH
- Strong water flow
- Lifespan: 10-25 years
Diet
As a surgeonfish of the genus Acanthurus, it is a herbivorous grazer. In aquaria, marine algae and dried seaweed should be offered multiple times daily; this rarely traded species is seldom kept.
Compatibility
A semi-aggressive, diurnal mid-water swimmer. As with other tangs, wrasses, clownfish, angelfish and sturdy triggerfish make suitable tankmates, while other tangs of similar shape should be avoided in smaller systems.
Reef compatibility
The species does not eat coral and is considered reef-safe. Maintain carbonate hardness of 8-12 dKH and specific gravity of 1.024-1.026.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable, assessed in 2010 via FishBase, reflecting its very restricted range.
Chronixis Mimic Tang (Acanthurus chronixis): Breeding Guide
Overview
The Chronixis Surgeonfish, Acanthurus chronixis, is recorded by FishBase from Kapingamarangi Atoll in the Caroline Islands of the Western Pacific and is possibly endemic to that atoll. It reaches a maximum total length of 28 cm and lives in shallow water from 0 to 6 m over sand and coral bottoms of clear channels. FishBase lists it as rare and not commercial, with an IUCN status of Vulnerable.
Because of its rarity it is uncommon in the aquarium trade, and no captive breeding has been documented for this species.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
No species-specific spawning data is available for A. chronixis in the consulted sources. As a member of Acanthurus, it is expected to be a pelagic broadcast spawner: surgeonfishes of this genus generally spawn at dusk in short pair- or group-spawning ascents near the reef edge, often around lunar phases when currents carry off the gametes.
Fertilization in such spawning is external, with no nest or parental care. Given its very limited shallow-channel habitat, spawning likely takes place near those clear-water channels, though this has not been described in the sources used.
Egg & Fry Care
Following the genus pattern, the eggs would be pelagic and float in the open water, hatching into transparent acronurus larvae. In surgeonfishes this planktonic larval stage can last more than 39 days before settlement.
Such a long oceanic drift on natural plankton cannot be reproduced in a tank, so home rearing is not feasible. Larval culture of surgeonfishes remains a research-aquaculture endeavor.
Common Challenges
- The species is rare and seldom available, so even obtaining a potential pair is difficult.
- Open-water spawning leaves no eggs or nest to manage in captivity.
- The pelagic acronurus larvae depend on ocean plankton that aquariums cannot supply.