Clown Tang

The time of spawning varies for this species depending on where it lives. It has been observed to spawn in the early morning in Palau and Guam, while also spawning in the late afternoon near the Great Barrier Reef. In Guam, clown tangs have been observed to spawn in March and April, but near the Great Barrier Reef it spawns in December.

Clown tangs reproduce once they grow to about 6.2 inches. Once the eggs hatch they enter a long larval stage where they float and disperse via ocean currents. Eventually, they become juveniles and settle near coral reefs.

Clown tangs are strongly site-attached and are an aggressive, territorial species. This species maintains feeding territories in shallow waters during the day but spends nights in deeper-water crevices. Large males control feeding territories and social groups called harems which consist of one male and multiple females. Each adult occupies about 6-8 square metres of ocean bottom. Adults occupy the central area while juveniles are scattered around the edge of the area.

Clown tangs grow rapidly in the first 3-4 years of their life. The maximum age recorded for this species was 42 years and it is found that the maximum age decreases as its location moves eastwards. On the Great Barrier Reef the average maximum age is 32 years while on American Samoa it is 11 years.