Bluelined surgeon
Acanthurus nigroris
Where at Shedd?
Wild Reef
| Diet | Algae, plankton |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 9.8 inches (25 cm) |
| Type | Fishes |
| Range | Indo-Pacific Ocean |
| Habitat | Lagoons, reefs |
About the Bluelined surgeon
One of the most common groups of fishes near the reefs of Hawaii, surgeonfish get their name from the scalpel-like spines at the base of their tail or caudal fin.
Did you know?
Surgeonfish are some of a coral reef's best caretakers. By grazing on algae, they keep fast-growing seaweeds from taking over the space corals need to grow and thrive.
This fish typically spends its time with several different varieties of surgeonfish.
Where one species ends and another begins is sometimes hotly debated among scientists. This fish is nearly identical to another surgeonfish found in the Indo-Pacific — the grey-headed surgeon — but was recently recognized as a distinct species.