Name: Palette surgeonfish
Scientific Name: Paracanthurus hepatus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Family: Acanthuridae
Group: Bony fish
Class: Fish
Size: 26-50 cm.
The palette surgeonfish is a colourful fish that is very popular in aquariums. It has a tough skin, composed of small scales, with one or more pairs of sharp blades at the base of the caudal fin. These are used in situations of defence and attack! It lives in clear waters, with currents, adjacent to coral reefs. It forms small aggregations, 1 to 2 m above the bottom. Juveniles and young adults live in groups, next to the branching coral Pocillopora eydoux and when necessary, conceal themselves, squeezing between the branches of the coral.
Photo by:
Abílio Leitão
Oceanário Location
Tropical Indian
