Details
Paracanthurus hepatus
The blue tang is a bright reef fish of the Indo-Pacific. Cathemeral fish swim over reefs alone or in loose groups.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses outer reefs, lagoons, and shallow rocky coral areas. Branching corals and crevices provide essential shelter.
Length is about 12-31 cm and weight about 80-600 g. A vivid blue body, black pattern, yellow tail, and sharp side spine are distinctive.
Activity is flexible, with individuals or loose groups moving over the reef. When alarmed, it slips into coral or rock gaps and flattens its body.
It is carnivorous, picking small animal foods and tiny suspended items while moving over the reef.
It releases eggs into the water column, where eggs and larvae drift with currents. Growing juveniles later settle onto reefs.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. It is familiar in aquaria, but wild fish depend on reef shelter.
