Tropical reef fish
Identity card
Western Indo-Pacific.
From 0 to 15 metres deep.
25 cm, max. 38 cm.
Herbivore, crustaceans.
The surgeonfish owes its name to the two scalpels located on either side of its caudal fin.
These two sharp elements can be raised and are used during fights between males. This caudal spine is venomous.
The clown surgeonfish lives in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific, from Indonesia to French Polynesia and Hawaii, and from southern Japan to Australia and New Caledonia.
The striped surgeonfish is found on reef flats, the upper parts of outer slopes and shallow reefs that are exposed to swells and rich in seaweed.
The compressed oval-shaped body is yellow with blue stripes and black edges. The lower part of the body is pale blue.
A territorial species, the large male protects his harem of several females and also controls his feeding territory.
During the breeding season, the fish gather together and release their gametes.
Once the eggs hatch, the larvae go through a pelagic period lasting several months, which explains why surgeonfish are scattered over a wide area.
There are no specific conservation measures for this species.
Mankind and shores
