Common name : Red-spotted surgeonfish,
Redtail surgeonfish, Redspot surgeonfish
Scientific name : Acanthurus achilles
Family : Acanthuridae
Native to : Pacific coral reefs of Hawaii and Pitcairn
Interesting fact : The scaly spikes on its back resemble a surgeon’s scalpel, and so it’s called a surgeonfish!
Conservation status : Least Concern
This beautiful tropical fish is black with striking orange and white lining along the fins and tail and a prominent teardrop shape on the caudal area. They sell like hotcakes in the aquarium trade. These open water, egg scatterers are difficult to breed in captivity. They have a life span of 7 years and feed on mostly benthic algae.
