Acanthurus chirurgus

Behavior:

Doctorfish can be found in shallow, inshore reef habitats and rocky areas. They forage on benthic algae, including the thin algal mat covering sandy bottoms. They generally swim together in loose schools, often with ocean surgeonfish and blue tangs.

Predators:

Grouper, snapper, jacks, and barracuda.

Did you know?

The doctorfish is a member of the surgeonfish family, which gets its name from the two spines (or scalpels) located near the fish’s tail. The spine is used to defend against predators.