Paracanthurus hepatus
Encounter Rate
Spotting Difficulty
Best Season
Year-round
Depth Range
2-40 meters
The palette surgeonfish, also known as the blue tang or regal tang, became a global celebrity after starring in a popular animated film and is one of the most instantly recognisable fish on Komodo's reefs. This stunning fish features a vibrant royal blue body with a bold black palette-shaped marking and a bright yellow tail that makes it impossible to confuse with any other species. In Komodo, palette surgeonfish are found on outer reef slopes and walls with rich coral growth, typically in small groups darting among branching and plate corals. They are plankton and algae feeders that play an important role in controlling algal growth on reef surfaces. Like all surgeonfish, they carry a sharp, scalpel-like spine on each side of the tail base that can be erected as a defensive weapon — the source of the family name surgeonfish. When threatened, palette surgeonfish often hide within branching coral formations, wedging themselves sideways into the branches with their erected tail spines making them difficult to extract. They are more shy than many surgeonfish species and tend to retreat into coral cover when divers approach too closely.
Average Size
15-25cm
Size Range
8-31cm
Maximum Size
31cm
Omnivore feeding on zooplankton in the water column and algae on reef surfaces. Juveniles feed primarily on plankton while adults add more algae to their diet.
The palette surgeonfish, also known as the blue tang or regal tang, became a global celebrity after starring in a popular animated film and is one of the most instantly recognisable fish on Komodo's reefs. This stunning fish features a vibrant royal blue body with a bold black palette-shaped marking and a bright yellow tail that makes it impossible to confuse with any other species. In Komodo, palette surgeonfish are found on outer reef slopes and walls with rich coral growth, typically in small groups darting among branching and plate corals. They are plankton and algae feeders that play an important role in controlling algal growth on reef surfaces. Like all surgeonfish, they carry a sharp, scalpel-like spine on each side of the tail base that can be erected as a defensive weapon — the source of the family name surgeonfish. When threatened, palette surgeonfish often hide within branching coral formations, wedging themselves sideways into the branches with their erected tail spines making them difficult to extract. They are more shy than many surgeonfish species and tend to retreat into coral cover when divers approach too closely.
This species plays an important role in the marine ecosystem of Komodo National Park. Responsible diving practices help protect these animals and their habitat for future generations.
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They are currently listed as Least Concern but the animated film did cause a significant spike in demand. They are difficult to breed in captivity, meaning most aquarium specimens are wild-caught, which puts pressure on reef populations.
