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Blue Tang

With its striking blue and yellow coloring, the Indo-Pacific blue tang is one of the most recognizable fish, made famous by Dory in Disney’s Finding Nemo!

 

The Indo-Pacific blue tang, which is also known by many other names including the palette surgeonfish, lives in tropical coral reefs in clear waters with strong currents throughout the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. As young, their bodies are almost completely bright yellow with blue dots near their eyes, and blue tips at the end of their fins and tail. However, as they age, they turn their characteristic sky-blue color and develop bright yellow fins and tails. They average to be about 25-31 cm (about 9-12 inches) long. Notably, Indo-Pacific blue tangs have many sharp spines along their fins and tails, as well as a particularly sharp spine on their tail that is venomous.

Indo-Pacific blue tang primarily feed on algae, using their small teeth to pull algae off rocks and branches of coral in the reefs where they live. They also depend on corals for protection, hiding among the long branches from predators like tuna and tiger groupers. But hiding is by no means their only form of protection! The spines on their body offer some protection. In addition, when threatened, these fish can extend their venomous spine and try and stab their predator with it as a defense – which is why they are sometimes called “surgeonfish” or “doctorfish!” Because of this spine, another way the Indo-Pacific blue tang avoid predators is by grouping into schools, making it difficult and even possibly dangerous for predators to try and feed on members of the group. Their bright colors are a type of defense called aposematic coloration, which means that they are a warning sign to predators that these fish are poisonous.

 

 

Destructive fishing practices, such as bottom trawling, pose some threat to the Indo-Pacific blue tang in some parts of its range. Indo-Pacific blue tang are also targeted by collectors, for the pet trade, and in collection for aquariums. Additionally, they are experiencing threats of habitat loss and degradation to their coral reef habitat. More research is needed to determine how much declining habitat conditions may impact these fish. Despite these threats, these fish are still considered to be “Least Concern” by the IUCN.

 

 

One of the best ways to protect the Indo-Pacific blue tang is to ensure that they have the healthy coral reef habitat they need to survive. Oceana campaigns to protect habitat, including safeguarding corals from highly destructive fishing practices, like bottom trawling — where huge nets are dragged for miles along the seafloor, bulldozing everything in their path.

Learn more about how Oceana’s campaign to protect habitat and take action to call on world leaders to do the same.

 

 

 

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