Convict Surgeonfish

Acanthurus triostegus

Bislamastrongskin— names this kind of animal, not this species alone

commonblackwhiteyellowbarredschoolingmediumreef

Habitat: Reef
Max size: 27 cm
Depth: 0-90 m
Family: Acanthuridae

Acanthurus triostegus, commonly known as convict tang, manini, convict surgeonfish, convict surgeon, or fiveband surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.

Adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side, with what tells them apart.

Both are pale fish with bold black bars that feed in groups in the shallows. Convict Surgeonfish has thin bars -- one slanting through its yellow eye, one on the tail base -- a small pointed snout, and a sharp spine that folds into a groove on each side of the tail base. Indo-pacific Sergeant has five broad blue-black bars, none through the eye, often a yellow back between the first and third, and a forked tail.

See the Indo-pacific Sergeant →

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