Are striped surgeonfish safe to eat? There's a lot of content online about other types of surgeonfish, but the only info I can find on this one specifically is for aquarium keeping.
Lined Surgeonfish
Acanthurus lineatus
Also known as: Blue-banded Surgeon, Blue-banded Surgeonfish, Blue-lined Surgeonfish, Clown Surgeon, Clown Surgeonfish, Clown Tang, Doctorfish, Lancetfish, Lined Surgeon, Pyjama Clown, Striped Surgeon, Striped Surgeonfish, Tang Clown, Thorntail, Thorntail Fish
- Blue-banded Surgeon
- Blue-banded Surgeonfish
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish
- Clown Surgeon
- Clown Surgeonfish
- Clown Tang
- Doctorfish
- Lancetfish
- Lined Surgeon
- Pyjama Clown
- Striped Surgeon
- Striped Surgeonfish
- Tang Clown
- Thorntail
- Thorntail Fish
Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.
Overview
Found singly or in harems, over shallow reef flats, gutters, and slopes usually exposed to surge currents.
Surgeonfish have a blade like spine in the tail that points outwards when bent, unicorns have two hook-like plates along the tail, these are used for defence and are as sharp as a surgeons scalpel, hence the name "Surgeonfish".
Some species are venomous.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.
- Range · Indo-Pacific
- Exact location · 4
- Country only · 36
Found singly or in harems, over shallow reef flats, gutters, and slopes usually exposed to surge currents.
Adult photos 40
Discussion 2
Deep dive
More in the family
Surgeonfishes-Tangs-Unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)

Blue Tang
Acanthurus coeruleus

Ocean Surgeonfish
Acanthurus tractus

Yellowmask Surgeonfish
Acanthurus mata

Achilles Tang
Acanthurus achilles
7 photos

Bignose Unicornfish
Naso vlamingii

Black Surgeonfish
Acanthurus gahhm
5 photos

Blue Unicorn
Naso caeruleacauda
1 photo

Blue-lined Surgeonfish
Acanthurus nigroris
1 photo

Blue-lipped Bristletooth
Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus

Bluespine Unicornfish
Naso unicornis

Brown Surgeonfish
Acanthurus nigrofuscus

Convict Surgeonfish
Acanthurus triostegus

