Fish Files in your Backyard
Blue Regal Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Where do I live?
I live in the warm ocean waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific, from as far west as the East coast of Africa, to as far east as the southern tip of Japan and the Great Barrier Reef and Australia. I stay in schools near the flat, sandy portions of coral reefs, within the first 40 m of the surface. I am also a common in aquariums.
What do I look like?
I have a bright blue body, with a black mark that goes from my eye to my tail then loops back around, sort of like a painter’s palette. I also have some black on the ends of my dorsal (top) and anal fins. My caudal (tail) fin and the ends of my pectoral (side) fins are yellow. I can grow up to 30 cm in length.
What do I eat?
In the wild, I mostly eat plankton and zooplankton, but I also like to graze on algae from time to time. In aquariums, I can be kept on a diet of mysis shrimp, krill and nori (algae used to wrap sushi).
What is unique about me?
I’m one of the most popular fish in saltwater aquariums because I am so hardy and have beautiful colors.
How Common am I?
Scientists are not sure, but our wild populations seem to be in good shape.
Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)
Where do I live?
My native home is in the northeastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. I can usually be seen by myself or in pairs, in shallow, warm saltwater up to 25m deep where the climate is tropical. I make my home on coral reefs, rocky shorelines and estuaries. I’m also a popular aquarium fish and can be found in many pet stores.
What do I look like?
I am very colorful, with four orange to yellow colored bands on a white body, with a long beak, a black stripe on my tail and a black spot near the upper back of my body. I can grow up to 20 cm in length
What do I eat?
In the wild, I like to eat anemones, soft corals and small crustaceans. In the aquarium, I can be fed small marine invertebrates such as bloodworms and mysis shrimp.
What is unique about me?
I am well known for my bold colors and our beaks are much longer than most other butterflyfish.
How Common am I?
I am a common sight in my native home range and there are plenty of me for sale in the pet trade.