Cuvier's Surgeonfish

About

Cuvier's surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus) is one of the largest surgeonfish you are likely to encounter, and it commands serious respect both in the wild and in the aquarium. Its range spans an enormous stretch of the Indo-Pacific, from the East African coast all the way to Hawaii and French Polynesia, and it also turns up in the eastern Pacific around the lower Gulf of California. Adults tend toward deeper bays and lagoons, while younger fish occupy shallower, murkier inshore waters. A habitat shift that reflects how dramatically this species changes as it matures. In terms of behavior, it is notably different from most surgeonfish: while it does graze on filamentous algae, diatoms, and the detritus films that accumulate on sandy substrates, it also picks at hydroids and will even take pieces of fish. It is reportedly the only surgeonfish known to readily accept bait, which says something about its opportunistic feeding habits. In the aquarium, this species is best suited to experienced keepers with genuinely large systems, given how big adults grow and the open-water swimming room a school requires. It is a diurnal, active fish that does best with plenty of space and varied feeding.