An important group associated with coral reefs, surgeonfishes are named for the sharp, sometimes venomous blade-like caudal spines ahead of the tail. These spines may be used in defense and are harmless to swimmers unless the fish is handled.  Family characteristics include the disc-shaped body, small mouth, caudal spines, and swimming with pectoral fins. Some unicornfishes in the genus Naso develop a large horn on the forehead which does not appear to serve an obvious function. Many species are herbivorous, feeding on algae in groups for security, or carnivorous, feeding on small invertebrates on the bottom or high in the water column. The group has a long-lived larval stage thus only one species, the Goldring Surgeonfish, is endemic to Hawai'i.

Ctenochaetus strigosus

GOLDRING SURGEONFISH, Juvenile

Ctenochaetus strigosus

GOLDRING SURGEONFISH

BROWN SURGEONFISH, Juvenile

BROWN SURGEONFISH

CONVICT TANG

BLUELINED SURGEONFISH

BLUELINED SURGEONFISH

THOMPSON'S SURGEONFISH, Juvenile

THOMPSON'S SURGEONFISH

YELLOWFIN SURGEONFISH

WHITESPINE SURGEONFISH, Juvenile

WHITESPINE SURGEONFISH

CHEVRON TANG, Juvenile

CHEVRON TANG or BLACK SURGEONFISH

ORANGEBAR SURGEONFISH, Juvenile

ORANGEBAND SURGEONFISH

SAILFIN TANG, juvenile

SAILFIN TANG

YELLOW TANG, juvenile

YELLOW TANG

WHITESPOTTED SURGEONFISH

WHITEBAR SURGEONFISH

ACHILLES TANG, juvenile

ACHILLES TANG

HYBRID ACHILLES x WHITECHEEK SURGEONFISH

WHITECHEEK SURGEONFISH

ORANGESPINE UNICORNFISH, juvenile

ORANGESPINE UNICORNFISH

BLUESPINE UNICORNFISH, juvenile

BLUESPINE UNICORNFISH

PALETAIL UNICORNFISH, juvenile

PALETAIL UNICORNFISH

WHITEMARGIN UNICORNFISH, juvenile

WHITEMARGIN UNICORNFISH

SLEEK UNICORNFISH, juvenile

SLEEK UNICORNFISH

SPOTTED UNICORNFISH

GRAY UNICORNFISH

BRUSHTAIL TANG, juvenile

BRUSHTAIL TANG

PALETTE SURGEONFISH, juvenile

PALETTE SURGEONFISH

STRIPED BRISTLETOOTH, juvenile

STRIPED BRISTLETOOTH

BLUELIP BRISTLETOOTH

PALE-TAIL BRISTLETOOTH

BLACKSTREAK SURGEONFISH

MIMIC SURGEONFISH, Juvenile

MIMIC SURGEONFISH, Juvenile

MIMIC SURGEONFISH, Adult

LINED SURGEONFISH

THOMPSON'S SURGEONFISH

ORANGETIPPED BRISTLETOOTH

HUMPBACK UNICORNFISH

HUMPNOSE UNICORNFISH

HORSEFACE UNICORNFISH

YELLOWLIP SURGEONFISH

JAPANESE SURGEONFISH

POWDER-BLUE SURGEONFISH

SCALPEL SAWTAIL     Nizadai

YELLOWTAIL SURGEONFISH

CONVICT TANG

DOCTORFISH

OCEAN SURGEONFISH

BLUE TANG, Juvenile

BLUE TANG