Blue Tang Shoal #1 is a photograph by Georgette Douwma which was uploaded on May 3rd, 2013.
Blue Tang Shoal #1
Blue tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) shoaling over a coral reef. This fish, also known as the blue surgeonfish, inhabits the tropical and subtropical... more
Title
Blue Tang Shoal #1
Artist
Georgette Douwma
Medium
Photograph
Description
Blue tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) shoaling over a coral reef. This fish, also known as the blue surgeonfish, inhabits the tropical and subtropical coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, from as far north as New York, USA, to Brazil. It is also found around mid-Atlantic islands such as Ascension. It feeds almost exclusively on algae and can reach a length of nearly 40 centimetres. It gets the name surgeonfish due to the extremely sharp spines (white) on the base of its tail, which can inflict painful injuries on people who handle the fish. At right, a juvenile Spanish hogfish (Bodianus rufus) is picking parasites from one tang's skin. Photographed off Bonaire Island in the Netherlands Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea.
Uploaded
May 3rd, 2013