Orange Blotch Surgeon Fish

Facts About the Orange Blotch Surgeonfish, it is a fish that comes from the genus Acanthurus of the family Acanthuridae. The binomial name of this fish is Acanthurus olivaceus Bloch and it is the oldest fish in the Museum Collection in Australia. It is also called by different names, such as the Orangeband Surgeonfish, Orangespot Surgeon-fish and Orangebar Surgeonfish. The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish can be easily recognized by the extended orange mark on the back of its eye. The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish occurs extensively in the Indian Ocean and central and western Pacific regions.

Features

An adult Orange Blotch Surgeonfish is capable of growing to a maximum body length of 14 inches (35 cm). The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish has a distinctive elongated orange blotch on the back of its eyes, which may be less distinctive in young individuals. Juvenile fish are brilliant yellow with a blue color anal fin edge.

The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish is largely seen from the southern parts of Japan to the northern parts of New South Wales in Australia, eastern sides of the Tuamotu Archipelago and the Hawaiian Islands. The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish can also be largely seen in the Indian Ocean from Christmas Island, Cocos-Keeling Islands, Western parts of Australia to the Ningaloo Reef.

The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish is widespread in the majority of its range. It was recorded as sporadic in terms of relative profusion in the northern parts of the Bismarck Sea and Milne Bay Province. The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish species is fairly common on the varied sand reef at Raja Ampat in Indonesia, the American Samoa National Park and uncommon in Puerto Princesa City and Calamianes Islands in Philippines. It is also common and can be largely seen in the Spratly Islands and Tubbataha in Philippines.

The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish is one of the eight most accumulated aquarium fish in West Hawaii. The total amount of fish caught from the year 2005 to 2009 was 5,195 with a total worth of $9, 654. There was a non-significant decline in the overall density across the Fish Replenishment Areas reviewed from 1999 to 2009. However, the Fish Replenishment Areas were shown to be efficient in terms of increases within the area in relation to the long term sea protected areas.

The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish is extensively distributed and is fairly common. It is a minor part of the aquarium trade and it mostly lands in fish markets. There are no noticeable major threats and its range overlaps with quite a lot of sea protected areas. It is thus recorded as Least Concern.

Usually, the Orange Blotch Surgeonfish is encountered grazing over sand close to reefs, occasionally in small groups, marine observations to 24.8 inches (62 m). This fish species occurs over rubble and coral bottoms and it can be found at a depth that ranges from 29.7 feet to 151.8 feet (9 meters to 46 meters. Juveniles live in protected lagoons and bays, alone or in small clusters in as little as 9.9 feet (3 meters) depth. Adults also occur separately or in groups.

Diet

The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish mostly feeds on natural detritus and calcareous sediments with extremely small servings of particular algae in the wild.

Reproduction

There is a sexual dimorphism exists in Orange Blotch Surgeonfish species and both genders do not show noticeable sexual dimorphism, and males may assume courtship colors. The Orange Blotch Surgeonfish species was reported to produce spawning aggregations on the Great Barrier Reef. This Orange Blotch Surgeonfish fish shows fast growth for the initial 3 to 4 years of life. After four years, usually, there is a sharp decline in growth, causing extended periods of asymptotic development.

The maximum recorded life of the Orange Blotch Surgeonfish in the Great Barrier Reef is 33 years.