Orangespine Unicornfish

Facts about the Orangespine Unicornfish, it is a class of fish that comes from the genus Naso of the family Acanthuridae. The binomial name of this fish is Naso lituratus, and it is also commonly called as barcheek unicornfish, masked unicornfish, clown tang, orange-spine surgeonfish, naso tang, Pacific orange-spine unicorn, redlip surgeonfish, poll unicornfish, striped unicornfish, and smooth-head unicornfish. The Orangespine Unicornfish variety can be largely seen in the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The Orangespine Unicornfish species can be effortlessly recognized by two vivid orange frontward-hooked spines on its caudal peduncle, its orange colored lips, and black face cover. The Orangespine Unicornfish can be seen on coral reefs, habitually in pairs or in schools.

Features

An adult Orangespine Unicornfish is capable of attaining a maximum body length of 18 inches (45 cm). The Orangespine Unicornfish has a brownish-grey color, disc-shaped body with yellow color nape and there is a wide black band on its dorsal fin. These are laterally compressed fish species with one or more keeled bony plates or spines on both sides of their caudal peduncle. The dorsal fin of the fish is uninterrupted and unnotched with VI spines and 27 to 30 soft rays. Many fish species are extremely colorful.

The anal fin of the Orangespine Unicornfish is elongated, with II spines and 28 to 30 soft rays. The Orangespine Unicornfish has a lunate caudal fin and adult males build up an elongated filament from their tip of every lobe. The caudal peduncle of the fish bears two frontward-directed plates, similar to a knife. The plates down the caudal peduncle of the fish may inflict a poisonous sting. However, juvenile Orangespine Unicornfish will not have well-developed frontward-directed plates. The fish’s keeled peduncular plates are brilliant orange and it lacks any anterior bulge or horns down that temple that is seen in a few other acanthurids.

The Orangespine Unicornfish can be seen all through the Indo-Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea, except the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, east to French Polynesia and Hawaii. In the western part of the Pacific Ocean, the Orangespine Unicornfish are largely found from the Suruga Bay to the southern parts of the Great Barrier Reef. The Orangespine Unicornfish species in the Indian Ocean is recognized as a separate fish species. These are shallow-water fish species, which are largely found close to coral reefs or above rock-strewn bottoms at a depth that ranges from 16.5 feet to 99.0 feet (5 meters to 30 meters).

The Orangespine Unicornfish is an extremely amiable fish that once it is at ease, it can be trained to acknowledge foods from the hand of its keeper. A bit timid at first, this fish can be inflexible to adapt to aquarium life. In the aquarium, it is provided it with lots of space to wander and some live rock with physically developing algae and, or sun-bleached lettuce and brine shrimp to attract it to consume.

The Orangespine Unicornfish species is one among the four tangs that collectively make up 90 percent of the showy fish-export market of Hawaii. It is used as a food fish in its indigenous range, although it is rarely toxic.

Diet

In the wild, the Orangespine Unicornfish mostly feeds on plankton and benthic algae, like Sargassum, Gracilaria and Dictyota. In the aquarium, the Orangespine Unicornfish is fed with a variety of algae derived aquarium fare for its essential diet, together with some meaty foods.

The maximum lifespan of the Orangespine Unicornfish is 39 years.