Regal Tang

All these animals are my children, so you'd think I shouldn't have favourites, but I do. The same can be said for me having "less favourites", and the Regal Tang or Paracanthurus hepatus (for those of us who want to say that out-loud in a room full of people and feel smart), falls into that category. "WOAH! WAIT! WHY?!" you may cry, because they are some beautiful fish. I've learnt to bite my tongue when people express how beautiful these fish are, they are even my Nan's favourite. But these fish are bullies. I've observed this over time.

I can't deny that with their vibrant blue, and striking yellow tail that these are beautiful fish, they are. And Dory was the best thing about Finding Nemo, but it doesn't make amends for the temperament of these fish. Some fish are really easy-going-get-along-with-everyone-and-bumble-about fish and they are my favourite. Other fish can be possessive and protective of their space and their territory, and these fish needed this obviously to survive so I don't want you to think I am having a go at these fish, they're just not my kind of fish, you know?

Regal Tangs are a type of surgeonfish, there are 80 different species of surgeonfish. These fish are characterised by their sharp "scalpel-like spines" (Hence "Surgeon"fish), the regal tang has these razor sharp spines on each side by the base of their tail.

OW! That can cut you like a knife.

Not the information you were looking for? Try fishbase.org