Surgeonfish

Zebrasoma velifer

Blue sketch illustration of Surgeonfish
Kosher
Has fins and scales
Fins Yes
Scales Yes
Description

The sailfin tang, the Pacific sailfin tang, purple sailfinned tang or sailfin surgeonfish, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the Pacific Ocean and is popular in the aquarium hobby.

Surgeonfish are eaten in the Pacific Islands, where they and the related unicornfish are common food and bait fish.

Surgeonfishes (family Acanthuridae) live in tropical oceans worldwide, mostly around coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific. They feed and travel in schools, grazing algae off the reef.

Also known as

  • Doctor Fish
  • Doctorfish
  • Kala
  • Surgeon
  • Surgeonfishes
  • Tang
  • Unicorn Fish
  • Unicornfish
  • Unicornfishes
  • kalas
  • tangs

Kosher Surgeonfish in foreign languages

ScientificZebrasoma velifer
Hebrew נתחן מפוספס
Arabic زبرا سوما
Spanish Navajón Velero
French Chirurgien à Voile
German Östlicher Segelflossen-Doktorfisch
Chinese 橫帶高鰭刺尾鯛
Japanese ヒレナガハギ
Indonesian Ikan keranjang bali
Warnings & Kosher Issues
  • Kosher. Surgeonfish are ray-finned fish with fins and scales.
  • Each side of the tail base carries a dangerously sharp, scalpel-like spine that can seriously injure anyone handling the fish.
  • As reef grazers, surgeonfish can carry ciguatera toxin in tropical waters.