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Is Doctorfish kosher?

Yes — Doctorfish is kosher under Jewish dietary law.

Doctorfish has fins and scales, which are the two requirements for kosher fish under Jewish dietary law (Leviticus 11:9-12).

Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus)

Image: Photo by Brian Gratwicke · licensed CC BY 2.0 · source

Scientific name
Acanthurus chirurgus
Also known as
Doctorfish Tang, Lancetfish
Habitat
Western Atlantic, Caribbean coral reefs
Kosher status
Kosher

About Doctorfish

See: Surgeonfishes The doctorfish tang (Acanthurus chirurgus), also known as the doctorfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. These fishes are found in the western Atlantic Ocean. The doctorfish tang (Acanthurus chirurgus), also known as the doctorfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. These fishes are found in the western Atlantic Ocean. Taxonomy The doctorfish tang was first formally described as Chaetodon chirurgus in 1787 by the German physician and naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch with its type locality given as Martinique. The genus Acanthurus is one of two genera in the tribe Acanthurini which is one of three tribes in the subfamily Acanthurinae which is one of two subfamilies in the family Acanthuridae. Etymology The doctorfish tang has the specific name chirurgus, meaning "surgeon", an allusion to the sharp scalpel-like spines on caudal peduncle, these also gave rise to the common names surgeonfish and doctorfish. Description The doctorfish tang reaches a maximum size of 39 centimetres (15 in) and 5.1 kilograms (11 lb). Acanthurus chirurgus gets its common name for the structures called "scalpels", which are found on either side of the caudal peduncle. The "scalpel" is used during fights with other doctorfish and as a defense mechanism against...

Source: kosherfish.co/kosher-fish-list (snapshot 2025-12-19); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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