Surgeonfish
An Ornately Colorful Reef Fish
The beautiful and abundant surgeonfish encompasses about 75 species of reef-dwellers, commonly called tangs, unicornfish, and doctorfish. These tropical marine fish are members of the ancient Acanthuridae family and derive their name from sharp spines on both sides of their tail base, which resemble a surgeon’s scalpel. You can easily recognize these brightly colored marine fish by their relatively small mouths, oblong-shaped bodies, extended dorsal fins, and unique, intricate markings.
You will find surgeonfish swimming around coral reefs in tropical seas all over the world. The ornate markings that make them a favorite sighting amongst divers is also why they are one of the most popular aquarium fish. Surgeonfish are usually fairly small with a maximum length of 15-40 cm (6-15.5 in); however, some species can grow larger. To see where you can go diving with surgeonfish, explore the dive site map below.
Dive sites with this animal Show more on map
★★★★☆ Villingilli Thila
Small Thila directly on the island of Villingilli on the offshore plateau in the direction of the channel between Raa and Baa Atoll. Usually a jump into the blue water east of the Thila above the plateau at the edge for approx. Let drift along 30m towards Thila and then slowly climb up the Thila. Current !!!!
★★★★☆ Kudathulhaadhoo Caves
Drift dive along Kudathulhaadhoo Island. Large overhang with soft corals in the west, caves in the middle, and a small bay and the tip in the east is full of fish
★★★★☆ Kinolhas Kandu
Drift dive with the current flowing from the western tip of Kinohlas along the north side towards the small Thila. Lots of fish on the top of the reef, some really nice little overhangs deeper. Experienced divers dive to the thila, beginners stay over the overhangs and slowly ascend the Sandy Slope
★★★★☆ Huraa Etere
An easy dive site which is ideal for open water dives 3 and 4 OWD, but also offers nice macro stuff. You can find them at the mini wreck or the cargo that lies around the hull on the ground (16-19m). A little further out west (20m) we find a small thila.
★★★★★ Aarah Kuda Thila
A small reef with many different types of colorful coral. The reef roof is at a height of 6m and has a diameter of approx. 20m, at a depth of 25m it should be approx. 50m. On the west side an overhang with soft corals, further deeper a gap with giant moray eels and cleaner shrimp.
★★★★★ Maroshi Thila
This dive site in the north of the Maldives is a pinnacle starting at 16m with overhangs and canyons. Here you will enjoy great fish life and lots of colorful soft corals.