achilles tang
Acanthurus achilles
Almost black surgeonfish of clean, shallow reefs in the eastern Pacific, with a spine on the tail stalk that can be venomous. It is hardly ever caught on rod.
Also called: cirurgião-preto, cirujano encendido, achilles tang
- maximum
- 24 cm
- depth
- 0–4 m
who is the achilles tang
Fish of the surgeonfish family (Acanthuridae), with a short, tall, flattened body, reaching 24 cm. In the Americas, it occurs at the far southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, and on nearby oceanic islands; outside the region, it ranges from the western Pacific to Hawaii. It lives on clean coastal reefs, in groups, generally from 0 to 4 m deep. It feeds on fine, filamentous algae. Adults have a large orange spot near the tail, which juveniles lack. Like all surgeonfish, it has a movable spine on the tail stalk. In fishing it hardly ever appears on rod. It is sold for aquariums.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the achilles tang; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Sometimes hybridizes with another species of the same genus, Acanthurus nigricans.
identification
Almost black, with a short, tall body, an elongated snout and a small mouth. It has a pale blue ring on the chin and a spot of the same color on the gill cover, next to the gill opening. The dorsal fin has a soft part with a longer base than the spiny part. Adults show a large orange spot near the tail.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In the Americas, only in Mexico: the far southern tip of Baja California and nearby oceanic islands. The species also occurs in the western and central Pacific, as far as Hawaii.
Habitat: Clean, shallow coastal reefs, at 0 to 4 m in the usual range.
rules for the achilles tang
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The movable spine on the tail stalk can be venomous and cause a wound. Handle it with care and avoid touching that area.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02291, b = 2.96; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Acanthurus achilles (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Acanthurus achillesNames by country and language.
