Species guide
How to catch Epaulette surgeonfish
Acanthurus nigricauda
brackishsaltwaterAcanthuridae
The Epaulette surgeonfish is a short, deep-bodied fish found mainly over sandy bottoms in bays and lagoons. Unlike many surgeonfish, it favors clear lagoons and seaward reefs near isolated coral heads. It is herbivorous, using a muscular stomach to graze on algae and other organic matter.
Where they live
Found in brackish and saltwater environments throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans, typically near sandy bottoms of bays and lagoons up to 30 meters deep.
Typical size
Up to about 45 cm
What they eat
- filamentous microalgae
- organic matter
- small crustaceans
- small mollusks
- coral fragments
- foraminifera
Best baits
- seaweed
- algae-based bait
Best lures
- soft plastic lures resembling small algae clumps
- small reef fish imitations
How to fish for them
- light bottom fishing
- casting near reef edges
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