Naso unicornis

(Forsskal, 1775)

Bluespine Unicornfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea and East Africa to Tuamotu, Hawaiian, and Marquesan Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to Lord Howe and Rapa Islands.

Size: 28 inches (70 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits channels, lagoons and seaward reefs with strong surge action and usually found at depths between 3 - 600 feet (1 - 180 m) where it feeds mainly on leafy brown algae (Sargassum) and minor amounts of zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade having a pale greyish blue body, a hornlike forehead, and its spines in the caudal peduncle highlighted in blue.

Best maintained in well-established reef or fish-only aquariums having wide-open swimming areas as those in this genus are mid water swimmers, and preferably with copious amounts of microalgae. Tankmates should be non-fin-nipping, peaceful species.

Requires a varied vegetable diet, including Spirulina, zucchini, broccoli, dried seaweed (Nori), and enriched vegetable flakes, and also some frozen meaty foods for planktivores, and requires three or four feedings per day.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Acanthuroidei

Family: Acanthuridae

Genus: Naso

FYI: One per tank.

Has a sharp forward pointing spine on each side of the caudal peduncle, which is fixed in an outward position, i.e., does not fold into a groove, as with other species in this family. Can cause damage to the hands of its keeper if handled carelessly and its best not to net this species, simply use a large clear plastic container to capture it when transferring it to another aquarium.

May quarrel with other species in its genus.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Herbivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 350 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.025

pH: 8.0 - 8.5