Scott W. Michael
Certain fish families make an impact on anyone that walks into an aquarium store carrying marine fish. There are the angelfishes, with their bright colors and elegant lines; the lionfishes, with their elaborate plumage and bold patterns; and the morays, with their menacing "smiles." The surgeonfishes (family Acanthuridae) are another group of fish that are staples in the marine fish trade. It is normally the coloration that first catches the eye. They also tend to be larger, laterally compressed (flattened from side-to-side) and at least some have large, sail-like fins. They are impressive animals that can make a striking addition to our captive oceans.
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