# Where Do Blue Tangs Live?

> Where blue tangs live: Indo-Pacific coral reefs, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Least Concern.

- **Species:** Blue Tang (*Paracanthurus hepatus*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Omnivore (mostly algae)
- **Habitat:** Indo-Pacific coral reefs
- **Lifespan:** Up to about 20 years
- **Top speed:** Fast, agile reef swimmer
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-tang/where-do-blue-tang-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-tang/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The blue tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) is a vivid royal-blue reef fish with black markings and a bright yellow tail, best known as the character Dory from Finding Nemo. It lives on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific, where it grazes mainly on algae. Growing to about 30 cm long and weighing up to 0.6 kg, it is a fast, agile swimmer that darts among coral for shelter. Blue tangs can live up to around 20 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Appearance and colour

The blue tang is one of the most recognisable reef fish, with an oval, flattened body painted in brilliant royal blue, a bold black pattern often described as a painter's palette, and a striking yellow tail. Its colour can shift with mood and time of day, deepening or fading depending on the fish's condition and stress level. Juveniles start out bright yellow and gradually gain the blue adult colouring as they grow. This eye-catching pattern has made the species a favourite in aquariums and a star of the cinema screen.

## Help protect the Blue Tang

Ocean wildlife is under mounting pressure from overfishing, bycatch and plastic pollution.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/blue-tang/where-do-blue-tang-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.