Siganus sutor

Wild siganids have diurnal schooling behavior and feed in shallow water habitats. They inhabit in inshore areas, particularly in seagrass beds and coral reefs (when they are adults). The depth range of the living habitat is from 1m to 50m, but usually from 1m to 12 m. When S. sutor is threatened, it will raise its dorsal fin for protection. Also, S. sutor returns to the same offshore coral patch reef aggregation site to spawn on subsequent full moons, migrating at most 3.3km from fishing grounds closer to shore. Siganus sutor is an herbivore, which feeds mainly on macro-algae. It is a diurnal feeder, but it is often seen out in the open sea on night dives off the Tanzanian coast. The maximum reported age for Signaus sutor was 3 years old. The color patterns of the fish extend to the fins. During the daytime, the body of the S. sutor is usually a silver color with white spots. Sometimes there would be blue spots within the white spots. During night time, the fish has a mottled green or grey color. Siganus sutor has the ability to immediately change between these two color patterns. The spines of the Siganids are slender, pungent and poisonous. Poision glands in the spines can cause great pain but are unlikely to be fatal to a healthy adult. S. sutor has a total of 13-14 dorsal spines, 10 dorsal soft rays, 7 anal spines, 9-10 anal soft rays and 23 vertebraes. Long flap of anterior nostril shortens as the fish ages.