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Blue Tang

Acanthurus coeruleus

Fish · family Acanthuridae · order Acanthuriformes

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Blue Tang
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
Native in
1 state[2]

The Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) is a fish in the family Acanthuridae[3]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe lists it as native in South Carolina[1][2].

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe for the Blue Tang is Least concern[4]. USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30 show it is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a legal fact about the list. It does not tell us how many fish there are.

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[4] Least concern

Where Blue Tang lives

NatureServe lists the Blue Tang as native in 1 US state or territory, which is South Carolina[2]. The state conservation rank there is SU[5]. People also report this fish in other states[6]. GBIF has the most records from Florida, Texas, North Carolina, New York and Massachusetts[6]. Those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many fish live there[6].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SUSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[5].
Show state ranks (1 states)
StateRankMeaning
South CarolinaSUUnrankable

When to look for it

Most GBIF records of the Blue Tang in the United States fall in June, July and August[7]. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[7]. Records in other months are lower[7].

January: 52 recordsJanFebruary: 40 recordsFebMarch: 79 recordsMarApril: 190 recordsAprMay: 5,420 recordsMayJune: 14,911 recordsJunJuly: 8,916 recordsJulAugust: 11,744 recordsAugSeptember: 7,657 recordsSepOctober: 1,922 recordsOctNovember: 1,460 recordsNovDecember: 260 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[7].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January52
February40
March79
April190
May5,420
June14,911
July8,916
August11,744
September7,657
October1,922
November1,460
December260

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Blue Tang as present in 3 park units[8]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, Texas, North Carolina, New York, Massachusetts[6]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Blue Tang endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe records its IUCN category as Least concern[4].
Where does the Blue Tang live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in South Carolina[2]. GBIF has the most records from Florida, Texas, North Carolina, New York and Massachusetts, but those counts follow observer effort[6].
When are Blue Tangs reported most often?
GBIF records peak in June, July and August[7]. That shows when people report them, not how many fish there are[7].
Is the Blue Tang found in national parks?
National Park Service species lists record it as present in 3 park units[8].

Facts and sources

  1. Blue Tang is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe lists Blue Tang as native in 1 US state or territory: South Carolina. NatureServe Explorer
  3. Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) is a fish in the family Acanthuridae, order Acanthuriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  4. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe state ranks for Blue Tang (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  6. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Blue Tang: Florida, Texas, North Carolina, New York, Massachusetts. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  7. GBIF observation records of Blue Tang in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  8. NPSpecies park lists recording Blue Tang as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.