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The Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus) is a very popular fish with divers and aquarium enthusiasts as a result of its unusual shape and colour pattern. It is a tropical fish species that can be found in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region and is known to occur from East Africa to Ducie Islands, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands and across to southern California and Peru. In Australia it can be found along the entire section of the Great Barrier Reef and juveniles can be found as far south as Jervis Bay in southern New South Wales. This species often forms aggregations on coral and rocky reefs and they are generally found in groups; juveniles however can be solitary. It has a small tubular snout with a small mouth that it uses to feed on small encrusting animals. The body is coloured yellow, black and white with a long white filamentous whip like dorsal fin. The Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus) grows to a maximum length of approximately 22cm.
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