Bluebanded surgeonfishes get their name from a blade like spine by their tail. The spine is used for protecting itself.  It blade can cut a careless fisherman on the hand easily.  The spine is located on one of the surgeonfish's blue stripes.  Bluebanded surgeonfish are located in clear shallow water that get little waves.  They are in small groups and are common around the seaward reef margin.  In the groups there are more males than females.  The males guard the school of surgeonfish.  Bluebanded surgeonfish eat algae from a dead coral or rock.  They are more aggressive of other surgeonfish, and they defend a patch of reef from them.