What kind of fish is Dory? Everything to know about the fish from ‘Finding Nemo.’
Pixar’s newest movie “Lightyear,” the spin off from “Toy Story” all about the storyline of Buzz Lightyear, hit theaters in the summer of 2022. The film, which features Marvel’s Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz Lightyear, is the latest Pixar release.
Pixar, which released 26 films since 1995 including “The Incredibles,” “Cars” and “Ratatouille,” has featured countless recognizable characters. One such iconic character is the small blue fish with a short memory, Dory from “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory.”
If you have ever wondered what kind of fish Dory is, where in the ocean she lives and what food she eats, we have the answers for you.
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What kind of fish is Dory?
Dory, the small blue fish with a bad memory from the “Finding Nemo” franchise, is a blue tang, or a Paracanthurus hepatus in scientific terms. Native to the Indo-Pacific and found in coral reefs, these fish weigh around one pound and are generally 10 to 12 inches long, according to National Geographic.
While these fish are typically found in the ocean, they can also be purchased at pet stores such as PetCo. When in captivity, blue tangs can live up to 20 years, according to National Geographic.
Like Dory in the movies, real life blue tangs are known for their vibrant blue and yellow colors. However, as these fish age, their coloring changes. Young blue tangs typically have bright yellow colors, while older fish show deeper blues and “violets as a sign of stress,” according to National Geographic.
Blue tangs are omnivores, meaning they can eat meat and plants. According to National Geographic, these fish eat plankton. They also use their sharp teeth to scrape and eat algae from coral reefs. The bulk of the blue tang’s diet, however, comes from algae.
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Is the Dory fish going extinct?
According to National Geographic, while these small fish are listed as “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, they do face threats to their survival.
Experts believed approximately 250,000 “Dory” fish were taken from the ocean each year, prior to 2016, because they were unable to be bred in captivity. Today, the species can be bred in captivity, helping to reduce exploitation of the “Dory fish,” according to National Geographic.
A challenge blue tangs continue to face, however, is habitat loss due to coral bleaching and ocean acidification, according to National Geographic.
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