The novice aquarist is advised not to attempt to keep this species until he has had several months’ experience with less difficult members of the genus.

Powder-blue Surgeonfishes do not have a wide range and are most common in the Indo-Pacific. The species travels rather badly and, when selecting a specimen, greater than normal care should be taken to insure that the fish is completely unmarked. In addition, the areas around the head and chest should be an enamel white colour and any fish which is a dirty grey or off-white colour in this region should be studiously ignored. The dorsal fin of a healthy Powder-blue Surgeonfish will usually be slightly erected; a fin clamped to the body indicates disease and a stiffly erected fin shows that the fish has recently been badly shocked.