Inhabits coral reefs, inshore grassy or rocky areas. Mainly diurnal. Feeds entirely on algae (Ref. 5521). Herbivore (Ref. 33499, 57616). Cleaned by Pederson's cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes pedersoni), scarlet striped cleaner shrimp (Lysmata grabhami), goby Gobiosoma evelynae, hogfish (Bodianus rufus), and wrasse (Thalassoma trifasciatum) as observed on the coral reefs in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (Ref. 36810). Also cleaned by Thalassoma noronhanum observed at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago off northeastern Brazil (Ref. 36301), by Elacatinus figaro observed off the coast of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil (Ref. 40102), and by Pomacanthus paru observed at the reefs of the Abrolhos Archipelago, off eastern Brazil (Ref. 40094).Strong preference for red and green algae, with the rhodophytes comprising 93% of the food items examined (Ref. 55789). Roving herbivore (Ref. 57616).