Yellow Tang

The yellow tang, belonging to the surgeonfish family, is a saltwater fish indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. Edward Turner Bennett, an English naturalist, described it for the first time in the year 1828 as Acanthurus flavescens. Its species name flavescens stands for yellow in Latin. Bright and enticing, it has gained immense popularity among fish hobbyists, also appearing in the popular animated series Finding Nemo as Bubbles.

Quick Information

Scientific Name	Zebrasoma flavescens
Other Names	Yellow surgeonfish, lemon surgeonfish
Origin	Hawaiian Islands (Pacific Ocean belt in the western and eastern  parts of Hawaii and Japan respectively)
Type	Saltwater fish
Conservation Status	Least Concern (by the IUCN)
Behavioral Characteristics	Lively, active, but aggressive, often displaying territorial and bullying behavior
School Size	3 – 5
Physical Traits	Narrow, oval-shaped body; long snout; big dorsal fin (having 4 – 5 spines); anal fin (with 3 spines); white, razor shaped scalpel near its tail
Scales	Small and tightly packed, giving the fish a velvety appearance
Colors	During the day it has a bright yellow body with a white blade-like structure on its tail; at night the color slightly fades, and they attain a brownish patch at the center alongside a white stripe or band on their tail fin
Size (How big do they get)	Big; 8 inches (20 cm) long; 0.39 – 0.70 inches (1 – 2 cm) thick
Growth Rate	One to four inches as juveniles, which slows down with maturity
Lifespan	About 10 years
Sexual Dimorphism	Slightly present; Males: Large, exhibiting a shimmering behavior while mating; Females: Smaller, not displaying any shimmering behavior
Probable Diseases	Ich, and head and lateral line erosion disease
Approximate Price	$100 – 150

Tank Setup & Care Sheet Details

Care Level	Beginner
Tank Size	55 gallons (208 liters) for a single tang; 100 – 120 gallons (379 – 454 liters) for pairs; 300 gallons (1136 liters) for larger groups

Water Parameters

pH Level	8.1 – 8.4
Temperature	75 – 82° F (24 – 28°C)
Hardness	8 – 12 dGH
Aquarium  Water Flow	Moderate to strong

Tank Ambience

Lighting	Moderate
Substrate Type	Live rocks, and cavities to help them hide
Tank Mates	Compatible with: Certain tang species like orange shoulder tang, kole tang, and regal tang, as well as the coral beauty Incompatible with: Aggressive fishes like gourami, tiger barb and angelfish; certain fishes like copper band butterfly, as well as a tang species like the blue tang, purple tang, and yellow sailfin tang with whom they may have compatibility issues
Suitable Position in the Tank	Middle to bottom

Feeding

Diet	Algae, dried or roasted seaweed (nori), flakes, and vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce, and zucchini as they are herbivores; carnivorous diet of dried shrimps and other meat-based products are also given
Frequency	2 – 3 times a day

Important Things to Know for Fish Keepers

• The yellow tang could sometimes lose its bright color and turn whitish or a little pale either when stressed or startled or due to a lack of a sufficient amount of vegetables in their diet.
• It could develop brown spots on one or both sides of its body, especially if new to the tank, due to stress, improper water conditions, or bacterial infections. Try to alter your tank setup by adding more substrates for it to hide and also check the water levels. Consult a fish veterinarian if the problem persists.
• If your tang stops eating suddenly, it could be because of stress, or disinterest in the food given to it. Some people have attained positive results by adding vegetables to their diet and also providing them nori soaked in garlic.

FAQs