Yellow Tang : Care And Requirements Of The Yellow Tang
92Yellow Tang Adult
Yellow Tang Overview
Scientific Name : Zebrasoma Flavescens
Origin : Hawaii, Marshall islands, Pacific ocean
Difficulty : Medium
Minimum Size Tank :100 gallons
Temperature : 72 - 82°F
Reef Safe : Yes
Maximum Size : 8 Inches
Diet : Herbivore
When it comes to popularity, the marine hobby has roughly 5 fishes that are at the top of the list. They are the percula clownfish (both ocellaris and percula), Yellow Tang, the Blue Tang, Flame Angelfish and the Royal Gramma.
The yellow tang shares the title of "most popular Surgeonfish" with the blue tang. Its image sees heavy use in advertisements within the marine trade. If i had to rank the 5 fishes in order of popularity i'd rank the yellow tang 2nd behind the percula clown.
A Huge shoal of yellow tangs off the coast of Kona, hawaii.
It possesses only a single color, but that color is enough make it one of the most stunning tangs in the market today. The yellow tang is fully covered from head to tail with a pastel-like bright yellow. It has no other markings other than a small white blade on its tail which is only used during fighting.
The yellow tang is endemic to Hawaii and its surrounding islands where they form huge shoals. They are a common fish and with their schooling behavior usually witnessed by divers in the area. While the yellow tang can be hardy once past acclimation, they, like most surgeonfish, are susceptible to marine ich and lateral line erosion. This species is heavily collected for the trade. They're common nature means they do not cost as much as more uncommon tangs in the market like the Sohal Tang or the Achilles Tang. Juveniles usually go for as little as $30 while adults range between $60 to $80 per specimen.
Yellow and Blue Tang
Yellow Tang : Temperament
For a large fish the yellow tang is quite peaceful with other species of fish, making them ideal candidates for a wide range of tank setups. As usual, any hostility this fish may have is reserved for other members of the surgeonfish clan. Especially when dealing with other yellow tangs. However, large enough aquarium can house multiple yellow tangs. Just as long as there is enough breathing space for them all.
Their shoaling behavior in the wild can be witnessed in captivity as well. They like to play "follow the leader" where they all follow a designated yellow tang to either ends of the tank. If you're planning on keeping more than one yellow tang always make sure you introduce them all at the same time. Putting one in with another established one will always bring about aggression between the two.
A yellow tang in a tank that is way too small. 24 gallons.
Yellow Tang in a 180 gallon community tank
Yellow Tang : Tank Size
Yellow tangs reach lengths of up to 8 inches.Pretty big fish. They need a 100 gallon tank if you plan on keeping them until adulthood but something like a 150 gallon or larger would be better.
As they are heavily collected, there will be times when tiny specimens as small as 2 inches are available. Resist the temptation to buy these juveniles if you have a tank smaller than the minimum requirement stated above. They will outgrow something like a 50 gallon with ease.
Yellow tangs aren't shy by any means, in fact they are an "open" swimming species that require a lot of swimming space. Every night they will find a spot to bed down in so make sure is enough live rock to provide such shelters.
Note the first video on the right, thats a yellow tang in a 24 gallon. The owner is either housing the tang there temporarily or he/she did not plan ahead.
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Yellow Tang : Diet
The yellow tang is a schooling fish. In the wild they form large shoals where they cruise the reef grazing on algae along the way. Great news for those with corals, they are completely reef safe. Despite the fact that they're primarily herbivores in the wild, they are open to just about anything offered once acclimated. Krill, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, pellets, they take them all.
Seeing as how algae makes up a large part of their diets in the wild, they should be getting large amounts of algae based foods in our tanks as well. Nori is a good form of algae to feed tangs. Price will vary depending on the brand you choose. Some people may find Julian Sprungs Sea Veggies to cost a little too much. Good quality stuff though. They come in flake form too, making feedings very convenient.
Thankfully there are many other brands that produce nori primarily for human consumption. Some are cheap while the really high quality sheets can be very expensive. You will need a clip of some sort to secure the nori sheet. You can buy a commercial type of fashion one up yourself. Some people fold the sheets before clipping while others just clip it as is. Use the suction cup to attach it to your aquarium and you're done, you can enjoy the show.
Formula two is a good quality algae based mix for herbivores. It has an extra amount of algae in it along with a good mix of seafood, trace minerals, vitamins and more. It is available as a flake food, pellet or frozen cube. The best flake food for the yellow tang would be Sea Veggie mixed flakes followed by formula two flakes. It you're looking a great all rounder with balanced ingredients then you can't go wrong with New Life Spectrum pellets.
Never feed your tangs lettuce. I see this happening mainly in pet stores, probably trying to save a buck or two. Lettuce doesn't have a place in this hobby as nutritionally its rubbish.
A rare look at two yellow tangs courting in captivity.
Yellow Tang : Breeding
The yellow tang is a pelagic spawner. The male and the female will release sperm and eggs into the water column after a courting ritual, much like angelfish.
They have not been bred in captvity to date and its looking like a very difficult endeavour even for large scale breeding facilities.
 | Published in 2002, this book remains the authority on tangs and surgeonfish around the world. Covers all 80 species. Amazon Price: $16.14 List Price: $18.95 |
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coool fish @#$%^&*()++_)(*&^%$##@!
yomiara romero said this okay watch nice stuff helped me alot on my report
i was very sad when my angel fish died
Beautiful fish. I had so many that are no loner around and something like this article could have helped things! Knowledge is power...
Totally agree compu-smart, they are truly beautiful fish. Thanks for dropping by :)
my yelllow tang i bought always dies
HOW???
Thanks for the information on the yellow tang. Apart from him being one of my favourite marine fish, I alway's think that a yellow fish in either Marine or freshwater aquarium add that little something extra to the aquarium.
I first introduced a regal tang (blue) as a juvenile into the aquarium. He spent most of his time hiding in caves, shadows and tunnels. However when I introduced a yellow tang into the aquarium they became firm friends. The regal tang (blue) became much bolder and was noticeably out in the open most of the day.
After a few months the yellow tang died. I half expected this as he had what I call "The mark of death" This is a hollowing or narrowing of the upper back area just behind the head. It has been my experience with not only marines but also fresh water tropical's. If they have this hollowing of the back they will die much sooner than later.
Anyway once again the blue or regal tang started to become more elusive hiding most of the day in the tunnels and caves in the aquarium. Some children came round with friends, They asked me why does Dorrie (The regal tang) keep hiding in the caves, then dashing out into another cave. I did not want to tell them she was missing her deceased friend. So I told them she had lost her mobile (cell) phone and she was looking for it. That brought a smile to their faces.
So I took a trip to the aquarium shop to try and purchase another Yellow Tang. As the couple of yellow tangs had slightly hollow backs I looked around for another yellow fish. I bought a very healthy looking Foxface Lo, also known as the Foxface Rabbitfish.
As soon as I introduced him to the aquarium the blue tang and he spent several day's sparring up to one another showing slight signs of aggression. However after a week they settled down and follow one another around the tank like the best of buddies.
If I should need to buy another yellow tang at some stage the information you provided will hopefully be of great help.
With regards to a yellow fish in a freshwater tropical aquarium. I found the Electric yellow Labidochromis, even though a rift lake cichlids his striking colours and docile temperament, mean that a single one (NO More than one) in a freshwater community (Amazon) aquarium really makes the colours of the other fish, plants and background stand out.
I kept one for years. He got on with the other tank inhabitants and plants fine. The lower PH than what he was used to never seemed detrimental to him.
Regards
Peter (aquaman)
i hate to see that tang in the 24 gallon its like keeping a puppy in a tiny cage :((((((
me to i know
Fantastic hub and pics. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for visiting Granny;s House :)
I have three tangs a yellow, purple, and something called a kole tang. I have had them for about three weeks and they are doing great, i feed them zuchini mostly, but my roomate fed them cheetos and they seem to like that. They are really cool.
I dont think that this article is right though. I have my three tangs in a 15 gallon tank and they fit just fine. They do fight some, but other than that they are pretty cool. I think i might get a blue one too, but the guy at my local fish store said that since i only have a 15 gallon tank that i would need to get a cannister filter if I wanted to put another tang in my tank.
I looked at some other fish and think i might get a puffer fish, a triger fish or a mandarin fish instead so i dont have to get a filter. I might just get a fourth tang however as my hang on the back filter has two pads so i bet it is good enough.
Oh i was wondering is it true that lionfish are venomous? Cause they are really cool. I wonder if i got the little mandarin if i could put a lionfish in the tank? Thats almost 3 gallons of water per fish so they have plenty of room to swim around.
@Mike - Lionfish are venemous, its their spines actually. While not fatal, i hear they hurt like hell. As for the space requirements of the tang, i have to disagree with you. A 15g is tiny, thats like 2x1x1 or something right? I'd like to invite you to go here :- www.reefcentral.com and get some opinions on the topic. There are far better qualified people there that can answer all your questions. Thanks for dropping by Mike.
lovley
Really! you want to add a 4th tang to your 15gal tank
and you thing 3 gal per fish is fine.
you truly have no buisness keeping marine fish.
Educate your self please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you walk into a fish store you will see that most fish are housed in 10 to 20 gallons some fish are keep there for months and survive but the is usually one or to fish per tank, the reason I say this is usually take longer growing time in smaller tank. Also the other point is think how much live rock you place in a 210 gallon tank how much room do you think you got?
@ Mike
I thought this was a joke post. Seriously. I thought someone was actually mocking people who overstock fish tanks. Cheeto's??
I'm still pretty new to the hobby but at least i did 1 google search online before stuffing tons of fish into a tiny tank. 15 gallons for a trigger? 4 Tangs? Puffers? Some of these fish will grow to be almost a foot! If you want these fish you should be looking at a 100+ gallon tank. the Mandarin will need a large live food supply which = tons of live rock.
Your LFS should be ashamed for letting you do this.
go to live aquaria and read some fish profiles, there are lots of pretty nano fish that would be happy in your 15 gallon
My Yellow Tany began eating my Feather Dusters...so not like a Tany! What do you all think the problem is???
please help my yellow tang has been wonderful and healthy hes in a 75 gallon tank with a niger trigger a percula clown and 2 green chromis his face looks almost attacked or peeling its sudden and the only thing thats has changed is we added some new zoos and a bubblegum mushroom any ideas? waters perfect any help welcomed thanks
Clueless - Sorry to hear about that. Peeling? Like how? Are there pieces of loose and tattered skin around it? It is being attacked by anything?
MY YELLOW TANG SWIMS IN CIRCLES WHATS WRONG WITH IT
I have a 29 gallon freshwater tank, it is a long 29 gal., and have 4 angelfish, and 1 guppy in it, they live in my tank, I feed regularly, and do water changes when I have time (on weekends), the type of angels are 1gold pearl scale, 1 marble, 1 leopard, 1 ghost, they are amazing!
Now on to my saltwater 29 gallon fish tank, it is a 29 gallon regular tank, I have 4 blue legged hermet crabs and 6 live/base rock, I also put a yellow tang on hold at my local fish store, it is about a half dollar size (as in the coin), i am planing on getting some other fish, but not sure what, any ideas? I might get 2 percula clowns and something else. Any ideas? Thanks!!!
Jadon here, I got my yellow tang today and he keeps acting like somethings following him or trying to get something off of him, what's wrong, and what should I do?
Most of the people doing posts here have a tremendous amount of learning to do. It is hard to beleive that so many will post such crazy ideas when it is olbious they have access to the internet for research. Many of you should start doing some research before you start buying fish like the Yellow Tang. Not buying then posting that is what you have, it makes you look bad. It makes people that you could get good advice from avoid you. My advise is to do a lot of reading, then ask questions, then maybe go forward from there.
@Guess - While you may be right, we all went through this process. Its the knowledge that bridges the gap between the common 10 gallon aquarium with 20 goldfish and the 100 gallon reef that has at most 5 fishes. I feel its all about spreading the right message in the right manner.
candy 2 years ago
i have a yellow tank @#%*(__****