410:, and may damage coral within a reef tank. Male and female yellow tang look very similar. When mating, however, males change color and have a "shimmering" behavior which makes them identifiable. The yellow tang has 5 dorsal spines along with 23–26 dorsal soft rays. The yellow tang also has 3 anal spines as well as 19–22 anal soft rays. There is a white spine on its caudal peduncle that it can use for defense. Its snout is moderately protruding. Its mouth is small with spatulate teeth that are place classed relatively close together inside of the yellow tang's mouth. In juveniles, there are 12 upper and 14 lower teeth. In adults, there are 18 upper and 22 lower teeth.
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463:. There have also been reports that they have been found off the coast of Florida in the Western Central Atlantic. A single specimen was filmed in the Mediterranean Sea in spanish waters in 2008, a likely aquarium release. As of July of 2024, yellow tangs have been spotted several times on the shallow reefs of Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
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Adult fish can grow to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length, and 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) in thickness. Adult males tend to be larger than females. Yellow tangs are bright yellow in color. At night, the yellow coloring fades slightly, and a prominent brownish patch develops in the middle
518:
fish. In 2015, researchers successfully bred them in captivity. Captive-bred yellow tangs are now routinely available for purchase at fish stores and online vendors. They can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) in the wild, but are introduced to aquariums in the 2-to-4-inch (5.1 to 10.2 cm) range.
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at a distant location. This finding demonstrated that fish populations can be connected to distant locations through the process of larval drift. They investigated the yellow tang, because larva of this species stay in the general area of the reef in which they first settle. The tropical yellow tang
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Spawning happens throughout the year, and it peaks once. Spawning normally happens around the time the moon is full, so this suggests there is some sort of lunar periodicity going on. Spawning happens in pairs or groups, and fertilization is external. Eggs are left in open water and yellow tang are
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trade. By the late 1990s, their stocks were collapsing. Nine MPAs were established off the coast of Hawaii to protect them. Larval drift has helped them establish themselves in different locations, and the fishery is recovering. "We've clearly shown that fish larvae that were spawned inside marine
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that is caused by humans. Examples of habitat destruction caused by humans are pollution that started on land and flows into the water, physical damage and destruction from harmful fishing practices, as well as overfishing, coral harvesting, and snorkeling, which can potentially cause reef damage.
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Conservation status is labelled as least concern, but there are many ways yellow tang are being protected. The most prominent is that yellow tangs are being bred in captivity for aquarium use now more than they were, so collecting yellow tang from the ocean has decreased sharply. This allows wild
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turf algae and other marine plant material. In captivity, they are commonly fed meat/fish-based aquarium food, but the long-term health effects of this diet are questionable. However, most experts in the marine aquarium industry express little scepticism that such a well rounded and balanced diet
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Their habitat is tropical with a temperature range of 24–28 °C (75–82 °F). Hawaii was the most common place for aquarium harvesting, prior to the export ban, where up to 70% of the yellow tangs for the aquarium industry were sourced from. Over 70% of the yellow tang's natural range is
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including plant and animal material would be in any way detrimental to mostly herbivorous fishes like tangs since they still need on occasion, complex amino acids and nutrients that only ocean animals can provide. In the wild, yellow tangs provide
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fish. It is bright yellow in color, and it lives in reefs. The yellow tang spawn around a full moon. The yellow tang eats algae. The yellow tang has a white barb, located just before the tail fin, to protect itself.
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Prior to
January 2021, yellow tangs were commonly selling for around $ 65 to $ 70 in the US. However, after a collection ban in Hawaii, the prices have more than quadrupled to over $ 400.
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The yellow tang is a marine fish that lives in reefs. The yellow tang is found by itself or in very small groups/schools. The yellow tang is mainly herbivorous and eats filamentous algae.
1090:
Claisse JT, McTee SA, Parrish JD (March 2009). "Effects of age, size, and density on natural survival for an important coral reef fishery species, yellow tang, Zebrasoma flavescens".
1066:"Yellow tangs finally captive bred by the Oceanic Institute Captive bred, Hawaii, News, Places, Saltwater Fish, Surgeonfish, United States, yellow tang Reef Builders"
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683:"Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 2): Families EPHIPPIDAE, LEIOGNATHIDAE, SCATOPHAGIDAE, ANTIGONIIDAE, SIGANIDAE, CAPROIDAE, LUVARIDAE, ZANCLIDAE and ACANTHURIDAE"
251:
1543:
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707:
Radu C. Guiasu and
Richard Winterbottom (1993). "Osteological Evidence for the Phylogeny of Recent Genera of Surgeonfishes (Percomorpha, Acanthuridae)".
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protected from collection and fishing. The yellow tang is listed as "Least
Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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with a horizontal white band. They rapidly regain their bright yellow color during daylight. They can be aggressive, are prone to
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Based on the gene
Cytochrome C-oxidase 1 (CO1), a group of researchers was able to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree of the genus
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substratum egg scatterers. Yellow tang do not guard their eggs, and once the eggs hatch the juveniles receive no parental care.
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Some specimens as large as 6 inches (15 cm) are occasionally available. Life expectancy in the wild can exceed 30 years.
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The yellow tang has many natural predators, including larger fish, sharks, crabs, and octopuses. Another threat is
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reserves can drift with currents and replenish fished areas long distances away," said coauthor Mark Hixon.
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McIlwain J, Choat JH, Abesamis R, Clements KD, Myers R, Nanola C, Rocha LA, Russell B, Stockwell B (2012).
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yellow tang to be able to thrive without too many being taken, so the species is more likely to survive.
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Christie, MR; Tissot, BN; Albins, MA; Beets, JP; Jia, Y; Ortiz, DL; Thompson, SE; Hixon, MA (2010).
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which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. It is one of the most popular marine
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The larvae of the yellow tang can drift more than 100 miles and reseed in a distant location.
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769:"Genomic islands of divergence in the Yellow Tang and the Brushtail Tang Surgeonfishes"
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886:"Yellow Tangs and other popular aquarium fish affected by Hawaii Fish Collection Ban"
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455:(Ryukyu, Mariana, Marshall, Marcus, Wake, and Hawaiian islands), west of
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refers to the body and the zebra-like stripes or bars on the body of the
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590:"Larval Connectivity in an Effective Network of Marine Protected Areas"
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Bernardi G, Nelson P, Paddack M, Rulmal J, Crane N (September 2018).
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https://ciesm.org/atlas/fishes_2nd_edition/Zebrasoma_flavescens.pdf
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Drifting Fish Larvae Allow Marine
Reserves to Rebuild Fisheries
1025:"YELLOW TANG | Zebrasoma flavescens – Rising Tide Conservation"
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to marine turtles, by removing algal growth from their shells.
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Abesamis, R.; Choat, J.H.; McIlwain, J.; et al. (2012).
868:). 2nd Edition. 2021. 366p. CIESM Publishers, Paris, Monaco.
1135:"Hawaii harvesting of tropical fish for aquariums approved"
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the yellow tang forms a species pair with the scopas tang (
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The yellow tang is very commonly kept as a saltwater
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Reef
Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog
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J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016).
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Ref
Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog
659:"Zebrasoma flavescens, Yellow tang : aquarium"
324:in 1828 from a collection in the Hawaiian Islands.
914:"The Truth About Yellow Tang Collecting in Hawaii"
1070:Reef Builders | The Reef and Marine Aquarium Blog
864:Atlas of Exotic Fishes in the Mediterranean Sea (
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848:Schofield PJ, Morris Jr JA (28 January 2015).
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946:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T178015A1521949.en
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564:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T178015A1521949.en
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961:"National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland"
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746:(5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 497–502.
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232:Yellow tangs in their natural habitat in
397:with mitochondrial barcoding sequences.
937:The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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496:can drift on ocean currents and reseed
976:"Zebrasoma flavescens (Lemon sailfin)"
825:"Learn All About the Yellow Tang Fish"
371:is one of two genera that make up the
933:"Zebrasoma flavescens. (Yellow Tang)"
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1544:Taxa named by Edward Turner Bennett
1519:IUCN Red List least concern species
550:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
312:The yellow tang was first formally
430:In the wild, yellow tangs feed on
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447:It is commonly found in shallow
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492:In 2010, one study found that
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854:. Maroon Ebooks. pp. 6–.
615:10.1371/journal.pone.0015715
385:of the family Acanthuridae.
912:Adam J (14 November 2016).
884:Daub, Eileen (2021-02-03).
471:Predators and other threats
342:). Its species name is the
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1133:Gay, Jeremy (2022-10-16).
1112:10.1007/s00338-008-0447-7
999:US EPA, OW (2017-01-30).
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1001:"Threats to Coral Reefs"
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1539:Fish described in 1828
389:Evolution and genetics
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308:Taxonomy and etymology
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1415:Acanthurus flavescens
1165:on Sealife Collection
939:: e.T178015A1521949.
773:Ecology and Evolution
557:: e.T178015A1521949.
322:Acanthurus flavescens
318:Edward Turner Bennett
273:), also known as the
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216:Acanthurus flavescens
1227:Zebrasoma_flavescens
1213:Zebrasoma flavescens
1183:Zebrasoma flavescens
980:Animal Diversity Web
866:Zebrasoma flavescens
543:Zebrasoma flavescens
270:Zebrasoma flavescens
190:Zebrasoma flavescens
1104:2009CorRe..28...95C
1055:, 26 December 2010.
785:2018EcoEv...8.8676B
744:Fishes of the World
687:The ETYFish Project
606:2010PLoSO...515715C
484:Conservation status
477:habitat destruction
279:yellow sailfin tang
51:Conservation status
1027:. 24 November 2011
285:, is a species of
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172:Z. flavescens
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1385:Open Tree of Life
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779:(17): 8676–8685.
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355:Within the genus
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330:type species
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35:Yellow tang
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1284:iNaturalist
1207:Wikispecies
1163:Yellow tang
1092:Coral Reefs
570:19 November
498:fish stocks
494:fish larvae
378:within the
376:Zebrasomini
265:yellow tang
18:Yellow Tang
1513:Categories
1430:Q106396530
1161:Photos of
1144:2023-01-01
1076:2017-08-05
1031:2021-04-22
1010:2021-04-22
985:2021-04-22
895:2023-01-01
834:2021-04-22
693:2021-04-22
668:2021-04-22
526:References
408:marine ich
349:flavescens
346:adjective
1529:Zebrasoma
395:Zebrasoma
380:subfamily
369:Zebrasoma
358:Zebrasoma
326:Zebrasoma
314:described
166:Species:
159:Zebrasoma
104:Kingdom:
98:Eukaryota
1470:11141138
1424:Wikidata
1302:11094690
1258:FishBase
1234:BioLib:
1192:Wikidata
1120:15687424
811:30271536
634:21203576
594:PLOS ONE
516:aquarium
503:aquarium
301:aquarium
207:Synonyms
144:Family:
118:Chordata
114:Phylum:
108:Animalia
94:Domain:
71:IUCN 3.1
1483:1146167
1457:5209270
1276:2379869
1198:Q900868
1100:Bibcode
802:6157655
781:Bibcode
729:1447130
625:3006342
602:Bibcode
432:benthic
200:, 1828)
154:Genus:
134:Order:
124:Class:
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294:family
287:marine
1491:WoRMS
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1398:WoRMS
1335:NAS:
1297:IRMNG
1289:52459
1250:5CYHB
1116:S2CID
725:JSTOR
461:Japan
449:reefs
373:tribe
344:Latin
1478:ITIS
1452:GBIF
1444:92N2
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1346:NCBI
1338:2304
1323:IUCN
1310:ITIS
1271:GBIF
1263:6018
807:PMID
748:ISBN
713:1993
630:PMID
572:2021
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426:Food
263:The
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