Yellow Tang Lifespan

Tangs can live for up to thirty years if properly cared for. However, most tangs only reach 25, which is still very old for a fish. Most beginners struggle with proper tang fish care and this is often the cause of a young tang death.

Yellow Tang Care

Yellow tangs are also commonly referred to as sailfin Surgeonfish. They are known for their bright yellow bodies and oval shape. The yellow tang or Zebrasoma flavescens is a hardy and extremely popular fish that makes a great addition to a caretaker of any skill levels tank.

Yellow Tang Tank

Yellow Tang Water Salinity

Yellow tangs are saltwater fish and therefore require saline water. This is achievable by mixing fish tank salt into the aquarium. The guideline is one half cup of salt per every one gallon of water. A proper salinity level for saltwater fish is 1.024-1.025.

Yellow Tang Water Hardness

Generally water hardness for yellow tang fish is about 420 ppm. You should test the water hardness levels every week. Acceptable levels in aquariums with reefs are between 380-450ppm.

Yellow Tang Oxygen

 Fish need oxygen in their water to survive. Bubblers and water filters help necessary oxygen be distributed in tank water. Aquariums with wide tops allow oxygen to also enter from the surface. Oxygen can also be supplied by pumps and air stones, plants, filters used as waterfalls, and less fish in the tank.

Yellow Tang Water Filtration:

Sea water is often replenished, but the same effect does not occur in a closed container. Toxic waste can build up in the tank if the filter is not changed often enough. Biological filters are used to clean tank water through using some bacteria for good.

Suitable Tank Mates For Yellow Tang Fish

Yellow tangs are a normally nonterritorial species but at the same time are semi-aggressive. Tangs of different species but of the same size can often thrive in the same tank if introduced at the same time. Tangs also do well with most clownfish, cardinals, large angels, wrasses and chromis.

Lemon Sailfish Tank Size:

You need at least a 150 gallon tank to comfortably house one tang. When buying a tang, you have to take into consideration that as the fish grows, so should its tank to ensure proper tang fish care.

Yellow Tang Size:

The yellow tang grows to be approximately  7.9 inches in adulthood. Tang males tend to be the larger sex. Their growthrate depends on a lot of things. Yellow tangs have no exact growth rate. The better cared for the fish is, the faster it will grow.

Tang Diet

Algae is the main part of yellow tang diet in the wild. Yellow tangs are omnivores and enjoy mysis and brine shrimp in captivity. Their main diet should be full of plenty of marine algae and unflavored nori. With proper tang care, your tang should be fed once a day. If the tank is small and you only have a few fish, every other day feeding is fine.

Lemon Sailfish Breeding

Yellow Tangs get together in breeding groups at breeding time. The females lay about 40,000 eggs above coral reefs in the wild. The males swim through the eggs and fertilize them. If you want to breed your own tangs, purchasing a pair that has already bonded is highly recommended.

Yellow Tang Origin

Yellow tangs originate from Hawaiian waters. They’ve now spread out to the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Yellow tangs favor reefs in subtropic waters.

Types of Tangs

There are more than eighty different colored tang in the ocean. Tangs are usally thin and small, but the largest species of tang can reach up to 40 inches. Tangs typically live for 25-30 years. Yellow tangs, blue tangs, clown tangs, convict tangs, naso tangs, achilles tangs, kole tangs, purple tangs, powder brown tangs, red sea sailfin tangs and powder blue tangs are common saltwater aquarium pets.