Yellow Tang

Glides

Yellow Tang

Zebrasoma flavescens

Bright yellow all over. Floats along on sail-like fins.

Group
Tangs & surgeonfishes
Family
Surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae)
Size
About 20 cm long
Habitat
Coral reefs of the Pacific, especially around Hawaii

About

Bright yellow from nose to tail — a tang you can recognize at a glance. It spreads its sail-like dorsal and anal fins and grazes on algae around the reef.

At the base of its tail is a sharp white spine, a surgeonfish trademark. At night its color dulls a little and a pale band appears along its side.

In Fish Around

It floats along on its sail-like fins, gliding smoothly and turning sharply every few seconds.

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