Tangs

Yellow tang

Zebrasoma flavescens

Care level: Intermediate
Adult size: 20.3 cm in aquariums
Minimum tank: 378 litres
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
With corals: Reef safe
Captive-bred: Captive-bred sold, limited
IUCN status: Least Concern

Show volumes inLitresUK gallonsUS gallons

How do you care for the yellow tang?

Semi-aggressive, especially to other tangs.

Feeding

Herbivore.

Seaweed at least three times a week (LiveAquaria); daily is common practice.

Tank and special needs

Plan for at least 378 litres of water (the care sheet says 100 US gallons).

Long tank (120 cm plus).

Why this care level

LiveAquaria: easy. Rated intermediate because of tank size and ich susceptibility.

Corals and invertebrates

None; grazes algae.

Which tankmates suit the yellow tang?

One tang per tank unless large and added together; avoid similar Zebrasoma.

Suggested order in a mixed tank: add last, after the peaceful fish have settled.

More than one yellow tang

Keep one yellow tang: two of the same species usually fight.

Other fish

Checked against the other 59 fish in this guide, assuming a tank big enough for both. Individual fish differ, so treat this as a starting point.

Avoid together (4)

Regal blue tangBoth are tangs of similar shape, which is a common trigger for fights.
Kole tangBoth are tangs of similar shape, which is a common trigger for fights.
Scopas tangBoth are Zebrasoma; close relatives defend the same space and food.
Powder blue tangBoth are tangs of similar shape, which is a common trigger for fights.

Usually fine together (55)

Invertebrates

Only the invertebrates with a known risk are listed.

Take care (2)

Tiger tail sea cucumberA stressed or dead tiger tail sea cucumber can release toxins that harm fish; cover pump intakes.
Sea appleA stressed or dead sea apple can release toxins that harm fish; cover pump intakes.

Corals and anemones

Only the corals and anemones with a known risk are listed.

No known problems with the corals and anemones in this guide.

These checks follow the reasons fish and invertebrates clash: same species or genus, similar shape, mouth size, temperament, food, burrows, tank size and the order they are added. Individual animals differ; every source agrees on that.

Quarantine and health

Ich (Cryptocaryon) magnet; quarantine with copper or tank transfer. HLLE linked in studies to lignite activated carbon.

New fish are the most common way disease gets into a reef tank. Quarantine every fish in a separate tank before it joins the display, and choose a method that suits its tolerance of copper.

Captive-bred or wild?

Captive-bred by Biota with the Oceanic Institute; captive-bred fish eat pellets from day one (Reef Builders 2021). Wild Hawaiian supply stopped after court rulings in 2017 and 2021.

Hawaii collection halted 2017 (state Supreme Court) and banned pending environmental review (circuit court, announced 12 January 2021); a revised EIS was deemed accepted in October 2022, but whether permits resumed is unconfirmed. Prefer captive-bred.

Where sources disagree

Where sources disagree
Topic	What sources say	Our reading
Minimum tank	About 380 litres (100 US gallons), from a US retailer care sheet. 300 to 400 litres with a tank at least 120 cm long, from a retailer guide. About 180 litres in an older UK book.	Plan for a tank about 120 cm long and about 400 litres. Treat the old 180 litre figure as out of date.
Head and lateral line erosion	Keeper surveys blame diet and vitamins. A zoo study linked it to lignite activated carbon.	The carbon link has experimental support; diet is plausible but untested.

Other minimum tank sizes we found:

300 L minimum, 400 L better, footprint 120 cm or more (Singapore retailer guide) typical, check
180 L / 40 gal in an older UK book (World of Water guide) typical, check
about 400 L (UK forum consensus) typical, check

What does it cost in the UK?

£449 at one UK retailer; UK forum reports £90 to £495 wild and £200 to £399 captive-bred. This is one UK retailer’s listing on 21 October 2026, not a market average, and every item was sold out on that day. Forum figures from ultimatereef.net threads (undated).

Sources

LiveAquaria (US retailer) care sheetRead 21 October 2026, read in full. Used for: stats.
Reef Builders articleRead 21 October 2026, read in full. Used for: captive-bred, Hawaii closure.
Hawaii news reportRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: 2017 ruling.
Hawaii news reportRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: 2021 ban.
Hawaii news reportRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: 2022 EIS.
Ultimate Reef (UK forum) pageRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: UK prices.
FishBase species summaryRead 21 October 2026, search summary only. Used for: max length.
Kraken Corals (UK retailer) catalogueRead 21 October 2026, read in full. Used for: UK price.

Last checked 21 October 2026. How we check

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