Yellow tang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow tang |
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The yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) is a bright yellow saltwater fish. It's a very popular choice for home aquariums because of its beautiful color. This fish belongs to a group of fish called the surgeonfish family.
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What is a Yellow Tang?
The yellow tang was first officially named by an English scientist, Edward Turner Bennett, in 1828. He found them near the Hawaiian Islands. The name flavescens comes from a Latin word that means "yellow," which perfectly describes this fish! Yellow tangs are part of the surgeonfish family. This family gets its name because some of these fish have sharp, scalpel-like spines near their tails.
Appearance and Features
Adult yellow tangs can grow to about 20 centimeters (8 inches) long. They are usually 1 to 2 centimeters (about half an inch) thick. Male yellow tangs often grow a bit larger than females.
Color Changes
These fish are famous for their bright yellow color. But did you know their color can change? At night, their yellow color fades a little. A brownish patch appears in the middle of their body, with a white stripe across it. When daylight returns, they quickly go back to their bright yellow color.
How to Tell Males and Females Apart
Male and female yellow tangs look very similar most of the time. However, when they are ready to mate, males change color. They also do a special "shimmering" dance, which helps you tell them apart.
What Yellow Tangs Eat
In the wild, yellow tangs mostly eat algae and other plant material that grows on rocks. They are like the gardeners of the ocean floor!
Food in Aquariums
In a home aquarium, yellow tangs are often fed special fish food that contains meat or fish. However, it's very important to also give them plenty of plant-based foods. This helps them stay healthy for a long time. Experts agree that a balanced diet with both plant and animal materials is best. This way, they get all the nutrients they need.
Helping Other Sea Creatures
Yellow tangs also offer a special service in the ocean. They act as "cleaner fish" for sea turtles! They gently remove algae that grows on the turtles' shells.
Where Yellow Tangs Live
Yellow tangs are commonly found in shallow reefs. They live in waters from 2 to 46 meters (6 to 150 feet) deep. Their home is in the Pacific Ocean, stretching from west of Hawaii to east of Japan.
Hawaii's Role
Hawaii is a very common place where yellow tangs are collected for aquariums. About 70% of the yellow tangs sold for aquariums come from Hawaii. Luckily, over 70% of the areas where yellow tangs naturally live are protected. This means they are safe from being overfished. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says the yellow tang is a "Least Concern" species. This means there are plenty of them in the wild.
Unexpected Places
Sometimes, yellow tangs have been seen in the waters around Florida. However, they are not native to this area.
Yellow Tangs in Aquariums
The yellow tang is a very popular fish for saltwater aquariums. People love their bright color and how they swim.
Breeding in Captivity
For a long time, most yellow tangs in aquariums were caught from the wild. But in 2015, scientists successfully bred them in captivity! This was a big step. Now, you can often buy yellow tangs that were born and raised in special fish farms. This helps protect the wild populations. Other types of tang fish have also been successfully bred in captivity.
Size and Lifespan
Yellow tangs can grow up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) in the wild. However, when they are first put into aquariums, they are usually smaller, about 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches). Sometimes, you can find larger ones up to 15 centimeters (6 inches). In the wild, a yellow tang can live for more than 30 years!
See also
In Spanish: Pez cirujano amarillo para niños
