Yellow Tang

The yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) is a saltwater fish species of the family Acanthuridae.

Yellow tang are in the surgeonfish family. Adult fish can grow to 20 centimetres in length, and 1–2 centimetres in thickness. Adult males tend to be larger than females. All individuals of this species are bright daffodil yellow in color. At night, the yellow coloring fades slightly and a prominent brownish patch develops in the middle with a horizontal white band. They rapidly resume their bright yellow color with daylight.

They have an arrow-like shape due to their dorsal and ventral fins being almost an extension to their bodies, and a long snout-like mouth used to eat algae. They also have a sharp spine located near their tail.

It is commonly found in shallow reefs, from 2–46 metres deep, in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, west of Hawaii and east of Japan.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_tang - 02.10.2008