Red Sea Sailfin Tang

Care at a glance

Overview

Territorial toward its own species and other Zebrasoma tangs but generally peaceful with unrelated fish, so keep only one per tank unless the aquarium is large enough to break sightlines. Reef safe with corals and invertebrates. Its diet is almost entirely algae based, so offer nori or dried seaweed at least three times a week, ideally daily, to keep its color and immune system in good shape and to curb aggression that often flares up when it is underfed. Like other tangs it can develop marine ich when stressed, so quarantine new fish and keep water quality stable.

In the wild

Found on Red Sea and Indian Ocean reefs from East Africa to Indonesia, on lagoon and seaward reefs down to about 30 m, with juveniles favoring sheltered shallows. Its tall dorsal and anal fins mean it needs real width as well as length to turn around comfortably, so a tank of at least 680 litres (180 US gal) with a long open swimming lane and plenty of algae-coated rock to graze suits it far better than a tall, narrow setup.

Good to know

Carries the same folding tail spine as other surgeonfish, tucked into a groove near the base of the tail. Its most striking feature is the oversized, sail-like dorsal and anal fin, which it can raise to nearly double its apparent body size when threatening a rival or intimidating a tankmate. It is one of the larger Zebrasoma species, reaching around 40 cm, and was long treated as a subspecies of the similar-looking Pacific sailfin tang before taxonomists split it into its own species.

Did you know

Red Sea populations of this normally herbivorous tang have been observed picking at moon jellies and comb jellies drifting past the reef, an odd bit of opportunistic predation for a fish that spends most of its day grazing algae off rock.

Related species

• 

  Sailfin Tang

  Zebrasoma veliferum

  11.8 in (30 cm)145 gal (550 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Purple Tang

  Zebrasoma xanthurum

  9.8 in (25 cm)106 gal (400 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Gem Tang

  Zebrasoma gemmatum

  8.7 in (22 cm)151 gal (570 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Black Tang

  Zebrasoma rostratum

  8.3 in (21 cm)119 gal (450 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Scopas Tang

  Zebrasoma scopas

  7.9 in (20 cm)90 gal (340 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Yellow Tang

  Zebrasoma flavescens

  7.9 in (20 cm)100 gal (380 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)