Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma Veliferum)

Also Known As: Pacific Sailfin Tang

Compatibility and Behavior
The Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum) is a fish that knows how to make an entrance. The tall, disc-shaped body carries alternating vertical bands of cream, brown, and yellow, with intricate spotting tucked between the stripes and a tail and fins dusted in yellow and blue. The real showstopper is what happens when it flares: the oversized dorsal and anal fins fan out into a true "sail," making the fish look nearly twice its height as it glides through open water. It's a genuinely impressive display, and one you'll see often once the fish is settled and confident. Behavior-wise, Sailfins are semi-aggressive, generally getting along with a wide range of community fish while turning more assertive toward other tangs or similarly shaped grazers, especially in smaller or crowded tanks. They're typically considered reef safe, spending most of the day grazing film and filamentous algae off rock and hard surfaces rather than corals or ornamental inverts, though an underfed or stressed individual may occasionally nip. With thoughtful stocking, room to swim, and steady access to algae-rich foods, they usually settle in as active but manageable centerpiece fish.

Aquarium Requirements
For small Sailfins, a minimum around 75 gallons with a long, open footprint is the right starting point, with larger systems strongly preferred as they grow. These tangs can get fairly big, and love long horizontal runs for cruising, so balance open water with mature live rock that offers natural grazing surfaces, arches, and caves for security. Strong, well-oxygenated flow and robust filtration support their active lifestyle and high oxygen demand. Regular feedings of nori sheets, marine algae, and varied herbivore foods offered throughout the day will keep them healthy, help curb aggression, and keep those sail-like fins and banded pattern looking their best.

Specifications
Approximate Size: Sm: 1–1.5", Md: 2–2.5", Lg: 3–3.5"
Diet: Primarily herbivorous. Marine algae, nori, and spirulina-based foods, with occasional frozen mysis shrimp
Origin: Indo-Pacific reefs, including the central and western Pacific
Care Level: Intermediate
Reef Safe: Generally reef safe; focuses on algae and biofilm rather than corals
Temperament: Semi-aggressive; may be territorial toward other tangs and similar grazers
Minimum Tank Size: Small can start around 75 gallons, but plan to scale up as they grow