Orange Shoulder Tang

The Orange Shoulder Tang is a large, robust surgeonfish recognized by the distinctive bright orange patch or 'epaulette' on the shoulder area behind the gill cover, which contrasts sharply against its otherwise olive-gray to brown body. This species undergoes a dramatic color transformation during its life: juveniles are a uniform bright yellow, nearly indistinguishable from young Yellow Tangs, before gradually transitioning to the muted olive-gray adult coloration with the signature orange shoulder mark developing during the transition.

In the wild, the Orange Shoulder Tang is widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific, from Hawaii and Japan through the Philippines and Indonesia to the Great Barrier Reef. It is found on reef slopes and in lagoons, typically at moderate depths, where it roams sandy rubble zones and reef flats grazing on filamentous algae, detritus, and diatoms. Unlike many tangs that prefer densely structured reef environments, the Orange Shoulder Tang is comfortable in more open areas with mixed substrate, making it adaptable to various aquarium setups.

With a potential adult size of 14 inches, the Orange Shoulder Tang requires a spacious aquarium of at least 180 gallons. It is moderately hardy and generally adapts well to captive conditions, making it a good choice for intermediate aquarists with large enough systems. While semi-aggressive toward other tangs, it is relatively mild-mannered compared to species like the Clown Tang or Sohal Tang. It is completely reef-safe and an effective algae grazer that contributes meaningfully to a reef system's cleanup efforts.