98% of all saltwater aquarium animals are wild caught. Every year, millions of reef animals are collected on Hawaii's coral reefs and shipped to the mainland U.S., Europe and Asia for use in the aquarium hobby. Mortality rates are astronomical. Between capture and retail, up to 40 percent of Hawaii's Yellow Tangs will die before reaching the hobbyist.
In hobby tanks, most of the rest will die within weeks or months from stress related disease; from cramped or failed environments; from improper food; and, generally because the vast majority of those attempting to keep them are too inexperienced. Though Yellow Tangs are extremely long lived in the wild, with an average age of 11 years on a protected reef, by some estimates, just a few percent of coral reef wildlife will survive over a year in captivity.
