All fish / Acanthuridae

Scopas Tang

Zebrasoma scopas

Also known as brown tang, twotone tang, two tone tang, scopas surgeonfish, brushtail tang, scopas tang, blumenkopf tang, ゴマニザ, 褐三角倒吊, 橙尾三角倒吊

This tang has a tall, flattened disc-shaped body and high fins. Its colour shades from pale brownish yellow at the front to dark brown at the rear, and it carries a white spine on each side of the tail base. It is a hardy grazer that helps keep algae down in reef tanks, and it costs less than many other tangs.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

18 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly, or as a carefully introduced group in a very large tank

Diet

Herbivore: nori and other marine algae, spirulina-based foods, plus some mysis and brine shrimp

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to the Tuamotus, north to southern Japan and south to Australia

Breeding

In the wild it spawns in pairs or groups, releasing eggs that drift in open water. It has not been reliably bred in home aquariums, though public aquariums and commercial facilities have had limited success.

Good to know

It needs plenty of swimming room and can be aggressive towards other tangs, especially Zebrasoma species, so add it last and avoid crowding. The scalpel-like spines near the tail can cut hands, and it is prone to marine white spot, so quarantine new fish.