Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Scopas Tang
Zebrasoma scopas (Cuvier, 1829)
Also called Twotone tang, Two-tone surgeonfish, Brown tang, Brush-tail tang
From Indo-Pacific, from East Africa and the Mascarene Islands east to the Tuamotu and Pitcairn Islands, north to southern Japan and south to Lord Howe Island and Rapa.12
At a glance the quick version
Maximum standard length.
Maximum reported age.
Looks how to spot one
Scaled, disc-shaped surgeonfish
A deep, flat-sided tang that shades from a pale head through brown to an almost black tail, giving it its two-tone name. Fine pale greenish lines follow the scale rows and break into dots on the head. A white spine sits on the tail stem, and young fish are paler with yellowish bars and larger fins.12
Personality what they are like
Adults are sociable and often move in schools, while youngsters keep to themselves among corals. An adaptable, easy-going tang that settles well in aquariums.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
An active daytime grazer that roams exposed reef sides and lagoons. Needs open swimming space and rock to graze.21
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Marine reef fish for a mature saltwater aquarium. Typical reef-tank conditions are 24-27 C, salinity 1.022-1.025 specific gravity and pH around 8.2, which sits within the 25-28 C water it lives in on the reef. Keep water quality stable and offer algae-based meals every day. The blade-like tail spines are sharp, so move it with a net or container rather than bare hands. It accepts many foods and copes with a fairly wide range of conditions; a tank of at least 75 US gallons (about 285 litres) is suggested.312
Home where they are happiest
Lives on coral-rich lagoons and exposed reef faces from the shallows to about 60 m. A reef aquarium of at least 75 US gallons with plenty of rockwork suits it.12
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Mainly grazes filamentous algae. In the aquarium it takes many foods but should get a mostly vegetable-based diet.12
Company who they like around
Adults commonly gather in groups of around 20 and pair off for spawning; juveniles are solitary.12
The story where it all began
French zoologist Georges Cuvier described it in 1829 from Banda Neira in Indonesia. The name scopas means broom, after the bristly patch near its tail spine. It has since become a widely available, beginner-friendly tang.2
Fun facts for the dinner table
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 7 May 2010)1
- Taxonomy
- Family Acanthuridae; described by Georges Cuvier in 1829 as Acanthurus scopas2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Scopas Tang. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Salinity checkevery week
- Top-upTop up evaporation with fresh RO water, not salt waterevery day
- Water testevery week
- Water changeAbout 10 to 20% of the waterevery 2 weeks
- Glass cleanevery week
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Zebrasoma scopas summary fishbase.seused for distribution, depth, length, age, colour, diet, groups, temperature, IUCN status
- Wikipedia: Zebrasoma scopas en.wikipedia.orgused for names, description, behaviour, taxonomy, etymology, aquarium notes, tank size
- Wikipedia: Reef aquarium en.wikipedia.orgused for general reef aquarium water parameters
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.