Scopas
Scopas
The Scopas tang, also known as the brown tang, twotone tang, or brush-tail tang, is a marine fish with a variety of colors and characteristics:
· Color
Scopas tangs can be brown, yellow, gray, or white, and some can even be solid black.Their color can vary from individual to individual, and some may even change color in captivity.
· Body shape
Scopas tangs have a round, laterally compressed body with an elongated nose.Juveniles have a shorter body and larger dorsal and anal fins than adults.
· Markings
Scopas tangs have fine, light blue markings on their bodies. Juveniles have yellowish bars and more prominent yellow specks than adults.
· Spines
Scopas tangs have a single white spine on each side of their caudal peduncle, also known as a scalpel. They use this spine to defend themselves or establish dominance.
· Size
Scopas tangs can grow up to 12 inches in length, but are usually around 15 cm in the wild.
· Habitat
Scopas tangs live in the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to southern Japan, in lagoons and seaward reefs with lots of algae.
Scopas tangs are popular aquarium fish, but they require a lot of space to swim and should be kept in groups of one or more of the same species. They should also be fed a varied diet of algae-based foods, frozen meaty foods, and marine pellets.