Description

Scopas Tang (Zebrasoma Scopas), the Brown Tang, Two-Tone Tang or Brush-Tail Tang, is a marine reef tang in the fish family Acanthuridae. The Brown Tang is found throughout Oceania and is a herbivorous fish, feeding predominantly on filamentous algae.

The Scopas Tang or Brown Tangfish is a laterally compressed, deep bodied fish with a protruding snout which grows to about 16″ inches. The head is whitish and the body pale brown shading to a dark brownish-black near the black tail. There are faint pale green longitudinal lines starting as dots at the head end and becoming continuous and then dotted again posteriorly. The juveniles are rather paler and have yellowish bars near the anterior end. They also have relatively larger dorsal fins. Scopas Tang or Brown Tangfish adults have a white spine on the caudal peduncle. The large, sail-like dorsal fin has 4 or 5 spines and 23 to 25 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and 19 to 21 soft rays.