About Brown Tang
Brown tang — understated coloring belies a hardy, active grazer. Reaches the same adult size as a yellow tang and benefits from the same conditions: plenty of swimming room and constant access to algae or nori.
Zebrasoma scopas, the brown tang, twotone tang, scopas tang or brush-tail tang, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. The brown tang is found throughout Oceania and is a herbivorous fish, feeding predominantly on filamentous algae. It is a highly popular fish in the aquarium trade.
Notes from the editors
What it looks like. Sail-fin body shape like the yellow tang, but uniformly tan-to-brown coloration. The understated coloring undersells a hardy and useful aquarium fish.
In your tank. Active grazer and a good algae-cleaner. Reaches the same adult size as a yellow tang (~6 inches) and needs the same conditions: plenty of swimming room and constant access to algae.
Care notes. Tang aggression rules apply — don't house with similar-shaped surgeonfish in tanks under 100 gallons. Reef-safe.
Sourcing and feeding. Wild-collected from Indo-Pacific reefs; widely available and inexpensive for a tang ($40–80). Herbivore — nori, prepared herbivore foods, occasional meaty supplementation.
Care info is a starting point, not a guarantee. Individual specimens, water chemistry, and tankmate dynamics vary. Verify against multiple sources and adjust to what you observe. See our terms & disclaimers.
Related fish
Sources & attribution
- Taxonomy and accepted name from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS AphiaID 219679).
- Description content adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo: Kevin Lino NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD · PUBLIC DOMAIN (via iNaturalist or Wikimedia Commons).