Spotted Scat

Looks how to spot one

Deep, flat-sided, almost square body with a steep forehead

A tall, strongly compressed fish with a squarish outline and a sharply sloping head. Adults are greenish-brown to silvery and dotted with round dark spots, while young fish can show darker blotches or vertical bars. A common size is around 20 cm, with the largest wild fish recorded at about 38 to 45 cm.21

Personality what they are like

An active, sociable schooling fish that moves around in groups. It is an eager, non-fussy feeder.2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

A busy mid-water swimmer that lives in shoals, so it appreciates open swimming room.2

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Keep warm, roughly 20 to 28 °C. Young fish come from fresh or slightly salty water, and adults move towards sea water, so salinity is raised gradually as the fish matures. The dorsal fin spines can give a painful prick, so use a net and avoid handling by hand.12

Home where they are happiest

Shallow, sheltered coastal water such as estuaries, harbours, mangrove pools and the lower reaches of rivers, at depths down to about 5 m. As it can reach 20 cm or more, it needs a large aquarium with brackish water for juveniles and brackish to marine water for adults.12

Food basics what goes in the bowl

An omnivore. Wild fish take worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter; young ones lean towards zooplankton and adults eat more plant food. Offer a mix of vegetable-based foods and small meaty foods.12

Company who they like around

A schooling species that is best kept in a group of its own kind.2

The story where it all began

Linnaeus described the fish in 1766, naming it after Argus, the many-eyed giant of Greek myth, because of its spots. It has long been fished for food across its range and has become a familiar fish in the aquarium hobby.21

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Least Concern (assessed 2009)1

Carl Linnaeus

Described in 1766 as Chaetodon argus2