Scatophagus

Scatophagus is a fish genus in the family Scatophagidae. Species in this genus are referred as spotted scats. They are small fish native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans that have been popular in the aquarium trade in the last 30 years. Although juvenile scats may live in a freshwater environment, most adult scats prefer a brackish water environment. However, the African scat, Scatophagus tetracanthus, can and does live in fresh water in the wild. The largest species reaches 38 cm in length and some have been known to live more than 20 years in captivity given the proper water conditions. They are scavengers, feeding on algae and feces, hence their name, from Greek skatos meaning 'feces' and phagein meaning 'eat'. The fossil Eoscatophagus frontalis Tyler & Sorbini, 1999 (syn. Scatophagus frontalis Agassiz, 1839) is from the Middle Eocene of the North Italian Monte Bolca formation that originated from sediments of the Tethys.