Atlantic Spadefish

Chaetodipterus faber

The Atlantic Spadefish looks a lot like the Angelfish you see in aquariums... only they can grow up to 3ft long! They are found only within the Atlantic Ocean, off the eastern coast of North America and in the Caribbean. They live in shallow waters, and school in groups of up to 500 members.

Atlantic Spadefish have large, compressed, disc-like bodies that are covered in silvery scales and black vertical lines. They have trailing lobes on their dorsal and anal fins, which give that that Angelfish look.

These fish feed on all sorts of underwater invertebrates, including crustaceans and mollusks. They themselves are popular game fish for humans, as they have good meat and can be challenging to catch. Right now they are not under any major conservation threats, and fishing levels are sustainable.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Atlantic Ocean
Size : Length up to 3ft (.9m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Ephippidae -- Genus : Chaetodipterus -- Species : C. faber

Image : Citron