Atlantic Spadefish Videos

Species - Atlantic Spadefish

Scientific Name - (Chaetodipterus faber)

Physical Description - Deep, rounded body. First rays of posterior, dorsal and anal fin are long and pointed. Color: black vertical bands on a grayish white background. Bands may be vague or almost missing in large specimens.Atlantic spadefish may look like angelfish but you can tell them apart by counting the fins on their backs. If they have two dorsal fins, they're spadefish, if they have only one, they're angelfish. Spadefish live in bays near jetties and pilings while they're small and move out to natural and artificial reefs when they grow larger. Silvery with 4 to 6 black vertical bands on each side which sometimes become obscure in larger fish; deep, flattened body; separated first and second dorsal fins; concave caudal fin; anterior rays of second dorsal fin and anal fin elongated.

Range - All Florida coasts, the Atlantic Coast, the Bahamas and Caribbean. Found in mid-water areas around reefs, wrecks and bridges. The tiny, all-black juveniles drift motionless in the shallows, looking like leaves and pods of mangrove. Edibility is good. Range is Bermuda, New England to Brazil, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat - Likes a variety of structure, from mangroves to corals. Common around navigation markers and pilings in deep channels and sometimes well offshore. Most commonly found around shipwrecks, offshore oil/gas platforms and jetties.

Spawning Habits - N/A

Food Usage/Selection - Good.Spadefish flesh is a fairly dark, gray color and a unique taste common only to Spadefish.

Sporting Qualities -Difficult to hook, but a strong, Jack-like fighter. Spinning and plug casting tackle. Though Spadefish are taken on shrimp, and sometimes on cut fish, they are usually picky biters. Their natural diet is heavy on jellyfish.

• Notes
• Spawns in spring and summer.
• Travels in large schools.
• Feeds on crustaceans, small encrusting invertebrates, and may nibble on tentacles of jellyfish.