Sea Breams

Family               

The stout and proud sea breams are a stocky fish with a relatively massive body and a steep forehead. It is a member of the family of Sparidae. The Sparidae boast fair-sized scales, similar to the snappers of the Lutjanidae bunch. It operates either solitary or in smaller schools and aggregations of insignificant size. They live a sheltered life, appreciating the taste of echinoderms like sea urchins and other invertebrates.

Family Members

Doublebar Sea Bream

Size up to 50 cm (1,64 ft) . Depth up to 25m (82ft)

The diurnal double-bar or two-bar bream socializes in small groups or goes out venturing singly, seeking shelter in shallow bays, estuaries and coral reef areas. Its two vertical two black bars on the silvery and stout body, equipped with deep yellow tinged fins, makes it easy to distinguish from other sea breams. It enjoys the company of snappers and emperors.  The double-bar bream’s favourite food are invertebrates such as molluscs and crustaceans.

Red Sea Bream

Size up to 25 cm (0,82 ft) . Depth up to 15m (49 ft)

The Red Sea Bream fish feels at ease in coastal shallow waters. It congregates in groups under rocky reefs but also below jetties. The juvenile has a black spot on its causal peduncle which fades away with the time.

 River Sea Bream

Size up to 75 cm (2,46 ft) . Depth up to 50m (165 ft)

The river sea bream is your textbook very shy bottom-dweller. It habitat limits to muddy and sandy bottoms in coastal and brackish waters, predominantly in estuaries. They are not uncommon in mangrove areas in their juvenile stadium. The river sea bream digs for benthic invertebrates such as sea urchins.

Zebra Sea Bream

Size up to 50 cm (1,64  ft) . Depth up to 40m (131ft)

Inhabiting rocky reefs, its stands out like a zebra with its intriguing black and white design. Its menu comprises fish, crustaceans, molluscs  and worms so it would be fair to say it’s omnivorous to the max. Robust, compressed and slightly tapered; those are its physical features for you. Is it active during the day as in diurnal? It definitely is!