Science Name: | Lebotes Surinamensis |
Other Names: | Drift Fish |
Compared with other saltwater fish, tripletail probably most resemble grouper but lack teeth on the roof of the mouth. Like a chameleon, the tripletail changes color to blend with its surroundings. When young, it changes color to hide from predators. When grown, it becomes a predator and changes colors to ambush prey.
Where to Find
Inhabiting tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans, tripletail are found
in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts and Bermuda to Argentina. In the
eastern Pacific they occur from Costa Rica to Peru.
Habitat
Tripletail occur in coastal waters and enter muddy estuaries, commonly in depths
of up to 20 feet. There is some suggestion of a northerly and inshore migration
into warm waters in the spring and summer.
Feeding Habits
Tripletail feed almost exclusively on other fish, such as herring, menhaden, and
anchovies, as well as on eels and benthic crustaceans like shrimp, crabs, and
squid.