How to Identify a Tobacco Fish

Series Summary

Marine life in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean is diverse. There are thousands of species of fish with myriad shapes, sizes and beautiful colors. Fish identification adds an incredible degree of interest to snorkeling or scuba diving. Identifying a few of the different types of fish in the Caribbean is not an easy task, but it is made much easier with fish identification charts and fish identification videos. In this free video, a certified scuba instructor with experience in the Caribbean demonstrates how to identify tropical fish from the Caribbean reef. Learn about identifying markings on fish such as the Queen Parrotfish, Green Razorfish and the Diamond Blenny. Get tips on identifying Schoolmaster fish, Cleaning Goby, Goldspot Goby and the Coney. Identifying fish in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean is a great way to spend a snorkeling or scuba diving trip!

Video Transcript

"The marine organism we are going to identify now is the Tobacco Fish. The Tobacco Fish is a member of the sea bass family of fish, closely related to the other bass and basslets and groupers that are in this family and found in the tropical waters of the Caribbean and Atlantic. The Tobacco Fish is a fairly common species to be seen throughout this range. They are generally found hovering just above the bottom in sandy areas, around corals reefs, and rarely rise more than a few inches from the bottom. They can be found at all depths explored by a recreational scuba divers. And, even deeper, down to two hundred and twenty five feet. They can also be frequently seen near the shallow reefs frequented by snorkelers, as well as in coral rubble areas. They are relatively unafraid of divers and can often be closely approached and observed. The Tobacco Fish is generally three to four and a half inches long, but can reach a maximum size of up to seven inches in length. Unlike other sea bass, they have a cigar-shaped body. They are also easily identified since their coloration is quite distinctive. Their sides are generally orange to brown. Their backs are usually white and covered with dark brown to black patches. Their bellies are generally white. Tobacco Fish also have a dark, u-shaped border on the inner bend of their tail. Juvenile Tobacco Fish tend to resemble the adult coloration, although the markings on their sides and backs may be more distinct than is often seen in the adults. Tobacco Fish feed on small crustaceans they find in the sand. You will occasionally see them following a school of Goat Fish around, as the Goat Fish use their barbles to scour through the sand in search of food, scaring up small crabs and other crustaceans as they go. Tobacco Fish are synchronous hermaphrodites. This means they possess both male and female sex organs at the same time and both are fully functional. This does not mean, however, that they are self-fertilizing their own eggs. It simply means that when two Tobacco Fish mate, they take turns fertilizing each others' eggs to ensure genetic variety continues in the species. Most of the time, I have seen solitary Tobacco Fish, and rarely have I seen more than one in close proximity to another. I suspect they stay in fairly consistent territorial areas, but I have not found any documentation for that personal observation. That is the Tobacco Fish."