How to Identify a Schoolmaster Fish

Video Transcript

"The marine organism we are going to identify now, is the Schoolmaster. When you go to a restaurant and order snapper, the fish they serve you on your plate, may very well likely be a Schoolmaster. The Schoolmaster is a member of the snapper family of fish. And, they have the typical snapper body shape. Pointed head, obvious lips and a slightly compressed oval shaped body. Their bodies are generally silver in color, they can be yellow or even a coppery color. The characteristic that distinguishes them from the other snappers, is that their fins are yellow. Adult Schoolmasters also have a narrow horizontal blue line that runs from under the eye to the end of the gill cover, but it often very difficult to see against the silver color of their body, and may even be absent in older fish. Juveniles have vertical bars on their backs, which disappear as they mature. During the day, Schoolmasters are generally found in small to medium sized schools hovering over the reef often near vertical reef structures which can provide protection from any underwater currents. They range in size from ten to eighteen inches. They can reach a maximum size of two feet. They are a very common fish species found in the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Since they can be found on shallow reefs, as well as reefs as deep as a hundred and eighty feet, most snorkelers and scuba divers will likely see Schoolmasters. Juveniles are most commonly found in mangrove lagoons or in shallow and shore reef areas. Adult Schoolmaster groups can often be closely approached with slow deliberate movements. In fact, one can slowly approach a group of Schoolmasters and swim right through the group if one makes a non-threatening approach. The fish will simply move out of the way just enough to let the diver swim through. But, if they feel threatened, they will quickly swim away. Schoolmasters are carnivores, as might be suspected due to the prominent upper canine teeth that can be seen on some specimens even when their mouth is closed. They feed on other fish, crabs, worms, amphipods, octopi, squid, and various types of gastropods. They primarily feed at night, preferring to rest during the day. Schoolmasters exists as separate males and females, although I can't tell one from another, but I guess they can. They reproduce by spawning in open water with both male and female fish releasing their gametes simultaneously. The fertilized eggs then settled to the bottom where they remain unguarded by the parents until they hatched. That's the Schoolmaster."