Sea Creatures 101: Talented Fish: Archerfish

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Jul 13, 2004

Okay, I have to admit it-I love this fish. As I write this, it is mid-Summer, and there are nasty annoying bugs everywhere. The Archerfish LIVES for bugs. What this amazing fish can do is actually shoot down bugs from below the surface of the water. How does it do that? You'll find out in a minute. First, let's get a little background on this fun (seriously fun!) fish.

The Archerfish likes brackish water. That's a mix of salt and fresh water. It likes warmer water too (75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. 24-27 degrees Celsius.), and they are commonly found in water bodies from Southeast Asia to the Western Pacific. They can grow up to 10 inches (though most only get to about 6 inches) and live up to 10 years. There are six known species of Archerfish (the scientific name is Toxotes jacuatrix). The female is smaller than the male. Not much is known about the Archerfish spawning in the wild. A common theory is that the adult fish swim upstream to less brackish water and return to brackish water to breed. The female will lay 20,000 to 150,000 eggs. Many of these small fry will die or be eaten, and only a few will survive. It takes 1 to 2 years for an Archerfish to become an adult.

Young Archerfish hang together in schools and hide around or below plants for safety. As they get older, Archerfish may be less likely to group together. Adult Archerfish have dark patches on the body that catch the light in different ways. During the day, these patches look like shadows and at night, the reflection is more silvery. This helps to protect the fish from predators. It also helps the fish sneak up on its prey without being seen. In the wild, the Archerfish will hide near mangroves and other plants close to the surface of the water. These areas usually have a number of insects, and that means dinner for the Archerfish. It uses its tongue and a groove in the roof of its mouth, to make a tube. The gills are forced shut. This is how the Archerfish can shoot a stream of water. Archerfish have binocular vision which helps them judge distance. Archerfish shoot water straight up. This is very important. For the Archerfish to hit its target straight on, it must be directly below the object and just below the surface of the water. If the Archerfish tries to shoot the water at anything other than a 90-degree angle, it will miss the object. Archerfish can shoot a spray of water up to 5 feet long!