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Aquarium Photos

High hat

Pareques acuminatus

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Fun Facts

These fish visit different locations at different times of day. At night, they stay near sandy, muddy or gravel bottoms to feed, and during the day they shelter on reefs, in caves, under ledges and around rocks.

Species Type:

Fishes

Common Name(s):

High hat

Size:

High hats grow up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) in length.

Diet:

These fish eat crabs, shrimp, other fishes, plankton and worms.

Range & Habitat:

The high hat lives on coral reefs along with rocky, sandy and muddy bottom habitats in the western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf and Caribbean Sea.

Details:

High hats are oval shaped with horizontal black and white striping. Their name comes from their tall first dorsal fin. They feed at night and shelter during the day. They communicate and startle predators by making a drumming or croaking sound using special muscles against their swim bladder. They are members of the drum family (Sciaenidae).