Lithognathus mormyrus (Linnaeus, 1758)

New photos - August 2005 These photos show two animals sized over 25 cm (TL) found in Saronic gulf at a depth of less than 5 meters while foraging for food. Click on the thumbnails to see the high resolution pictures. Photos by John Reclos /MCH

L. mormyrus - photo by MCH/Andreas I. Iliopoulos

Original drawing in "Guid d'identification des poissons marins Europe et Mediterranee" by Patrick Louisy

     These impressive bottom feeding breams are found at depths between only 2 m and 150 m. The larger the animals the deeper the water they occur.  They form schools, which sometimes comprise of tens of animals. They feed on a wide variety of bottom dwelling borrowers (invertebrate animals), which they browse in fine substrata with the typical behaviour of bottom feeders and they resemble Fossorochromis rostratus, both morphologically (shape, size) as well as because of they feeding techniques. They are regarded as a great food fish with white flesh.

     They grow usually up to 30 cm but they may gain a maximum (TL) length of 55 cm. Animals larger than 13 cm are sexually matured individuals. They are protandric hermaphrodites and mainly change sex after about 25 cm to 35 cm of length. Their larvae develop planktonic. When juveniles, they may enter brackish water bodies.

     The species is a nice addition in massive tanks as long as the mechanical filtration is exemplary because of the feeding habit of the animals.