Sea rooster - predatory fish belonging to the order of scorpion-shaped. Its second name is trigly. It can be simultaneously considered ugly and beautiful and, without a doubt, exotic. Her pectoral fins are large, resemble wings. Three disconnected finger-shaped “feathers”, so-called
"legs". The head is large, flattened on the sides. A huge mouth with a dissected upper lip hanging over the bottom is located across the head. A huge forehead is not at all characteristic of fish. Her eyes are large, mobile, above them there are sharp spikes that perform a protective function.
The sea cock has a fusiform body. Spikes stretch along it in two lines, between which there is a dorsal fin, consisting of a high spiky front part and a low back, reaching to the tail. The bifurcated tail is well developed.
In the color, a predominance of brick-red colors is observed, and closer to the tail part - brown. The abdominal region is silver-white or light pink. Gill fins folded reach the tail, on the outside they are the same color as the belly. In the expanded form, the upper surface in lilac tones turns into purple. Along the edge of the fins is a blue border. Here is such an unusual appearance has a sea cock. Photo shows all its non-standard.
Its “legs” are indispensable during the hunt for sedentary organisms. The predator also hunts small fishes, as a rule, at a depth of about 20 m. While waiting for the prey, the sea rooster lays on the bottom or gets into algae. Mullets swarming in the sand and shrimp are the best food for him. Seeing the prey, he immediately rushes at her, pushing himself from the bottom with his “feet”. With rapid movement, the fins fold and do not interfere. Having filled a belly, the exotic fish has a rest in seaweed.
The sea cock not only swims, but also flies. Wanting to drive small fish, he jumped out of the water, spreads his “wings” and flies above the surface of the sea. Overcoming 15-18 meters, he falls into the water with spray. The flight speed reaches 40 km / h.
Surprisingly, the rooster is capable of making sounds similar to snoring, grunting, rumbling, or grunting. By this he gives out his location. He makes sounds throughout the year, and not just during the mating season and spawning. For this ability he is also called the cuckoo.
Male males become sexually mature by three years of age, and females by four. They spawn in summer at a depth of 15-20 m. Females spawn several times (up to 4) per season. Caviar can be up to 14 thousand, they ripen a week, then fry hatch. Incredibly, cubs at the age of 2-3 weeks are exact copies of their parents. Young growth leads a benthic lifestyle.
Sea rooster can grow up to 75 cm and reach 5.5 kg. But in the Black Sea, as a rule, specimens are caught up to 35 cm long and weighing up to 1 kg.
Fish usually keep in schools in depths from 5 to 60 m. Preference is given to areas of the seas with a sandy bottom and aquatic vegetation. When cooling, they go to a depth of 100 m.
The French and Turks consider the meat of sea rooster tender, similar in taste to steam chicken. Perhaps it was from this that his name came about, and not at all from his appearance and “voice”.
