Among the outlandish inhabitants of the Mediterranean and Black Seas there is an amazing fish - stargazer. She owes her name to her appearance. Her eyes are directed upward, as if a fish is looking at the sky and counting stars on it. This representative of the sea element also has other names: sea dragon, sea cow. The stargazer fish belongs to the class of ray-finned perch-like squad. It prefers muddy and sandy shores, burrows there, leaving only a convex shape of the eye on the surface.
Description of predatory fish
In length, the star’s body reaches 30 cm and has the shape of a spindle. The upper part of the fish is painted brown, which allows it to go unnoticed during the hunt. The stargazer is a predator, therefore, prefers to eat small fish, mollusks. Also, the fish will not give up worms, which, inadvertently, approached the place of its hunting. Small scales cover the body, its shade merges with the sand. All this makes the predator invisible and contributes to a successful hunt.
If anyone had to see this representative of marine fauna, we assure him that he remembered his acquaintance for a long time. After all, the stargazer fish has a very frightening appearance:
- Converged, convex eyes looking up.
- Open jaws with a series of small sharp teeth.
- Protruding lower jaw.
- Black dorsal fin with four spikes.
- The presence of long poisonous spines on the gills.
- Each pectoral fin has poisonous needles.
A stargazer fish, the photo of which can be seen below, can cause poisonous spikes to harm a person accidentally stepping on it. Therefore, care must be taken when relaxing at sea.
Lifestyle & Habitat
The prey does not even suspect that a stargazer (fish) is waiting for her. The Black Sea has become a good place to live a predator. In the winter season, it sinks into its depths and here awaits the cold period. In the summer it rises to the upper layers of the sea reservoir. With virtually no movement during the hunt, the fish is able to sit in ambush for up to 14 days, patiently waiting for its prey. A mollusk passing by will immediately become a dinner for her.
Mating season in fish
The mating season begins in the summer in the coastal zone with a depth of up to 800 meters. The female lays eggs 2-3 times during the season, which reaches a population of 120 thousand eggs. New offspring swims in the coastal zones, where the water warms up especially well and there is food available.
It is during the spawning period that the fins of the predator become poisonous, their injections can cause swelling with severe pain.
Inveterate fishermen often catch a sea cow with bottom gear. But the fish is able to break off the hook.
At the moment of danger, the predator, pushing off by shovel-shaped fins, digs into the sand, merging with the natural background.
Stargazer speckled
Another predator from the stargazer family lives in the waters of the Atlantic. Bottom speckled stargazer is found near the North American coast. She has a terrifying appearance. The fish lives shallow, on average from 7 to 40 meters.
The speckled stargazer is very often called North American because of its habitat. Fish can disguise themselves and hide. These qualities help to hunt successfully. Fish almost completely burrows in the sand and becomes invisible to others. A spotted stargazer was discovered not so long ago. His study and description in 1860 was carried out by naturalist from America Charles Conrad Abbot.
The main feature of the speckled stargazer is that it can hit its victim with an electric discharge. The organs that produce current are located behind the eyes. The discharge power is small, about 50 watts.
The body of the fish is dark in color, on which there are small spots of a white hue. The size of the starship can be up to 50 centimeters, and weight - about 9 kg. The eyes are far apart, and the head has a powerful bone plate.
Out of natural conditions
A sea dragon outside the natural elements can be seen in the Alushta Aquarium. Aquarium stargazer fish differs from its counterparts in size, having smaller shapes. In a capacity of 50 liters, up to 8 individuals get along well. But in a 10-liter aquarium you can put only one, a maximum of a couple of adult fish. Knowing the need to dig into the sea soil, small pebbles and sand are laid at the bottom of the tank.
Stargazer fish get along well with the peaceful species of aquarium fish.
For a comfortable existence, the water temperature is for the stargazer 15-20 degrees. The bottom of its habitat is covered with silt mixed with fine gravel and planted with sagittaria, wallisneria and elodea. The main diet is shrimp, small fish, shellfish. As soon as the water temperature drops by several degrees, the males swim behind the females, and those, in turn, begin to throw eggs that settle on the grassy vegetation of the aquarium.
Stargazer fish prefers high-quality water filtration and natural light. It will take every day to change part of the water.
