The Trumpet Fish
Fuerteventura Fauna: A closer look at the Trumpet fish in Fuerteventura.
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The Trumpet Fish or Aulostomus Maculatus
An Article by Hannah Mackay with The Voice Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is a place full of great music and lots of colour, but that's not just above the waves. This fish has a musical name and is the ever-so bright and beautiful Trumpet fish.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The trumpet fish is so named due to their elongated bodies and small jaws located at the front end of their long tubular, trumpet- shaped snouts. The species can reach 40-80cm in length and their colors vary from very dark brown to a greenish hue, sometimes yellow with the gills resembling the teeth of a comb. They have a soft dorsal fin which is located close to the tail Fin. They can also have a black streak or dark spot along the jaw and occasionally a dark spot close to the tail.
FEEDING HABITS
The Trumpet fish feeds on crustaceans, small fish and schooling fish such as wrasses. They have a very cunning technique to snag their prey as well! They remain almost motionless in a vertical position, swaying back and forth in the current and blending in with the coral; mimicking and changing their colors to match the fish which surround them. Once they are in prime position they quickly dart in , expanding their jaws in a rapid motion which creates a strong sucking force - drawing their prey straight in.
They can also be seen shadowing larger fish such as Parrot fish, swimming directly above the larger fish and almost hiding and pouncing when ready. Due to their amazing mouths they are able to open their jaw as wide as the diameter of their body so they are able to catch larger prey. They generally hunt by themselves but have been known to team up with ells too, so they can cover more ground, such as the sea bed and the reefs.
