Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Greater Amberjack

The GREATER AMBERJACK (called kahala) is a silvery gray predator with a dark diagonal stripe through the eye and a yellow stripe from its eye to tail (although not always visible). Juveniles have 5 prominent dark bars and a dark stripe above the eye. 



These are curious fish and will often approach or circle divers or their bubbles for a closer look. They're considered "hot", or ciguatoxic, therefore making them dangerous to eat. 



They can reach lengths of 6 feet and feed mostly on Mackeral Scad and Bigeye Scad, which form bait balls to attempt to not be attacked by these greater amberjacks.  However, when hungry, the amberjacks will just poke their heads into the tightly packed bait ball and eat what they can grab. 


They also swim with mouths open to filter tiny organisms from the water with their gill takers. To date, they're the only fish known to prey on large fish as well as plankton.  


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