Don't be fooled by the beauty of the blue fish because they are considered more deadly to other fish than sharks.
There are few things more beautiful than a large school of blue fish swimming near the surface of oceans waters with their silvery blue-green bodies reflecting in the suns light. But don't be fooled by the beauty of this fish when you see it because they are considered more deadly to other fish than sharks. There is only one species in the blue fish family known as Pomatomus saltatrix. This interesting predator has been known to reach lengths of up to over four feet with a weight of up to over twenty six pounds. On an average the blue fish that is often seen in the Mediterranean Ocean will be between one to three feet in length. This is a long fish that is covered with large cycloid scales even on the gill covers and cheeks. Inside the mouth of the blue fish there teeth throughout the jaws and even small bands covering the tongue. This fish can be easily distinguished not only by its color but also by the large black dot at the base of the pectoral fin.
Found through out the warmer oceans except in some areas of the Pacific, the blue fish is known to attack its prey even when it is not hungry. Large schools of this fish can often be seen chasing after their prey and attacking everything that gets in their way. They have even been observed herding huge schools of other fish, such as herring, leaving pools of blood and fish parts in their wake as they hack through as many as possible. In most cases the prey is eaten whole but when the blue fish encounters a fish to large to swallow it simply hacks off the tail leaving this larger prey to sink or swim. Studies have recorded cases of blue fish that were so intent on chasing small schools of their prey that they have swam on to the beach and accidentally bitten curious humans. Blue fish are migratory fish but their migrations during the summer months are completely dependant on their prey which usually includes mackerel, herring and menhaden.
But in spite of its voracious appetite, the blue fish is very popular with those who fish for sport. This fish is known to put up a tremendous fight when caught, making it quite a challenge to keep one on a hook. Crabeaters, which are quite well known to most sports fishermen because of their amazing fighting ability, can be found throughout tropical and subtropical oceans usually in the shelf areas of the coastlines. These blue fish feed mainly on crabs which is the cause for their common name but they are also known to eat flat fish, crustaceans and squid. The head of the crabeater is similar to that of the pike with a large jaw and protruding lower jaw. The body is pale brown on the sides with a dark greenish-brown back and three dark stripes running the full length of the fish. The meat of the blue fish is considered flavorful even though special preparations are needed immediately after it is caught due to the possibility of spoilage from the high fat content. Not much is known about the spawning habits or sites of the blue fish although it is known that the juveniles, which are called snappers, are usually found in coastal regions. Because of this it is believed that most blue fish enter the coastal waters in large schools during the spring, coming close to the shore to spawn. Each year when this occurs it is not uncommon to see miles of bloodied waters where this fish has made its presence known.
