Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) is a saltwater, brackish species recorded in the United States. It is mainly found over reef, at depths of 3–35 m.
Scientific name: Chaetodipterus faber · Water: Saltwater, Brackish
Size: up to 91 cm
The Atlantic spadefish is an ephippid that is abundant in shallow coastal waters, from mangroves and sandy beaches to wrecks and harbours, and it is recorded from 3 to 35 m. Juveniles in their black phase are common in estuaries and are often found in very shallow water swimming at an angle so as to resemble dead leaves, infertile red mangrove pods or other debris, while adults often occur in very large schools of up to 500 individuals. It feeds on benthic invertebrates such as crustaceans, mollusks, annelids and cnidarians as well as on plankton, and it often circles divers; it is a good food fish, marketed fresh, and it has been reared in captivity. Its range is the western Atlantic, from Massachusetts and the northern Gulf of Mexico to Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and in south-eastern Brazil it is found between 23 and 45 m. Maximum length is about 91 cm total length, commonly about 50.4 cm. It is a minor commercial species, a commercial aquaculture species, a gamefish and a public aquarium fish, with a medium price category. Fishing vulnerability is moderate to high at 52 of 100 and resilience low. IUCN lists it as least concern.
Caution: large individuals carry a ciguatera risk. Heat, cold and marinating do not remove the toxin, which concentrates in the liver, roe and head, so avoid eating those parts. Seek medical help if numbness, tingling or a reversed sense of hot and cold follows a meal.
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