Archerfish are clever predators. They get their name from their ability to shoot streams of water out of their mouths to hit insect prey-similar to the way an archer fires an arrow. Sharp eyesight helps these fish hone in on prey, and skilled fin-control keeps the archerfish steady as it fires. Sometimes, these "archers" will even hunt in packs and take turns at shooting their victims.
Stereo Vision: An archerfish's eyes are large and set high and forward on its head. This lets the fish's field of vision overlap (like a human's) so it can accurately judge the distance to a target.
Muscle Mouth: These fish also hunt below the water's surface. Their mouths are heavily muscled and can crush small fish with ease. The fish will also uses its strong mouth to tear off and eat vegetation.
Ready, Aim...[]
The archerfish is a pretty talented creature. If nothing underwater looks tasty, the fish swims toward the surface and looks for insects or spiders (left). Archerfish shoot water at victims to make them fall into the water, then devour the fallen prey. But these fish can also jump up to a foot out of the water to snag a meal. The fish can grab flying insects right out of the air, and are even known to crash through a spider's web to pick off a captured insect-or even the resident spider.
Stay Steady: When lining up a shot of judging the distance to jump after prey, archerfish hover near the water's surface. Their fins beat rapidly in short movements to hold them steady in place.
Learning Curve: Young archerfish spend a lot of time practicing the art of "shooting" prey with water. The fish eventually learn to aim slightly off-target-their view above the surface is slightly distorted, the way it looks from underwater in a swimming pool. It's because rays of light bend when they hit water.
Quick Draw[]
- Several archerfish spot a large fly on a leaf above the water, and they jockey for the best position to take a shot at the insect.
- One fish finds a good angle, then shoots a pressurized stream of water between its tongue and a groove on the roof of its mouth and scores a direct hit.
- The stunned fly falls into the water, but another archerfish swoops up to snag the fly before the one that shot it down can retrieve it.
Trivia[]
- The archerfish is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- It is first featured in Lethal Weapons on Monster Mania 31.
- It is later featured in Big Fish on Monster Mania 39.