Atlantic Silverside Fish - Profile | Facts

(Last Updated On: April 13, 2021)

Atlantic Silverside is a fish breed, scientific name, Menidia menidia, formerly known as the bollum in the northeast of the United States, is a small species of fish in the West Atlantic, from the Gulf of Canada to St. Lawrence to northeast Florida in the United States. This article will discuss the Atlantic silverside fish breed.

It is one of the most common fish in the Chesapeake Bay and in the bay of Barnegat. These are common topics of scientific research because of their sensitivity to environmental change.

Atlantic silverside

The fish is about 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) long, mostly silver and white. It eats small (biotic) animals and plants – small crustaceans, algae, annelid worms, shrimp, zooplankton, copepods, amphipods, squid, and insects.

Hunters of the Atlantic Silverside are larger predatory fish – striped bass, bluefish, Atlantic mackerel – and many shorebirds, including arrowheads, terns, cormorants, and gulls.

Inorganic factors such as Atlantic Silverside survival vary for fish populations based on their geographical location. A rule of thumb of the species includes the average temperature of 70 ° F (21 ° C), the salt content of water from 0 to 37ppt (Tagatz and Dudley 1961), and a well-mixed body of water to prevent hypoxic conditions.

Atlantic Silverside is a small grassy fish with bands of silver on either side of its body. It is found in Gulf schools and is an important part of many large fish diets.

Look

Atlantic silversides are small fish that do not grow more than six inches in length. They have small heads, large eyes, and a small, toothless face. They have a thin body and around the abdomen.

The upper part of their body is gray-green, and the lower part of them is white to Atlantic silversides with a metallic silver stripe that runs along either side, from where they get their common name.

Upbringing

Silversides eat algae and small invertebrates, including crustaceans, worms, zooplankton, shrimps, and insects.

Hunting animals

Predators include large predatory fish such as bluefish, mackerel, and striped buses, as well as arrowheads such as arets, gulls and cormorants. Small fish such as mummichogs eat their eggs and larvae.

Atlantic silversides can try to jump out of the water to escape the big predators. However, it attracts birds which are also predators. Silversides will also hide in the grass beneath the water or travel to large schools. Their presence combined with the fact that they are fast swimmers makes it difficult to see them.

Fertility and life cycle

Atlantic silversides bred from May to July. During a new or full moon and at high tide, they gather at the school to lay eggs along the bottom of the sand.

Depending on the temperature, the eggs hatch five to 20 days later. The temperature also determines how many men or women will be.

Females that are in cold water for 32 to 46 days after the baby is inoculated will most likely be female, whereas fish in hot water will likely be male. Atlantic silverside can survive up to two years but most die later.

Do you know

This fish is also known as spearing, shiner, minnow, and baitfish.

Atlantic silverside is known as fodder or fish meal, as it is an important part of a large fish diet, such as bluefish or striped bass.

It is one of the most common fish in the Chesapeake Bay.

Silverside is commonly studied because it is sensitive to extreme conditions such as low oxygen, temperature changes, and water pollutants.

Atlantic silverside habitat is usually near the waterfront. They are often seen swimming in loamy waters, such as rivers and streams connecting the sea.

These small-school fish have been found to gather in seagrass beds, which can provide almost protective fish some protection from predators and provide a safe haven for spanking.

In winter, most Atlantic silversides swim in deep water to avoid cool/low temperatures. During the summer, most are found in shallows along the coast.

The defense of the Atlantic Silverside is hidden in a seagrass bed. They are fast swimmers and their silver and somewhat white color make it confusing to hunters to determine the direction of the fish hunt.

The most powerful form of defense for the silverside is the power-to-numbers technique, where the fish will school heavily to reduce the likelihood of being fostered by the predator.

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