What Divers Should Know About Spadefish

Spadefish, members of the Ephippidae family, are a distinctive group found across tropical and temperate oceans, notably absent from the central Pacific. These fish are characterized by a deep, oval-shaped, and laterally compressed body, with a short head and small terminal mouth. Young individuals frequently display black bar markings.

Their size range is quite broad, with the smallest species like the threadfin scat measuring around 15 cm, while the Atlantic spadefish can reach lengths up to 91 cm. Divers typically encounter these fish in warmer waters, often around submerged structures and spaces. Actively feeding, spadefish primarily consume algae, along with a variety of benthic and planktonic invertebrates such as sponges, zoantharians, and polychaete worms.