Tigertooth croaker
A silvery marine croaker found across the Indo-Pacific.
The tigertooth croaker is a marine fish in the drum and croaker family. It lives in coastal waters from South Africa to Australia. Fishers catch it for fresh sale or preservation by drying and salting.
- Reaches a maximum length of 90 cm
- Found from South Africa to eastern Australia
- Juveniles eat planktonic crustaceans
- Sold fresh, dried or salted
- First described in 1801
What it is
This species belongs to the family Sciaenidae, known as drums and croakers. It has a brownish upper body with diagonal black streaks. The lower body is silvery with a gold lustre. Fins on the belly and rear are reddish brown. The dorsal fin starts with ten spines, followed by a gap and one more spine. Soft rays support the rest of the fin. Adults usually reach forty centimetres, though they can grow to ninety.
Where it lives
Its range covers the Indo-West Pacific region. Populations exist from South Africa and Madagascar eastward to eastern Australia. Some scientists suggest the western Indian Ocean group may be a different species. These fish live in marine and brackish waters. They inhabit depths between three and one hundred metres. The sea floor below them consists of sand, mud or rock.
How it lives
Young fish feed near the surface on tiny crustaceans drifting in the water. As they mature, their diet changes. Adults hunt animals living on the sea bed. They also prey on other fish. This shift in feeding habits occurs as the fish grows larger and moves to different habitats.
Fish and people
Fishers catch this species in mixed fisheries throughout its range. It is often taken as bycatch rather than being the primary target. Once landed, the fish is sold fresh. Preserving it by drying or salting is also common practice. This allows the catch to be stored or transported further inland.
Questions people ask about Tigertooth croaker
What does the tigertooth croaker look like?
It has a brownish back with black diagonal streaks. The belly is silvery with a gold shine. Its lower fins are reddish brown. The dorsal fin has ten spines, a gap, then one more spine before the soft rays.
Where does this fish live?
It lives in the Indo-West Pacific. Its range extends from South Africa and Madagascar to eastern Australia. It inhabits marine and brackish waters over sand, mud and rock at depths up to 100 metres.
Is the tigertooth croaker eaten?
Yes, it is caught in mixed fisheries and as bycatch. The fish is sold fresh. It is also preserved by drying or salting for later consumption or trade in local markets.
Good reading and sources
- Otolithes ruber on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Otolithes ruber", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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