# Gilthead Seabream (*Sparus aurata*) Gilthead Seabream is a shiny fish known for its tasty meat. They are often found in warm coastal waters! - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Warm coastal waters - **Also known as:** Sea Bream, Sparus aurata ![Gilthead Seabream](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426116/objects/4708.jpg) ## Appearance The Gilthead Seabream has a distinctive silvery body with a darker back. Its most striking feature is a prominent golden-yellow stripe between its eyes, resembling a crown. A dark spot can also be seen near its gill cover. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Perciformes - **Family:** Sparidae - **Genus:** Sparus ## Interesting facts - Ancient Romans used to farm these delicious fish in special saltwater ponds! - Gilthead Seabream have super strong jaws and teeth for crunching tough shells! - Its golden stripe gives it the nickname 'gilt-head,' meaning golden head! - This fish starts its life as a boy, but can turn into a girl when it gets older! ## Special abilities - **Shell Crusher:** Gilthead Seabream has strong jaws and flat, molar-like teeth that help them crush tough mollusc and crustacean shells. - **Gender Changer:** Gilthead Seabream can change sex, starting as male and later becoming female, helping them maximize reproduction. - **Water Wizard:** Gilthead Seabream can tolerate varied water salinities, which helps them thrive in estuaries and coastal lagoons. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-70 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-10 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-11 years - **Swim Speed:** 10 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 150 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding This fish crunches on crabs and clams with its strong teeth, but also eats plants! - **Primary Foods:** crabs, mussels, clams, shrimp, small fish, marine algae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Mediterranean Mussel (*Mytilus galloprovincialis*) — Crushes and eats their hard shells. - **Hunts:** Common Shore Crab (*Carcinus maenas*) — Preys on these crabs with strong jaws. - **Eaten by:** Dusky Grouper (*Epinephelus marginatus*) — Smaller Gilthead Seabream are prey for larger groupers. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Gilthead Seabream? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Gilthead Seabream? 30-70 cm ### How much does Gilthead Seabream weigh? 0.5-10 kg ### How long does Gilthead Seabream live? 5-11 years ### What does Gilthead Seabream eat? This fish crunches on crabs and clams with its strong teeth, but also eats plants! ### How fast can Gilthead Seabream swim? 10 km/h ### Where is Gilthead Seabream usually found? Warm coastal waters ### How does Gilthead Seabream hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [OZEANEUM Stralsund](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ozeaneum-stralsund) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Aquarium ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Gilthead Seabream: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gilthead-seabream)