Species description

Care, breeding and tankmates

Fish profile

Temperament

Peaceful

They are highly active, peaceful, but very nervous and easily panicked schooling fish. If startled, the entire school will bolt blindly, which can cause injury if the tank is not large enough. They are completely unsuited for standard home aquariums and require specialized, enormous facilities.

Diet

Omnivore

They are primarily detritivores and herbivores, feeding by sucking up the top layer of substrate to digest algae, diatoms, and detritus. In captivity, they require large amounts of vegetative matter, spirulina flakes, and specialized detritivore pellets. A mature tank with natural algae growth is highly beneficial for them.

Sex ratio

Solitary

There is no obvious sexual dimorphism between males and females. They are highly gregarious schooling fish that must be kept in groups of at least six to feel secure. Keeping a single specimen will result in severe stress, erratic behavior, and likely premature death.

Feeding frequency

TWO_THREE_DAILY

Due to the low nutrient density of their natural diet, they are constant grazers that need to feed continuously. They should be offered food multiple times a day if natural forage is insufficient. Providing a sandy substrate enriched with edible matter allows them to exhibit natural feeding behaviors.

Bioload

The Flathead grey mullet grows extremely large and is a constantly active swimmer, resulting in an immense bioload. They continuously forage and process large amounts of detritus and algae, expelling significant waste. They are only suited for truly massive public aquariums or indoor ponds with industrial-grade filtration.

Flow

Strong

They originate from coastal estuaries, bays, and surf zones where water movement is very strong and highly oxygenated. They require powerful, turbulent water flow in the aquarium to remain healthy and active. A lack of oxygen or stagnant water will quickly cause them to deteriorate.

Jump risk

Yes

Mugil cephalus is famous for its incredible leaping ability, often jumping several feet out of the water when startled by boats or predators. An extremely heavy, tightly secured lid is absolutely mandatory. For open ponds, high netting around the perimeter is required to keep them contained.

Reproduction

Oviparous

Breeding this species in home aquaria is impossible due to their size and complex life cycle. In the wild, they migrate offshore in massive schools to spawn in the ocean. The pelagic larvae then migrate back into estuaries and freshwater rivers to grow.

Compatibility & tankmates

Community

They are completely peaceful and will not bother other fish, but their massive size and frantic swimming can easily intimidate smaller, timid species. They are best kept with other large, robust, and peaceful brackish or marine fish. They should never be kept with aggressive predators that might nip at them.

Tank level

All levels

They utilize all levels of the water column but spend a significant amount of time sifting through the bottom substrate for food. They require massive amounts of open swimming space and will constantly pace the length of the enclosure. Obstructions and complex hardscape should be minimized to prevent injury.