Flathead Grey Mullet
Mugil cephalus
The flathead grey mullet is a fast-swimming euryhaline fish with a torpedo body. A heavy jumper, it requires a massive 500L tank, a secure lid, fine sand, and an herbivorous/detritivore diet.
Température de l’eau
12 - 28 °C
Valeur du pH
7.5 - 8.5
Type d'eau
Eau saumâtre / Marin
Niveau dans le bac
Tous les niveaux
Taille adulte
40 cm
Volume minimal du bac
>= 400 L
Groupe minimal
>= 5
Description de l'espèce
Geographical Origin and Habitat: A cosmopolitan species found in coastal temperate and tropical waters globally. It inhabits estuaries, lagoons, ports, and freshwater rivers. It is commonly found over sandy or muddy substrates rich in detritus.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the Mugilidae family, genus Mugil. Features a robust, cylindrical, torpedo-shaped body covered in large silvery scales. Eyes are partially covered by a transparent adipose eyelid. Can reach lengths of 60 to 80 cm.
Social Behavior: Peaceful, schooling fish that swims constantly in tight groups. They forage by scooping up mouthfuls of substrate to filter out organic matter. They are famous for their jumping behavior, leaping out of the water when startled.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Back is olive or bluish-grey, shading to silver on the sides and white on the belly. Dark longitudinal stripes run along the scales. There is no visible external sexual dimorphism between males and females.
Soins, reproduction et cohabitation
Aquarium Setup: Due to their large size and fast swimming, they require massive aquariums of at least 500 liters (approx. 130 gallons) or indoor ponds. The substrate must consist of fine sand. A secure, heavy lid is mandatory to prevent jumping.
Diet and Feeding: Detritivore and herbivore. They feed by sifting through sand for micro-algae, diatoms, detritus, and small invertebrates. In captivity, feed sinking pellets, algae wafers, spirulina flakes, and occasional frozen foods.
Water Quality: Extremely tolerant of salinity variations, thriving in fresh, brackish, or fully marine water. Keep temperatures between 12°C and 26°C (54-79°F), and pH between 7.5 and 8.4. High mechanical filtration is necessary due to sand sifting.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Peaceful and non-aggressive. It can be kept with a wide variety of robust fish depending on the salinity of the setup. Do not house with tiny, fragile fish that might be stressed by its fast, restless swimming.
Aquarium Breeding: Spawning in home aquariums is not possible. In the wild, they migrate offshore to deep marine waters where they spawn pelagic eggs. The larval development requires open-ocean conditions that cannot be replicated in captivity.
Risks and Diseases: The primary risk is jumping out of the tank or injuring their snouts by colliding with the glass when panicked. Generally hardy, but can suffer from skin flukes or bacterial infections if the substrate is allowed to become dirty.
Origine et répartition géographiques
A cosmopolitan species found in coastal temperate and tropical waters globally. It inhabits estuaries, lagoons, ports, and freshwater rivers. It is commonly found over sandy or muddy substrates rich in detritus.
Origine
Cosmopolite ou introduitAmérique du NordOcéans tropicaux et récifs
Profil de poisson
- Tempérament
- 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.
- Régime alimentaire
- 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.
- Espérance de vie
- 4-13 years
- Taille adulte
- 40 cm
- Ratio des sexes
- 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.
- Fréquence d'alimentation
- 2-3 times 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.
- Charge biologique
- Extreme
- 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.
- Courant
- 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.
- Risque de saut
- 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.
- Compatibilité et compagnons
- 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.
- Niveau dans le bac
- 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.
Modèles et paramètres scientifiques
FishBase
Fenêtre sur les données scientifiques officielles de l’espèce
Données synchronisées le : 15/06/2026
- Niveau trophique
- 2,5 ± 0,17 se
- Résilience
- Faible (4,5 - 14 ans)
- Temps de génération
- 4,8 ans
- Singularité phylogénétique (PD50)
- 0.5
- Relation bayésienne longueur-poids
- a = 0.01202, b = 2.94
- VulnérabilitéVulnérabilité modérée (43 / 100)
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