Yellowstripe Scad

Interesting Info

• The Yellowstripe Scad is a small, shimmering fish best known for the bright yellow stripe that runs along each side of its body.
• It grows to about 22 cm (8.5 in), with most individuals much smaller, closer to the size of a hand.
• In Australia it is found along the northern coastline from Western Australia across the Northern Territory to northern Queensland.
• Globally it has a wide Indo–Pacific range, from the Red Sea and East Africa across South and Southeast Asia, north to Japan, and through many Pacific Islands.
• The body is slim and silver, with a yellowish tail and a bold golden stripe along the flank that gives it its name.
• Juveniles often form huge schools in estuaries, bays, and sheltered lagoons, while adults range into coastal waters and sandy areas.
• They feed mainly on zooplankton, small crustaceans, and tiny fish, often filtering through the water in tight schools.
• Spawning happens offshore, with eggs and larvae drifting in the plankton before young fish settle in bays and lagoons.
• Their lifespan is short—only about 2–3 years—but they grow fast and breed often, which helps keep their populations large.