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Spotted Archerfish

Spotted Archerfish

Toxotes Chatareus

Quick Facts

Scientific nameToxotes Chatareus

Other namesCommon Archerfish, Sevenspot Archerfish

FamilyArcherfish / Toxotidae

Distribution

Habitat & AU DistributionBrackish coastal waters, mangroves, estuaries, rivers, streams, lakes & billabongs

The Spotted Archerfish is a deep-bodied, silvery fish with a series of six or seven bold black spots along its upper sides. It can grow to about 40 cm long, though most are closer to 25 cm.
In Australia, it lives across the tropical north, from Derby in Western Australia to Townsville in Queensland. Its range stretches much farther through the warm Indo-Pacific, from India and Sri Lanka to New Guinea.
This is a fish built for life at the water’s edge. Its back is nearly flat from snout to dorsal fin. That shape lets it swim right at the surface and look upward without disturbing the water above.
The Spotted Archerfish hunts by spitting a jet of water at insects resting on leaves and branches overhead. It can hit targets about 1.5 m above the surface with surprising accuracy.
To fire its shot, it presses its tongue up against a groove in the roof of its mouth, forming a narrow tube. It then snaps its gill covers shut, forcing water along the tube and out in a powerful stream.
It feeds at the surface during the day, targeting insects and other small animals on overhanging vegetation. It will also take small fish and crustaceans from the water.
Spotted Archerfish move easily between salt and fresh water. They are most at home in mangrove estuaries but also travel well up rivers, into billabongs and even small streams.
They tend to gather in shaded spots beneath overhanging plants, where insects are plentiful and cover is close at hand.
Breeding takes place during the wet season, in both fresh and brackish water. Females produce buoyant eggs that drift in open water, with a single female releasing anywhere from 20,000 to 150,000 eggs.
Spotted Archerfish begin breeding at around 20 cm long, well before they reach their full size.
Four species of archerfish are found in Australia, and the Spotted Archerfish is the most widespread of them. Its pattern of six or seven alternating large and small black spots is one of the clearest ways to tell it apart from its relatives.
Like other archerfish, it can hit prey at distances of more than ten times its own body length. For a 25 cm fish, that is a remarkable shot.

Species Interaction

Spotted Archerfish: A Northern River Novelty and Aquarium Favourite

Aquarium
Recreational Fishing
Research & Rare Encounters
Conservation
Ecosystem Role

The Spotted Archerfish is best known for its remarkable ability to shoot down insects with a jet of water, making it a favourite in public aquariums and among aquarists who keep native species. In the wild, it inhabits the rivers, estuaries and floodplain wetlands of northern Australia, where it is occasionally encountered by anglers, though it is not a significant fishing target. Researchers and naturalists value it as an indicator of wetland health, and its presence in Ramsar-listed sites like the Ord River system and Kakadu gives it some conservation profile.

Species
Sustainability

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Carangaria incertae sedis
Family: Toxotidae
Genus: Toxotes
Species: Toxotes chatareus

Conservation Status

The Spotted Archerfish has not been assessed by the IUCN Red List, and it holds no listing under Australia’s EPBC Act. It is widespread across northern Australia, from the Kimberley coast of Western Australia to Townsville, Queensland, and is recorded as abundant at several significant wetland sites including Lakes Argyle and Kununurra.