Blacktail Seabream

Diplodus capensis

The blacktail seabream (Diplodus capensis), known locally as dassie or kolstert, is a medium-sized sparid fish reaching up to 45 cm. It has a silver body with a distinctive large black blotch on the caudal peduncle, faint vertical bars on the flanks, and a slightly protruding snout. Endemic to southern Africa from Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal, it inhabits rocky reefs, kelp forests, and shallow coastal waters at depths of 0 to 40 meters. This omnivorous species feeds on algae, small invertebrates, and mussels. It is one of the most commonly encountered fish by shore anglers and divers along the South African coast. Schools of blacktail are a regular sight on shallow rocky reef dives, where their silvery bodies and the distinctive tail markings create lively underwater scenes.