Fivebar Flagtail

Kuhlia mugil

The Fivebar Flagtail is a marine fish known for its distinctive appearance and widespread presence in the Indo-Pacific region. It has a compressed, elongated oval body with a large eye and an oblique mouth. Its silver body may have a bluish, brownish, or yellowish tinge on the upper flanks. The caudal fin features five dark bars alternating with paler areas, and the dorsal fin is deeply notched with a dusky band along its margin. This species can reach a standard length of up to 40 centimeters. Fivebar Flagtails are found in tropical marine environments, with a distribution ranging from the Red Sea and East Africa to the eastern Pacific, including areas north to southern Japan and south to New South Wales. They are commonly associated with reefs at depths from 3 to 18 meters, forming tightly packed schools along reef margins. Juveniles often inhabit tide pools, and while they may occasionally be found in estuaries, they do not enter freshwater. This species is a nocturnal forager, primarily feeding on zooplankton and small fishes. Divers may encounter them in schools during night dives, where their schooling behavior and distinctive fin patterns can be observed. The Fivebar Flagtail is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.