Atlantic Silverside

Range/Geographical Distribution: The Gulf of St. Lawrence to northeast Florida.

Habitat: Along sandy shores and inlets.

Description:  A small schooling fish with a gray/green body and a silvery stripe down each side. 

Size:  Can reach six inches in length.

Food:  Mysids, copepods, shrimp, small squid, and marine worms.

Breeding:  Spawn March through August and the eggs are deposited on the substrate along the shore.

Predators:  Stripped bass, bluefish, and other predatory fishes.

Conservation Status: No legal status.

Interesting Facts: The various species of silversides are very difficult to distinguish between; often distribution and habitat are the most important clues. The genus and species name for this fish, Menidia, comes from the Greek word menoeides meaning “like a half moon shape”.

On the Coast: Atlantic silversides are found swimming in schools around beaches and estuaries along the Georgia coast.  These small fish are important food sources for larger fish and may be used as bait.