Croakers

Croakers, also called drums, are bottom-dwelling fish known for making a drumming sound. In this app the group includes the Atlantic Croaker, the Spotted Seatrout, and the Red Drum.

Croakers are best told from similar bottom fish by their low-set mouth and the notch in the long back fin. Members differ mainly in colour pattern and body shape, and some, like the red drum, show one or more dark spots near the tail.

Croakers have a long fin on the back that reaches almost to the tail, with a notch splitting it into a spiny front part and a soft rear part. Most are plain brown, with a lateral line running all the way to the tip of the tail fin. The mouth sits low on the head.

Croakers live worldwide in both fresh and salt water, mostly in estuaries, bays, and muddy river banks in warm and tropical areas. Most avoid clear water such as coral reefs, though a few species do live on reefs.

Croakers make a repeated drumming or croaking sound by vibrating muscles against their swim bladder. Some use this sound to warn off other croakers while feeding or to keep track of each other in cloudy water, while in other species mainly the males croak to attract a mate.

Croakers are carnivores that feed near the bottom, eating invertebrates and smaller fish.

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  Black Drum

  Pogonias cromis

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  Freshwater Drum

  Aplodinotus grunniens

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  Highhat

  Pareques acuminatus

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  Red Drum

  Sciaenops ocellatus

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  Silver Perch

  Bairdiella chrysoura

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  Southern Kingfish

  Menticirrhus americanus