Live Sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates)

Also known as Shark Remora, Sharksucker, Slender Sharksucker, Slender Suckerfish, Slender Suckingfish, Striped Remora, Striped Suckerfish, Suckerfish, Suckingfish, Whitefin Sharksucker, White-tailed Remora

Description

Also known as Shark Remora, Sharksucker, Slender Sharksucker, Slender Suckerfish, Slender Suckingfish, Striped Remora, Striped Suckerfish, Suckerfish, Suckingfish, Whitefin Sharksucker, White-tailed Remora.

Found singly or in schools, either free swimming, or attached to their host (with a sucker on top of their head) which includes any critter or object, like fish, sharks, dolphins, etc., as well as ships, and even divers legs! In warm waters, from estuaries to the ocean, around inshore areas of coral reefs.
They feed on scraps of food or parasites from their hosts.
Juveniles sometimes found at cleaning stations acting as cleaners.
Length - 100cm
Depth - 0-100m
Circumtropical

Remoras have a sucker on top of their heads to attach to anything that moves!
They spend their days Hitch hiking between large fish such as sharks, manta rays, turtles etc.
They are quite keen to hitch a lift with divers as well!!
If they do attach push forward to remove!
They feed on scraps of food from their hosts or parasites on their hosts. Ref: https://www.fishbase.in/summary/Echeneis-naucrates.html

4 comments

  1. Posted by jerry bigness
    June 04, 2014 at 02:02 am - 1 person found this useful.

    One was caught on Surfside Beach Pier. No one knew what it was, so had to research it. They have had an explosion of manta rays, as well as the usual sharks and leatherback turtles lately. This is probably what has brought them in. He caught the remora on shrimp and hook.

  2. Posted by faryn
    May 11, 2013 at 06:40 am - 1 person found this useful.

    I caught 2 of these fishing under a bridge in Miami, FL it scared me at first until i examined it and realized the top of his head had a sucker on there. they're pretty cool overall though.

  3. Posted by Robert
    December 03, 2011 at 07:12 am - 1 person found this useful.

    I caught one of these shore fishing in Dunedin, FL. The sucker is impressive looking. You would think it was a man made rubber part!

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