Striped Mullet: The Leaping Silver Schooler

Those big, flickering schools of silver fish rippling across the shallows are often striped mullet — one of the most widespread and hardy fish in the ocean. Here's how to spot them near Jacó, plus five fun facts.

Striped Mullet · Mugil cephalus

How to spot the striped mullet near Jacó

Look to the sandy shallows and the surface. Striped mullet move in large, loose schools, often close to shore, and sometimes leap clear of the water for no obvious reason. Their blunt heads and silvery, lightly-striped sides make them easy to recognize.

5 fun facts about the striped mullet

• One of the most widespread fish on Earth. Striped mullet live in warm and temperate coastal waters all around the globe.
• Famous for leaping. Mullet frequently jump clear of the water; scientists still debate exactly why they do it.
• Bottom grazers. They feed on algae and tiny organisms in the sand and mud, sifting their food from the bottom.
• They handle changing water. Mullet thrive from salty ocean to brackish river mouths, tolerating big swings in salinity.
• A key food fish. Their huge schools feed everything from jacks to pelicans, making them vital to the coastal food web.

The striped mullet is just one of many characters down there. See the whole cast in our Snorkel Jaco fish directory, or read real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.