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Bony fish · Perciformes · Rachycentridae

Cobia

Rachycentron canadum

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.

Spotted something wrong?

The cobia is a marine fish, the only species of the genus Rachycentron, which in turn is the only genus in the family Rachycentridae.

Weight

37.4 kg on average

Size

up to 2 m

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Ocean
44countries36parks113dive sites

Fun facts

  • It looks very much like a remora, but lacks the sucking disc on the head.
  • It is the only living member of its family, Rachycentridae.
  • Its fast growth has made it one of the most widely farmed marine species in tropical aquaculture.

Life cycle and biology

Skeleton type
Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
Habitat and environment
Warm coastal waters of almost every ocean; it associates with reefs, buoys, wrecks and floating objects, and frequently accompanies whale sharks and large rays

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachycentron_canadum

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map→

North America16

Africa11

South America10

Asia6

Oceania1

Loading map…

The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.

Where to see it

Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 20 of 149.

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Cobia — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

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Keep exploring

Based on what we already know about cobia.

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See full glossary
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