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Archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix)

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Banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix), a silvery fish with bold black bars.

Banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix).

Image: Chrumps, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

Archerfish (family Toxotidae) are remarkable fish of coastal waters, mangroves, and estuaries from India to Australia, famous for a one-of-a-kind hunting method: they shoot down insects and other small prey resting on overhanging plants by spitting a precise jet of water. The banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix), shown here, is a silvery, deep-bodied fish marked with bold black bars and a sharply upturned mouth built for aiming upward.

What makes the feat astonishing is the skill behind it: an archerfish must account for the way light bends at the water's surface to hit a target it sees from below at an angle — and it can learn to improve its aim.

Note: there are several archerfish species; details here use the banded archerfish as a reference. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Archerfish live mainly in brackish water — mangrove forests, estuaries, and coastal streams — across South and Southeast Asia and into northern Australia, with some venturing into fresh or fully marine water. They favour shaded waters with overhanging vegetation, which provides both cover and the insect prey they target from below.

Diet

Archerfish are carnivores that eat insects and other small invertebrates, plus small fish. They take much of their prey from above the water — knocking insects, spiders, and the like off overhanging leaves and branches with water jets — and they will also snap up prey at or below the surface, and even leap to grab insects within reach.

Behavior

To shoot, an archerfish presses its tongue against a groove in the roof of its mouth to form a barrel, then snaps its gill covers shut to fire a powerful jet of water at prey above the surface. Hitting a target seen through the water's surface means compensating for refraction (the bending of light), and archerfish do this with impressive accuracy, knocking prey down to be eaten. They can learn and refine their aim, and even fish that have only watched others can improve — a notable feat for a fish. Archerfish often hunt in groups and may race to grab a downed insect.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Archerfish are popular in public aquariums and with hobbyists for their unique spitting behaviour, and they are studied by scientists interested in animal aiming, learning, and vision. In the wild they depend on healthy mangroves and estuaries, so coastal habitat loss is the main concern; many remain reasonably widespread. Consult authoritative sources for species-specific status.

More photos of the archerfish

An archerfish near the surface, where it shoots down prey with water jets.

Banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix).

Image: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions — Archerfish

How does an archerfish shoot water?
It turns its mouth into a water gun. The archerfish presses its tongue against a groove in the roof of its mouth to form a narrow barrel, then rapidly closes its gill covers to push out a focused jet of water. Aimed at an insect on an overhanging leaf, the jet knocks the prey down onto the water, where the fish eats it.
How does the archerfish aim so accurately?
It has to correct for refraction — the bending of light as it passes between air and water — because it views its above-water target at an angle from below. Despite this optical challenge, archerfish hit prey with great precision, and they can learn to improve their aim with experience, making them surprisingly skilled marksmen.
What do archerfish eat?
They are carnivores that eat insects and other small invertebrates, and some small fish. Much of their food comes from above the water — insects and spiders knocked off overhanging plants with water jets — but they also take prey at the surface and can leap to grab insects within reach.
Where do archerfish live?
Mostly in brackish coastal habitats — mangroves, estuaries, and coastal streams — from South and Southeast Asia to northern Australia, with some entering fresh or fully marine water. They like shaded waters with overhanging vegetation, which supplies both shelter and the above-water prey they shoot down.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.