Some days in the life of Black Seabream

Despite many Mediterranean species, such as groupers, have a distinct reproduction behaviour, still are considered pale in comparison to the behaviour and life events of species in tropical seas. Yet, one of the most “invisible” species in the Mediterranean proves everybody wrong!

Black Seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus) lives mostly a cryptic life, having stealthy dark grey colours and hiding in the dark at depths usual bellow 40 and down to 300 m, rather than venturing at depth where divers can see them, preying on squids and mollusks, blending with other deep water fish such as porgies. Most divers ignore their existence unless have seen in a restaurant.

However, when comes to reproduction, they gather in selected places in the “shallows” (simply meaning above 20 m..) and males turn almost neon blue, in a seasonal gender distinction that is hardly seen in Mediterranean. In these special places, usually at the same single rock among many similar others, year after year, within the same time frame of two weeks, the bright blue males prepare a nest in the sand or gravel so the females lay eggs for males to fertilise and guard. So lucky divers knowing these special spots can witness an incredible life show: a shoal of grey females schooling around the rock until feel ready to lay eggs and among them smaller males, that had no chance to secure space in the nursery rock, still hoping for a chance to ..get laid and at same time the dominant males, flashing their most bright blue colors and stripes are holding their ground in the holes for ..brides to arrive, lay eggs and return to the depths. Once eggs are fertilised, the males will guard and ventilate them for roughly 10 days until hatching and then will return to their stealth grey colour and to their dark deep habitant, leaving g the rock empty, with no evidence of their presence or this event.

It is simply incredible that every year within a two-week time frame one can visit the exact same rock and experience this amazing reproduction and social behavior! And in Blue Manta we had the privilege monitoring this behaviour since our first year, always making sure to not disturb the fish or spoil this seasonal event. These places have to remain hidden and protected by the blessed divers knowing the location, as just a net there can eliminate a whole population on a single catch. For the same reason u/w photographers should not put too much pressure on the nesting males for a better photo risking to spoil for them the reproduction rituals or the spot.

So yes, our work as u/w photographers could have been better but is more important no to cause distress to the population and just get a testimonial of this marine miracle. If only those breams were not as shy models!