The redfish feeds on squid.
Redfish can refer to various types of fish, but is most often used to describe snapper and red snapper. The snapper is a reef-dwelling fish found in the Atlantic Ocean from the East Coast of the United States to southern Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico. The red roughy is a deep-sea species found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The snapper lives in deep waters up to 100 m. Light red in color, the fish is darker on the back. Scientifically called Lantanas capechanus, the snapper lives in schools along the ocean floor, inhabiting rocks, shipwrecks, and reefs.
The snapper spawns in summer in the Gulf of Mexico and from late summer to early fall off the coast of Florida. Snapper can weigh up to 35 pounds (16 kg), although less than 20 pounds (9 kg) is more common. The average length of the fish is around 24 inches (60 cm).
Also commonly called pork snapper and chicken snapper, this particular type of red fish can have a shelf life of over 40 years. The fish are carnivorous, with needle-shaped teeth. They feed on squid, octopus and other small marine animals.
A game fish, the snapper is also caught commercially. The United States has placed some limits on the number of snappers that can be caught. However, snapper populations are not considered endangered as of 2011.
The second fish most commonly known as redfish is the red roughy or orange roughy. This species is also commonly known as sea bass and is scientifically named Hoplostethus atlanticus. A member of the Trachichthyidae family, this type of fish is known as slimeheads.
The red watch can live almost 150 years. Slow to mature, the fish does not reproduce until it is at least 20 years old. When mature, it weighs about 3.5 kg.
The red roughy has white meat and is fished in the summer months, the spawning season. This type of redfish is fished by bottom trawling gear, raising concerns about bycatch, which refers to fish caught accidentally by fishing gear and damage to the ocean floor. The fish is listed as endangered and most conservation organizations advise against eating it due to its population status.
Redfish can also be used to refer to some species of rockfish and some alphonsine species. The term can be used to describe Centroberyx affinis, Sebastes mentella, and Oncorhynchus nerka. Other species of snapper are also called redfish.