Fish
Striped Threadfin
Polydactylus plebeius
A silvery surf and estuary fish with trailing thread-like feelers below the pectoral, working sandy KwaZulu-Natal shores.
Also known as kaapse belman, threadfin, threadfin(striped)
- Typical size
- Commonly 25-45 cm
- Habitat
- Sandy surf zone and estuaries
- Depth
- Shallow inshore water
The striped threadfin is a streamlined silver fish marked with fine dark stripes along the scale rows and, most distinctively, a set of free, thread-like filaments hanging below each pectoral fin. These sensory feelers trail over the bottom to detect prawns, worms and small fish in murky water.
It favours the sandy surf zone, estuary mouths and shallow bays of the KwaZulu-Natal coast, where it hunts in the turbid water close to shore. It is a good light-tackle and surf angling target and fine eating. Divers rarely see it clearly given the cloudy water it prefers.