Fun Atlantic Pomfret Facts For Kids

Have you been trying to find more diverse fishes to eat rather than just sticking to catfish? If yes, then you must have a look at the Atlantic pomfret (Brama brama), which is also known as Ray's bream. This is a common pomfret species found extensively in the Atlantic, Indian, and South Pacific oceans. As it belongs to the family Bramidae, you can instantly recognize it by its unique look. The most striking thing has to be its V-shaped tail fin along with its smooth, shiny silver body. This tail feature is shared by other pomfret species. It has a relatively small body length but is packed with important nutrients like vitamins and minerals.

It likes to dwell in a great oceanic depth, however, it may change the habitat according to season and temperature. People around the world enjoy fishing for this species, and it has given way to its popularity. These days you can easily find the Atlantic pomfret in a nearby supermarket, but it is more commonly eaten in countries like China and India.

Want to know more about this amazing fish? Keep reading and also check out our articles on catfish and Spanish mackerel to know more about edible fish.

What type of animal is an Atlantic pomfret?

The Atlantic pomfret (Brama brama) is a species of fish that is predominantly found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

What class of animal does an Atlantic pomfret belong to?

It (Brama brama) belongs to the class Actinopterygii that contains different types of ray-finned fishes, and even salmon.

How many Atlantic pomfrets are there in the world?

As a commonly found species, it is hard to assign a specific number to the population of the Atlantic pomfret fish.

Where does an Atlantic pomfret live?

Even though this fish is named the Atlantic pomfret, its population can be found in the Atlantic, Indian, and even in the south Pacific Ocean.

What is an Atlantic pomfret's habitat?

Ray's bream fish live in the marine environment provided by the oceans. Most pomfrets are exclusively found in the sea, and that makes them popular among those who like fishing. It can live up to the depth of 3,281 ft (1,000 m) in its sea environment. As subtropical fishes, it prefers to dwell in temperatures of 54-75 F (12- 24 C).

Who do Atlantic pomfrets live with?

Little to no information is found about the living habits of the pomfret fish, but we can assume that it must travel the sea in small schools. These fishes are known for unique migration patterns that are based on their geographical location.

How long does an Atlantic pomfret live?

In the wild, a Ray's bream can live up to eight years. However, in most cases, its life is cut short because of frequent fishing in the oceans.

How do they reproduce?

Not a lot is known about the reproduction of the Ray's bream, except the fact that these pomfret fishes breed in groups. In the Mediterranean area, the breeding mainly takes place in August and September when the sea temperature is above 68 F (20 C). Fertilization of eggs takes place outside the body as both the male and the female spawn. The females may spawn about 200,000-300,000 eggs. These planktonic eggs are guarded by males who are quite territorial.

What is their conservation status?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, it is currently listed under the status of Least Concern. Even after extensive sea fishing, this species has continued to thrive in the Atlantic, Indian, and South Pacific oceans.

What do Atlantic pomfrets look like?

Just like other species, Ray's bream has a diamond-shaped body. Both the head and body of this fish are compressed. You will notice that the shape gradually tapers and ends with the beautiful tail fins. The head is quite rounded, while the lower jaw protrudes, giving its face a unique look. This fish has a single dorsal and anal fins with long bases.

The dorsal fin can span over the total length of the body before mixing into the tail fin. Moreover, around 35-38 soft rays are present in the dorsal fin of the ray's bream. The body is covered in small smooth silver scales, and the tail fins fit perfectly to the body of this fish. Apart from the dorsal fin, do pay attention to the caudal fin that has a long lobe. You will also notice that the protruding rays of all the fins have a darker color. The length and fin structure of the juveniles are slightly different from adults.

*We've been unable to source an image of Atlantic pomfret and have used an image of pomfret instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of Atlantic pomfret, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected].

How cute are they?

Maybe we wouldn't really call these fishes cute, but their unique body shape and style of tail fins do help them to shine out amongst other fishes.

How do they communicate?

We don't know a lot about how these particular fishes communicate; however it will surely follow the common communication patterns, which includes the use of chemicals. Fish are quite intelligent with a keen sense of smell and sight that helps to navigate the depth of oceans like in the South Pacific.

How big is an Atlantic pomfret?

The average body length of the Atlantic pomfret is around 16-39 in (40-100 cm). However, the size of the species may vary according to the geographical location of the family. In comparison, the Atlantic mackerel is quite small.

How fast can an Atlantic pomfret swim?

Not much data is available about the swimming speed of Ray's bream.

How much does an Atlantic pomfret weigh?

The average weight of the ray's bream is up to 13 lb (6 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names for the males and females of this species.

What would you call a baby Atlantic pomfret?

The baby Atlantic pomfret fish can be called a fry or a larva.

What do they eat?

Ray's breams are known to sustain on a diet of small fishes, crustaceans, mollusks, and squids. While in the larval stage these species do feed on plankton.

Are they eaten by humans?

Yes, Ray's bream is a common delicacy that is especially enjoyed by Indian and Chinese people. Fishing is also quite common as it is found extensively in the Atlantic, South Pacific, and Indian oceans.

Would they make a good pet?

They are usually just for consumption purposes.

Did you know...

The family Bramidae is divided into seven genera. These are Brama, Eumegistus, Pteraclis, Pterycombus, Taractes, Taractichthys, and Xenobrama. All of these fishes might be known as pomfrets. However, Ray's bream belongs to the genus Brama.

Pomfrets, in general, are freshwater fishes.

Is the pomfret a bony fish?

Yes, the pomfret is a bony fish, but a good thing is that it doesn't really have many small bones, making it an easy fish for human consumption.

Buying and eating Atlantic pomfret

You may have come across the Pacific or Atlantic pomfret or other types of pomfret in the supermarket. We will always suggest you buy pomfret that is fresh to get the utmost taste. This white flesh sea fish is considered great for health as it has good fat storage along with important vitamins and minerals. The pomfret is also a great fish to have if you want good eyesight, just like the Pacific salmon. The Chinese pomfret is often the most expensive and it is considered the best because of its superior taste. However, you can go for any pomfret variant and try to get ones that are wild-caught. Try out delicious Atlantic pomfret recipes to make it even tastier.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish from our Atlantic herring, or Atlantic horse mackerel.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Atlantic mackerel coloring pages.

Second image by Simmremmai.