Fun Green Jobfish Facts For Kids

The green jobfish (Aprion virescens) of phylum Chordata, order Actinopterygii, and subfamily Etelinae, is a species of marine ray-finned fish. They are greenish to grayish-blue in color and have diamond-shaped scales on their body.

Their slender body helps them to move through the rocks. This fish has a large Indo-Pacific distribution, and the Hawaiian islands are most famous for their appearance.

Also, they can be found in the north to southern Japan, East Africa, and South Australia. The habitat in which they grow and live has a good depth, like open water of lagoons, deep waters of coral reefs, channels, and deep oceans.

They spawn from May to October and are also known as multiple spawners. These tropical fishes take approx four to five years to develop sexually.

In fisheries, this species of fish is very important economically. There is a large market for buying and selling jobfish and they can be seen commonly in the aquarium industry also.

They are not caught directly and they get caught with other species. If you also want to catch them, you can read the techniques mentioned later in the article to have a perfect catch!

Have an interest in fish and want to know about more of them? Here you can know some amazing facts about teira batfish and jack fish!

Green Jobfish Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a green jobfish?

The green jobfish (Aprion virescens), native to the Pacific Oceans particularly the Hawaiian region and the Indian Ocean, is a type of fish. They have a very slender-shaped body and they are behind the snapper in competition. They are also called 'Uku' in Hawaii.

What class of animal does a green jobfish belong to?

This species belongs to the Actinopterygii class, order Perciformes, genus Aprion. Their scientific name is Aprion virescens and they are species of belonging to the snapper family.

How many green jobfish are there in the world?

There is no exact number recorded of their population globally, but you can see them in open waters, deep lagoons, channels, and seaward reefs. They are currently in good number, but because of increasing fisheries and demand in the aquarium trade, they might see a population decline.

Where does a green jobfish live?

Though fishes live in water, this species of fishes inhabit very deep waters. Their distribution can be seen in many Indo-Pacific regions such as Australia, East Africa, Japan, the Cocos Island, and the Great Barrier Reef.

What is a green jobfish's habitat?

The habitat of a green jobfish consists of open waters, channels, coral reefs, and lagoons in the Pacific region. To find them in abundance, you need to go fishing at a depth of 390 ft (118.8 m). All tropical countries and islands have a good population of these fish in their surrounding waters.  

Who do green jobfish live with?

There is not much data about the social behavior of these natives of the Hawaiian islands. These fishes are solitary marine creatures and prefer to remain quiet and alone. They may form loose schools when reproducing or communicating.

How long does a green jobfish live?

The lifespan of this species is quite good. They can live for about 15 years in deep water where they have favorable conditions to survive.  

How do they reproduce?

The green jobfish is oviparous. They reproduce by sexual reproduction and most species have external fertilization. Huge quantities of sperms and eggs are released into the water by both sexes. They can even form large groups and then release the gametes into the water.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the green jobfish (Aprion virescens) according to the IUCN Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is Least Concern. However, the range and distribution of its population is decreasing due to increasing fisheries and growing demand in the aquarium trade.

Green Jobfish Fun Facts

What do green jobfish look like?

This Hawaiian fish is dark green and blue-gray in color with pale underparts. The fins are spinous dorsal and have black blotches. They have a slender and cylindrical body with a forked tail.

Their snout is blunt and has an elongated head. The gray scales on their body are large and a beautiful diamond shape. Their jaws have large canine teeth and they are 35 in (90 cm) in length.

* Please note that this is an image of a small toothed jobfish, a similar species to the green jobfish. If you have an image of a green jobfish, please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.
 

How cute are they?

These gray fishes are neither cute nor gross. Though they are not as colorful as other adorable fishes like the Tang fish, they are still somewhat cute swimming in the water and make a great addition to an aquarium tank.

How do they communicate?

This species communicates by the sense of motion and gestures. They also communicate verbally and use sounds like chirps, grunts, and pops. Schools of fish are very well organized and have excellent communication. They even use electrical impulses and bioluminescence. Some different breeds of fish also use chemicals to communicate.

How big is a green jobfish?

The green jobfish species (Aprion virescens) is a large fish with a length of 35 in (88.9 cm). They can even attain a length of 44 in (111.7 cm).  It is a much longer in length compared to the species of the Congo tetra in the same class, Actinopterygii.

How fast can a green jobfish swim?

The exact swimming speed of the green jobfish is unknown yet, but the great white shark of the same phylum Chordata can swim up to 34.7 mph (56 kph) and is known to have one of the fastest swimming speeds in the ocean.

How much does a green jobfish weigh?

Being a large fish, the green jobfish (Aprion virescens) of the genus Aprion weighs around 34 lb (15.4 kg) and is almost double the weight of mutton snappers of the same family Lutjanidae. Even though their weight is greater than many other fishes, they are not aggressive in a fight.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male and female species of green jobfishes do not have a specific name. They are known as male green jobfishes and female green jobfishes.

What would you call a baby green jobfish?

A baby green jobfish does not have any particular name. They have different names depending on different life stages. When the eggs hatch, they are called larvae. When they grow enough to feed themselves, they are called fry. After the development of scales and workable fins, they are called fingerlings and they have become a juvenile.

What do they eat?

This species is an omnivore and the green jobfish diet consists of small fishes, shrimps, crabs, cephalopods, octopuses, and other small sea creatures. They are very comfortable feeding in deep water.

Are they dangerous?

Yes, this species is quite dangerous. They do not harm humans directly, but an adult green jobfish can become poisonous and cause ciguatera poisoning. You should check before eating any whether it was an adult or not.

Would they make a good pet?

This tropical snapper from the Hawaiian Islands is a popular fish in the aquarium industry. They are free swimmers and they need deep waters for good growth. People keep them as pets, but they won't be able to grow to their maximum potential.

Did you know...

This fish has many names other than just green jobfish. Other names include blue-gray snapper, gray jobfish, slender snapper, and blue-green snapper.

How should you eat green jobfish?

Green jobfishes are important in fisheries. They are very important economically and are also a popular sports fish. They are sold commercially either fresh, dried, or even salted. However, these fish come with the risk of poisoning. Adult green jobfish often become poisonous and cause ciguatera poisoning.

How do you catch a green jobfish?

There are many techniques to catch a green jobfish. Trolling and bottom fishing are some of the most popular techniques used to catch them.

You can easily catch them when fishing for other species too. Soft plastic materials, stick baits, and metal jigs can be used to catch them when they come to the surface. You can use either a live baitfish or dead baitfish, shrimps, and octopus to lure them.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these catfish facts and channel catfish facts for kids.

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