David Hall's Encounters in the Sea Photography

Fish Schools

A "shoal" is any group of fish engaged in similar behavior, while a "school" is a shoal that swims together in a coordinated manner. Many species of fish engage in schooling behavior for at least some part of their lives. Smaller fish often school for protection, since it is more difficult for a predator to pick out an individual target when faced with a coordinated, swirling mass. Similarly, larger fish may school for increased efficiency in finding or attacking prey. Other possible adaptive advantages of schooling include greater hydrodynamic efficiency for swimming, and greater ease in finding a mate.

Jacks, New Guinea	Barracuda, New Guinea	Maomao, New Zealand
Barracuda, New Guinea	Catfish, New Guinea	Barracuda, New Guinea
Swirling Jacks, Cocos	Fusiliers, Fiji	Bannerfish, New Guinea
Raccoon butterflyfish, Hawaii	Bigeyes, Fiji	Fusiliers, Seychelles
Bigeye Jacks, Indonesia	Butterflyfish, Seychelles	Barracuda, Papua New Guinea
Soldierfish, Dominica	Surgeonfish, Fiji	Basslets, Palau
Salema, Galapagos	Mullet, Seychelles	Trevallies, Indonesia