Fish
Black Seabream
Spondyliosoma cantharus · also called black bream
In May off the south coast of England, black seabream arrive in shoals over the sandy patches near a reef, the males already darkening for the breeding season.
Overview
The black seabream, Spondyliosoma cantharus, is a Least Concern sea bream of rocky reefs, wrecks, and weedy ground from the British Isles to West Africa and the Mediterranean. Its spring spawning migration and nest-guarding males make it one of the most notable seasonal visitors to British inshore waters.
A fish that makes a nest
Unlike most sea bream, which scatter their eggs in open water, the male black seabream clears a hollow in the sand and defends it against intruders until the eggs hatch.
Status
Least Concern, widespread but sensitive at spawning sites.
Black Seabream: common questions
Who guards the black seabream's eggs?
The male clears a shallow nest in sand or gravel, turns dark blue to black, and guards the eggs fiercely.
When do black seabream come inshore?
They move into inshore waters in spring to spawn, with large shoals arriving off the coasts of southern Britain.
What does the black seabream eat?
It eats seaweed, small crustaceans, worms, and other small animals found on reefs and sandy ground.
Where is the black seabream found?
It lives around rocky reefs, wrecks, and weedy ground from Norway and the British Isles south to West Africa and the Mediterranean.