Fish
Thicklip Grey Mullet
Chelon labrosus · also called thick-lipped grey mullet
In a sunny harbour, a shoal of thicklip grey mullet drifts along the base of the quay wall, grazing slowly on the green film that covers the stones.
Overview
The thicklip grey mullet, Chelon labrosus, is a Least Concern mullet of coastal waters, harbours, and estuaries from Norway to Senegal and the Mediterranean. Its thick lips, grazing habit, and wariness make it one of the most familiar large fish of European harbours.
A fish that grazes like a cow
Rather than hunting other fish, the thicklip mullet feeds by scraping algae and film from hard surfaces and sifting mud, which makes it a grazer more than a predator.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common.
Thicklip Grey Mullet: common questions
Why is it called the thicklip grey mullet?
It has a thick, fleshy upper lip with small, wart-like bumps, which gives the fish its name.
What does the thicklip grey mullet eat?
It grazes on algae, diatoms, and organic film from stones, piers, and mud, and also takes small invertebrates.
Does it enter fresh water?
It moves into estuaries and brackish water, and sometimes swims a little way up rivers.
Where is the thicklip grey mullet found?
It lives in coastal waters, harbours, and estuaries from Norway to Senegal and in the Mediterranean.