Head to head
Red Mullet vs Thicklip Grey Mullet
Red Mullet
VS Thicklip Grey Mullet
The red mullet and the thicklip grey mullet share the word mullet, but they belong to different families and live very different lives, one probing sand and the other grazing harbour walls.
| Red Mullet | Thicklip Grey Mullet | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mullus surmuletus | Chelon labrosus |
| Relationship | A goatfish, not closely related to the grey mullets | A grey mullet, not closely related to the goatfish despite the shared name |
| Colour | Red to pinkish-red, with yellow stripes along the sides, and able to change from pale to deep red | Silver-grey, with dark stripes along the flanks |
| Head and barbels | A steep, almost vertical forehead and two long, sensitive chin barbels | A flat head and a thick, fleshy upper lip with small, wart-like bumps |
| Size | Usually 15 to 25 cm long | Can grow to well over 50 cm |
| Diet | Worms, small crustaceans, and molluscs found by probing the sand and mud with its barbels | Algae, diatoms, and organic film grazed from stones, piers, and mud |
| Habitat | Sandy and muddy bottoms of coastal waters | Harbours, estuaries, and shores, often in shoals near the surface |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, and prized as a luxury food since Roman times | Least Concern, and a wary, powerful fighter popular with some anglers |
Red Mullet vs Thicklip Grey Mullet: common questions
Are red mullet and grey mullet related?
No, the red mullet is a goatfish and the grey mullet belongs to a different family, so they share only a name.
Which one has barbels?
The red mullet, which has two long, sensitive barbels under its chin that it sweeps over the sea bed to find food.
Which one grazes on algae?
The thicklip grey mullet, which scrapes algae and organic film from stones, piers, and mud.