Archerfish

water hunters · tropical fish · incredible aim

Expert marksmen. Archerfish have a special mouth shape that lets them shoot jets of water with incredible accuracy at insects hanging above the water. They can knock bugs right off leaves and branches from several feet away.

Water cannons. When an archerfish spots prey above the surface, it aims carefully and then snaps its mouth shut to fire a concentrated stream of water that hits hard enough to stun or knock down its target.

Tropical home. Archerfish live in freshwater streams, ponds, and wetlands across India, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the islands of the Pacific. A few special species can even survive in brackish water where rivers meet the ocean.

Small but mighty. There are only ten species of archerfish in the world, split into two groups called Toxotes and Protoxotes. Despite their small family size, they are some of nature's most clever hunters.

Smart hunters. Archerfish have to figure out how light bends in water to aim correctly at insects on land. This requires amazing brain power and makes them one of the smartest fish in the ocean.