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Lookdown
Selene vomer
The lookdown has a bright silver body that looks extremely flat. It has a steep forehead and a lower jaw that juts out, making them appear to be looking down.
Range & Habitat
Lookdowns inhabit shallow coastal waters up to 170 feet with hard or sandy bottoms from Maine, south to Uruguay and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Conservation Status: Least Concern
The lookdown is not hunted for human consumption due to ciguatera poisoning (a toxin carried by this fish). It is becoming popular as an aquarium fish, but not enough to have an effect on its population.
Diet
In the Wild - small crabs, shrimp, fish, worms.
At the Zoo – brine shrimp, blood worms, tropical fish food.
Life Span
In the Wild: Unknown.
In Human Care: Up to 20 years
In Human Care: Up to 20 years
Fun Facts about the Lookdown
• When stressed, lookdowns will make grunting noises with their swim bladders and their teeth.
• When traveling in schools, their metallic color can confuse predators.
• Their flat bodies give them a lot of speed and agility to escape predators.
Sources
Dallas World Aquarium. (2021). Lookdown Fish Selene Vomer. Retrieved February 7, 2021, from https://dwazoo.com/animal/lookdown-fish/
Sankar, S. (2016). Selene vomer (Lookdown). Retrieved February 7, 2021, from https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/documents/ogatt/Selene_vomer%20-%20Lookdown.pdf
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. (2021). Lookdown. Retrieved February 7, 2021, from https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/bony-fish/lookdown/
South Carolina Aquarium. (2019). Lookdown. Retrieved February 7, 2019, from https://scaquarium.org/our-animals/lookdown
Updated June 13, 2023
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