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The marine organism we're going to identify now is the Bar Jack. Whether you're snorkeling
or scuba diving in the waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean, one of the fish you'll most
likely see, is the Bar Jack. Bar Jacks are silvery fish, that have, that look, that one
always thinks of when envisioning a generic fish. Bullet shaped, tapering to a forked
tail. They are silver in color and are distinguished by a bright blue and black border on their
back that runs along the dorsal fin and under the lower tail. They will also darken their
colors when feeding and can often be seen following over the top of a stingray as it
hunts across the sand bottom, waiting for the ray to scare up a small tasty tidbit that
the fast swimming Bar Jack can grab for a quick snack. Bar Jacks will also be commonly
seen swimming in schools near dive boats and edges of walls. They are a great fish to watch
feed on plankton and other small animals as a scuba diver does his or her recommended
safety stop at the end of each dive. Their normal diet is small fish, shrimp and other
invertebrates. They are fairly bold and will swim closely by divers, either alone, or often
times, in large schools. They can also be frequently seen hovering over coral structures
in a head-down posture, as they are being cleaned by small Spanish Hogfish or other
cleaner fish. Bar Jacks generally range in size from eight to fourteen inches, but some
individuals may reach up to two feet in length. They are normally found in relatively shallow
waters, anywhere from one foot to sixty feet. Juveniles will often be found under floating
mats of sargassum weed. That's the Bar Jack.