Kelp bass
Paralabrax clathratus
- On view
- Kelp Forest
- Animal type
- Fishes
- Ecosystem
- Kelp forest
- Relatives
- Sea bass, groupers; Family: Serranidae
- Diet
- Small fishes, squid, crustaceans
- Range
- Pacific coast, Oregon to Baja California
- Size
- Up to 28.5 inches (72 cm)
Meet the kelp bass
Usually loners, kelp bass join together to prey on small schooling fishes. They attack the school from all angles and may leap out of the water in hot pursuit. Even though they're called kelp bass, these fish don't require kelp. They'll congregate around any type of structure, like shipwrecks, rocks, pipes and pilings.
Watch in real time
Kelp Forest Cam
Check out this live cam – Kelp Forest CamConservation
Kelp bass are a popular recreational fishery species in Southern California.
Cool facts
- Larval kelp bass drift along as plankton and settle on blades of giant kelp. The kelp acts as giant sieves, straining larvae out of the water.
- The ear bones (otoliths) of kelp bass are occasionally found in Indian middens (refuse piles).
Up next in kelp forest
Animal
Giant kelpfish
Individual kelpfish can change colors to match changes in the colors around them.
Keep exploring
Animal
Leopard shark
Leopard sharks live in shallow waters of bays and estuaries and occasionally patrol the kelp forest.