Black bream are not fussy eaters. Living in estuary systems, like the Swan-Canning in the Perth region, black bream use their peg-like teeth to prise mussels, barnacles and tubeworms from rocks, piles and pylons. They also eat small crabs, and river bloodworms, and will hunt small fish and crustaceans such as river prawns. Dolphins feed on black bream in large numbers, both in estuaries and offshore.

It is highly likely that every river has its own unique genetic stock of black bream. This is because over their life black bream stay close to the area where they were born. Black bream don’t travel to other areas, making each group geographically isolated. Some areas have black bream that spawn younger, are smaller when sexually mature, grow faster or reach larger sizes.

The time to spawn relies on the environmental triggers. Triggers for spawning include water temperature and salt levels, the level of oxygen in the water, and the availability of a suitable habitat. Spring is spawning time. The adults form schools and travel upstream to breed.

Scientific and other common names
Black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) are also commonly named blackfish and darkie.

What they look like
Black bream are a dark bronze fish with a touch of green and silver, a deep, strong body and powerful tail. Their bronze colouring and a long second anal spine separate them from silver bream (tarwhine) and juvenile pink snapper.

The pectoral fin is long, reaching to the start of the anal fin. It's mouth is of moderate size with six curved, peg-like incisors at the front of both jaws. The body is covered with large scales. The species is said to reach a maximum of 60cm in length and 3kg in weight, but most fish caught in Western Australia range between 250g and 1kg.

Where they live
Black bream favour the snaggy and rocky areas of rivers and estuaries. They often gather around structures such as jetties and bridge pylons, or submerged snags such as fallen trees.

Black bream are common in the rivers and estuaries of Australia's lower west, southern and south-east coasts. Their range extends from the Murchison River in Western Australia to Myall Lake in Victoria and they are also found in the tidal rivers of Tasmania and around Flinders and Kangaroo Islands. They are also occasionally found in coastal waters, particularly in the Gulf region of South Australia.