The Pilot Fish, also widely referred to as the Shark Pilot, the Pilotfish, or the Sea Guide, is a pelagic fish of the open sea that is world-famous for its incredible symbiotic relationship with sharks. It is the classic companion of the deep and represents a species that has inspired countless myths and sailors’ tales about leading ships and sharks to their destinations. The body is muscular and torpedo-shaped, silver-blue in colour, and characterised by five to seven very bold, wide dark blue or black vertical stripes. These markings make it stand out from a distance while resembling a traditional prisoner uniform.

Confusion often occurs with the juvenile Wreckfish, which also follows objects when small, but the Pilot Fish is easily distinguished by its clean vertical stripes and more hydrodynamic shape. While the young Wreckfish features irregular spots, the Pilot Fish maintains distinct bars throughout its development.

This is a purely pelagic species that lives in the open sea and rarely approaches the coast. Its life is inextricably linked to larger marine creatures. It lives almost permanently by swimming alongside, beneath, or even in front of sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles. It also tends to follow ships over long distances. Young individuals often hide under jellyfish or floating seaweed before they find a host to protect them.

The relationship with its host, such as a shark, is primarily mutual. The Pilot Fish acts as a cleaner by eating external parasites from the skin of the shark. In exchange, the shark protects from other predators, since nobody dares to approach it, and it offers easy food, since the Pilot Fish feeds on the scraps from the shark's meals. It also hunts small fish and invertebrates on its own when given the opportunity.

Fisheries & Economic Value

It is not a target of commercial fisheries and is rarely sold in fish markets. It is caught almost exclusively as accidental bycatch in nets or longlines intended for the large predators it follows. Nevertheless, the meat is considered extremely delicious and of high quality, with a flavour reminiscent of Greater Amberjack, and is appreciated by those lucky enough to try it.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Pilot Fish as a species of Least Concern due to its wide distribution across all warm seas. Scientific studies have confirmed that its relationship with sharks is so strong that shark attacks on Pilot Fish are rarely observed. It has also been noted that Pilot Fish help young sharks learn to hunt by leading them towards prey.