Queen Fish
Scientific name Scomberoides lysan
Queenfish are sleek, high-speed predators built for open-water hunting. With long, silver bodies, deeply forked tails and powerful musculature, they are designed for acceleration and agility in blue water.
The Doublespotted Queenfish is the species most commonly encountered around Koh Tao. It can be recognised by the row of dark oval spots along its flanks and its reflective, mirror-like body.
Queenfish are usually seen cruising just off reef edges or above pinnacles between 10–30 metres. They often move in loose schools, especially when hunting smaller baitfish. When feeding, they can accelerate suddenly, slicing through schools with impressive speed.
They are more commonly encountered at offshore sites where current brings in baitfish. While not an everyday sighting, seeing a group of queenfish moving through the blue water adds an unmistakable sense of open-ocean energy to a dive.
As fast mid-to-top-level predators, they help regulate populations of smaller schooling fish and maintain balance in the pelagic reef ecosystem.
Find Queen Fish at...
Divemaster's tip
Spend time looking out into the blue rather than focusing only on the reef. Queenfish often patrol just beyond the main structure.
If you see baitfish scatter suddenly, stay still and scan the area — queenfish may be making a fast pass through the school.
What do they eat?
Queenfish primarily feed on smaller fish such as sardines, anchovies and juvenile reef species.
Their speed and sharp vision make them highly effective hunters in open water around Koh Tao’s offshore dive sites.
