Additional field notes
Sargo is a coastal grunt with a distinctive dark body bar. Historical California accounts also document its introduction to the Salton Sea, a separate setting from its natural ocean habitat.
Sources: Salton Sea Fishes: Sargo, page 45; Surf Zone Fishes
Recognizing a sargo
A dark vertical band crosses the metallic body. The historical California guide describes a greenish back and bronze lower body, with the band developing when young fish reach roughly two or three inches. China croaker is another common name. A very small juvenile may therefore lack the obvious band seen on larger fish.
Sources: Salton Sea Fishes: Sargo, page 45
Coastal records and Salton Sea history
California’s surf-zone monitoring records sargo among coastal fishes. The older Salton Sea guide documents an introduction of 65 fish in 1951 and describes fish using jetties and submerged structures. Those inland observations belong to a historical introduced population; they are not evidence of the population’s condition today.
Sources: Salton Sea Fishes: Sargo, page 45; Surf Zone Fishes
Historical feeding observations
In the Salton Sea account, adults fed mainly on barnacles. The guide described winter and early-spring spawning, followed by small juveniles schooling in shallow water. These local observations should not be generalized into a single spawning schedule for all coastal populations.
Sources: Salton Sea Fishes: Sargo, page 45
Guide sources
Research reviewed 2026-10-17.
- Salton Sea Fishes: Sargo, page 45 — California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Surf Zone Fishes — California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Anisotremus davidsonii (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.