Atlantic Moonfish
Selene setapinnis
How to tell it
A vertical silver dish with a steep face and thin body; no trailing streamers.
Often mistaken for
One fish that gets called Atlantic moonfish, and what gives it away.
- Lookdown: Long dorsal and anal streamers, flatter forehead. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 lb 8 oz | 2019 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Mississippi | 1 lb 14.38 oz | 2006 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 1.2 lb | 2015 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Thin but tasty panfish.
In the app
Point the camera at an Atlantic moonfish and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about Atlantic moonfish
How do you tell Atlantic moonfish from lookdown?
Atlantic Moonfish: A vertical silver dish with a steep face and thin body; no trailing streamers. Lookdown: long dorsal and anal streamers, flatter forehead.
What is the record Atlantic moonfish?
1 lb 14.38 oz in Mississippi (2006). Other states’ records are in the table.